Dubai Teenager Launches Community Carpool Website to Tackle School Traffic and Ease Brother's Commute

More than 1,000 people have signed up for a free community carpool service developed by a Dubai teenager aiming to speed up his brother’s journey to school and reduce rush-hour congestion.

Amid studying for exams, Anvith Yalamanchili, a 17-year-old IB student at Dwight Global, entered the world of traffic management after his brother's commute to school in Dubai Sports City tripled to about 45 minutes over two years.

Driven by a passion for sustainability and an interest in regenerative businesses with an environmental focus, the teenager launched the Community Carpool scheme earlier this year.

Explaining the origins of the website, Anvith Yalamanchili said that three new schools opened in the same area, increasing the volume of cars and causing severe delays. Noticing that many vehicles coming from communities like Arabian Ranches or Sports City had empty seats, he realized carpooling could significantly speed up travel times during peak hours.

The free platform operates via communitycarpool.org, where users submit basic travel plans, contact details, and ride preferences to find suitable matches. The system supports school pupils, workers, and visitors to sports clubs alike.

Initially, Anvith Yalamanchili manually matched users on a map using pins, but as numbers grew, he developed an automated algorithm using the Haversine mathematical formula to calculate the shortest distance between points using latitude and longitude coordinates.

The platform currently boasts 1,000 users and has partnered with Damac to expand its reach among the property developer's employees. Anvith Yalamanchili hopes to scale the initiative across the UAE and internationally to cities in India and America experiencing similar traffic issues.

Meanwhile, the wider UAE transport sector is seeing increased demand for school-focused mobility options. The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority has highlighted app-based alternatives for the 2026 school year, including services from Careem, Uber School, Bolt School, and Yango School Rides. Additionally, short-term vehicle hire firm Udrive has noted a significant rise in demand among adults during the back-to-school period.