Dubai, UAE: Parents of Dubai school students who are struggling to cope with a hike in school transportation fees can now seek the help of The Department of Economic Development (DED).
These grievances will be addressed by DED’s Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection (CCCP) section, the department has now said.
Talking to Emirates 24|7, Omar Bushahab, CEO of CCCP sector said, “The Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection sector in DED receives consumer complaints about goods and services provided by private companies.”
A number of schools serviced by Dubai’s biggest private school transport company, School Transport Services (STS) had, earlier this month, announced a hike in their transport fees citing the various additional measures that the bus operator has had to undertake, including GPS tracking devices, electronic attendance, video surveillance system, constant monitoring of the buses, panic button, installation of guardian cards, and mobile text alerts for parent.
“In addition to the huge expenditure incurred to introduce all the above features, reduction of seats in the buses as per RTA specifications, there has also been a steep increase in the cost of buses and fuel; hence it has become necessary for us to have a marginal increase in the transport fees,” one of the schools said in a notice it sent out to parents informing them of the transport fee hike.
Concerned parents who approached the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) were informed that such grievances could not be addressed by those bodies as private school operators were not part of their respective remits.
Now, however, the DED has stepped in and said that it will look into the matter if and when approached. “Consumers can submit their complaints by calling Ahlan Dubai on 600545555 or on the websitewww.consumerrights.ae,” said DED’s Bushahab.
© Emirates 24|7 2013
Twitter