Crew Training
Every school bus operator in Abu Dhabi and Dubai employs certified drivers and crew trained to manage students safely. This includes mandatory, government-approved safety training and license renewals every two years. At Shanawaz, we realized that despite this training, many of our drivers still lacked the confidence to handle real emergencies. So, we introduced our own hands-on emergency drills at the start of each academic year. These drills involve breaking through bus windows, cutting seat belts, and using fire extinguishers—simulating real emergencies to ensure our team is fully prepared to protect passengers and themselves before help arrives.
IT Systems
Nearly a decade ago, Shanawaz began embracing information technology in ways few school bus companies in the UAE, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, had considered. We used it to streamline operations, enhance safety, cut costs, boost fleet efficiency, reduce manual work, and give parents real-time updates on their child’s location and safety. With our school bus registration e-portal and mobile app, both school authorities and parents could easily track buses each morning and afternoon—ensuring safe, on-time arrivals. Parents loved the peace of mind that came with having this information at their fingertips.
Fleet Aesthetics
Our school buses are often the first and most frequent point of contact students and parents have with our brand—and by extension, your School. That’s why we apply our R&D mindset to both fleet aesthetics and onboard comfort. Like most operators, our buses carry both School and Shanawaz branding. But where we stand out is inside—our interiors are designed for maximum comfort. Each bus is fitted with high-quality UV window tints, optimal cabin temperatures year-round, and pleasant fragrances. We also ensure hygiene essentials like tissues, hand sanitizers, masks, and trash cans are always well-stocked.
Control Room
School bus operations are among the most challenging in transportation, responsible for some of the most precious 'cargo'—children. There's no room for error, and everything must be completed within 60 minutes, twice a day, every weekday. With regulations, weather, traffic, safety, breakdowns, and unpredictable students, it’s the ‘perfect storm.’ While our driving crew is the heart, our Control Room is the central nervous system. It manages route planning, fleet readiness, inspections, and certifications. As the school year begins, they oversee daily operations, crew assignments, and backup plans. Each school day, the Control Room ensures inspections, addresses issues, deploys backup crews, and ensures buses complete their routes safely and on time. This approach allows for proactive management and swift responses to the unexpected.
Why Us
Every year, we ask: Why us? With so many capable school bus companies out there, why choose us? The answer lies in how we think and operate. We may look like a typical transport provider, but we’re far from it. At Shanawaz, we apply an R&D mindset—constantly testing, learning, and improving to serve schools, parents, and students better. Each year brings new lessons that shape our daily operations. In the next few paragraphs, we’ll share some of our R&D insights to give you a real look into how we work. Hopefully, you’ll find your own answer to the question: why us? Let’s start with the basics—and explore what makes us different.
Procurement
Under government mandates in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, all school buses must undergo safety modifications to meet school transport standards. But when sourcing this equipment, we quickly found that high-quality options came at a steep cost, while affordable ones didn’t meet our internal safety criteria. So, our procurement team tapped into global supply chain contacts to source top-tier equipment at reasonable prices—without compromising safety. As a result, Shanawaz became one of the first school transport companies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to introduce 3-point seat belts across its entire fleet, starting in 2013.
Comfortable Branding
When our buses transport your students across the city, we know they represent your School just as much as Shanawaz. With that in mind, our HR team understands the value of our crew’s appearance in supporting your School’s branding. Each year, HR and the Operations Manager lead a professional uniform procurement process—sourcing high-quality fabrics, tailoring each uniform individually, and offering variations like button-downs, polos, windbreakers, shoes, and hats to suit the weather. This not only keeps our crew comfortable but also boosts their confidence, which shines through in their interactions with parents, school staff, and the community.
People and Culture
As a school bus operator, our driving crew and support staff are the heart of our operations. Without their selfless dedication, we wouldn't exist. Recognizing this, we knew we had to offer more than just the typical monetary compensation to make their time with us truly valuable. In addition to our strict disciplinary practices to maintain high standards, we have policies that reward our crew in unexpected ways. Senior management personally connects with the families of our drivers, often thousands of kilometers away, to assist with needs in their local communities. Projects like building water wells, repairing local mosques, and supporting our drivers’ children through local educational ties are just a few ways we give back.
Why Us
Every year, we ask: Why us? With so many capable school bus companies out there, why choose us? The answer lies in how we think and operate. We may look like a typical transport provider, but we’re far from it. At Shanawaz, we apply an R&D mindset—constantly testing, learning, and improving to serve schools, parents, and students better. Each year brings new lessons that shape our daily operations. In the next few paragraphs, we’ll share some of our R&D insights to give you a real look into how we work. Hopefully, you’ll find your own answer to the question: why us? Let’s start with the basics—and explore what makes us different.
Crew Training
Every school bus operator in Abu Dhabi and Dubai employs certified drivers and crew trained to manage students safely. This includes mandatory, government-approved safety training and license renewals every two years. At Shanawaz, we realized that despite this training, many of our drivers still lacked the confidence to handle real emergencies. So, we introduced our own hands-on emergency drills at the start of each academic year. These drills involve breaking through bus windows, cutting seat belts, and using fire extinguishers—simulating real emergencies to ensure our team is fully prepared to protect passengers and themselves before help arrives.
Procurement
Under government mandates in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, all school buses must undergo safety modifications to meet school transport standards. But when sourcing this equipment, we quickly found that high-quality options came at a steep cost, while affordable ones didn’t meet our internal safety criteria. So, our procurement team tapped into global supply chain contacts to source top-tier equipment at reasonable prices—without compromising safety. As a result, Shanawaz became one of the first school transport companies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to introduce 3-point seat belts across its entire fleet, starting in 2013.
IT Systems
Nearly a decade ago, Shanawaz began embracing information technology in ways few school bus companies in the UAE, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, had considered. We used it to streamline operations, enhance safety, cut costs, boost fleet efficiency, reduce manual work, and give parents real-time updates on their child’s location and safety. With our school bus registration e-portal and mobile app, both school authorities and parents could easily track buses each morning and afternoon—ensuring safe, on-time arrivals. Parents loved the peace of mind that came with having this information at their fingertips.
Comfortable Branding
When our buses transport your students across the city, we know they represent your School just as much as Shanawaz. With that in mind, our HR team understands the value of our crew’s appearance in supporting your School’s branding. Each year, HR and the Operations Manager lead a professional uniform procurement process—sourcing high-quality fabrics, tailoring each uniform individually, and offering variations like button-downs, polos, windbreakers, shoes, and hats to suit the weather. This not only keeps our crew comfortable but also boosts their confidence, which shines through in their interactions with parents, school staff, and the community.
Fleet Aesthetics
Our school buses are often the first and most frequent point of contact students and parents have with our brand—and by extension, your School. That’s why we apply our R&D mindset to both fleet aesthetics and onboard comfort. Like most operators, our buses carry both School and Shanawaz branding. But where we stand out is inside—our interiors are designed for maximum comfort. Each bus is fitted with high-quality UV window tints, optimal cabin temperatures year-round, and pleasant fragrances. We also ensure hygiene essentials like tissues, hand sanitizers, masks, and trash cans are always well-stocked.
People and Culture
As a school bus operator, our driving crew and support staff are the heart of our operations. Without their selfless dedication, we wouldn't exist. Recognizing this, we knew we had to offer more than just the typical monetary compensation to make their time with us truly valuable. In addition to our strict disciplinary practices to maintain high standards, we have policies that reward our crew in unexpected ways. Senior management personally connects with the families of our drivers, often thousands of kilometers away, to assist with needs in their local communities. Projects like building water wells, repairing local mosques, and supporting our drivers’ children through local educational ties are just a few ways we give back.
Control Room
School bus operations are among the most challenging in transportation, responsible for some of the most precious 'cargo'—children. There's no room for error, and everything must be completed within 60 minutes, twice a day, every weekday. With regulations, weather, traffic, safety, breakdowns, and unpredictable students, it’s the ‘perfect storm.’ While our driving crew is the heart, our Control Room is the central nervous system. It manages route planning, fleet readiness, inspections, and certifications. As the school year begins, they oversee daily operations, crew assignments, and backup plans. Each school day, the Control Room ensures inspections, addresses issues, deploys backup crews, and ensures buses complete their routes safely and on time. This approach allows for proactive management and swift responses to the unexpected.
