As the new school year commences, Yango Maps, the advanced navigation app, has conducted a comprehensive survey among Dubai’s parents to understand their specific needs and preferences for daily commutes.
The findings reveal that 72% of parents find preparing for the school year a time-consuming process, with 67% initiating preparations one to three months in advance. For 73% of respondents, the school is located in a different neighbourhood, necessitating daily commutes for drop-offs and pickups. Most children are transported either by school bus (63%) or by car (40%).
Additionally, children’s after-school activities add to the travel burden, with 67% of parents driving their children to these activities two to four times a week. On average, 60% of parents spend between 20 and 60 minutes travelling to school or after-school activities. Consequently, 72% report an increase in driving time during the school season, highlighting the need for efficient navigation solutions.
The survey highlights several challenges faced by parents, including road traffic (62%) and the difficulty of finding parking (59%). Nearly half of the respondents (49%) seek to reduce travel time, with 42% valuing accurate arrival time predictions.
Key features that parents prioritise in a navigation app include:
- Arrival Time Accuracy and Traffic Updates: Over half of the respondents (54%) prioritise precise arrival time predictions, while 49% value real-time traffic updates. These features are crucial for managing timely school drop-offs and pickups, especially during peak traffic periods. Yango Maps addresses these needs by providing real-time traffic information in both English and Arabic.
- Convenient Parking Options: A notable 50% of respondents emphasise the importance of easily locating parking near their destination. Yango Maps assists users by displaying nearby parking options before their journey begins, allowing for better route planning and efficient parking.
- Detailed City Maps and Speed Limit Information: Other desired features include high-detail maps (44%), speed limit information (43%), and adaptive driving route views (30%). Yango Maps meets these requirements with a detailed depiction of Dubai, mapping over 3000 km of roads, including lane markings and multi-level interchanges. The app provides turn-by-turn directions and speed limit notifications.
Alexander Baksheev, CEO of Yango Maps, commented, “As the back-to-school season begins in Dubai, parents need effective navigation tools to manage traffic, find convenient parking, and optimise their commute times. Our survey highlights a strong demand for features such as real-time traffic updates and accurate ETAs. Yango Maps offers a comprehensive solution that not only meets these needs but also enhances the navigation experience with additional city guide recommendations.”
An impressive 93% of parents expressed a keen interest in navigation services that provide tailored recommendations for family-friendly spots along their route or within the city. Popular destinations include sports centres, entertainment venues, shopping malls, educational programmes, and arts and crafts studios.
To support parents further, Yango Maps has developed detailed guides to family-friendly locations in Dubai, including options for sports and artistic activities. This integration of real-time navigation with curated local recommendations aims to ease the back-to-school transition by reducing the time spent searching for destinations and planning routes.
Yango Maps is available for free on Google Play and the App Store, offering interfaces and voice directions in both English and Arabic. The app provides a suite of useful features, including detailed road markings, speed limit alerts, up-to-date public transport schedules, integrated ride-hailing services, and offline maps.
Yango, a leading tech company, brings global innovations to local communities through its suite of services, including Yango ride-hailing, Yango Delivery, Yango Tech, Yasmina (AI-based voice assistant), and Yango Maps, all available in the UAE.
