GEMS Education, in partnership with STS Group, is set to launch the Middle East’s first fully sustainable school transport fleet at its 47th school, ‘GEMS School of Research and Innovation’ (SRI) in Dubai Sports City.
The partnership agreement was signed by Jay Varkey, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GEMS Education, and Steve Burnell, Managing Director of STS Group, at the GEMS Education corporate office in Dubai.
Scheduled to debut this August, the initiative highlights a shared commitment to contributing to a sustainable future. STS Group will also launch ‘Spot2Spot’, an advanced, electric vehicle-based transport service designed for students living near SRI.
This sustainable mobility model reflects SRI’s dedication to cementing its position as the region’s most forward-thinking school and a living platform for climate action and smart innovation in education.
Jay Varkey Deputy Chief Executive Officer – GEMS Education
“This partnership demonstrates our unwavering commitment to leading the education sector with purpose-driven innovation. The introduction of a fully sustainable fleet, coupled with Spot2Spot’s smart transport model, brings real, measurable value to our families while supporting the UAE’s broader environmental goals.”
James Monaghan, CEO and Founding Principal of SRI, stated that, “SRI is designed to be a living lab for innovation, wellbeing, and sustainability. Introducing both green buses and Spot2Spot reflects the school’s mission to deliver an education that prepares students to lead in a rapidly evolving world.”
Fleet innovation and Spot2Spot highlights:
Spot2Spot: A fully electric, demand-responsive model designed specially for students living near SRI, offering shorter journey and reducing local congestion.
Parent-friendly tech: Provides real-time notifications, student check-in/check-out and journey updates via the STS transport app.
Data-led performance monitoring to track environmental and operational impact
Through the launch of Spot2Spot, they seek to minimize private car journeys by up to 30 percent, reduce daily CO₂ emissions by 1.2kg per student, and bring average journey times below 30 minutes. By using advanced proximity clustering, this innovative service will ensure safe, efficient and RTA-compliant transport for urban school bus users.
“We’re proud to partner with GEMS Education in launching not only a sustainable fleet but also Spot2Spot, our newest mobility solution that reimagines how school transport should work in modern cities. Operating the service with EVs sets a new benchmark for clean, intelligent, and community-based student mobility,” added Steve Burnell.
The combined model of green fleet and Spot2Spot service will serve as a scalable blueprint for future GEMS schools and other education providers across the region. Built with embedded data collection, the pilot will help evaluate the potential for wider launch in line with UAE Net Zero 2050 and Dubai’s smart mobility goals.
Furthermore, this move underscores the mutual vision of GEMS Education and STS Group to reduce emissions related to the school commute, enhance traffic flow around campuses, and provide safe, smart and sustainable transport solutions that support students, families, and communities.
