A new fleet of world-standard school buses hit Bahrain's roads yesterday (February 24), as part of a massive upgrade.

They will ferry 34,000 students a day, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Education Minister Dr Majid Al Nuaimi launched the first batch of 66 buses, and rode in one along with Under-Secretary for resources and services Shaikh Hisham bin Abdulaziz Al Khalifa, Higher Education Council secretary general Dr Riyadh Yousif Hamza and other officials.

The ministry is planning to launch 488 buses of the same type in the coming months, to bring the overall number to 550.

Each bus is equipped with safety belts, aluminium window barriers, three cameras to monitor and a loudspeaker to direct students and ensure their safety.

The new fleet of fully air conditioned buses is also equipped with a first-aid box, a fire extinguisher and a "Stop" signal on the left side for students to cross streets safely.

The ministry provides free transportation for 34,000 students, in a package costing BD5 million ($13.1 million) annually. - TradeArabia News Service