Cash-starved Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations moot conductorless buses

CHENNAI: Faced with funds crunch, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations (TNSTC) have proposed to operate conductorless buses in select one to one non-stop routes across the State by next month.
According to highly-placed sources in the transport department, newly-built buses being registered at RTO’s office in Villupuram, Coimbatore, Salem, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil are expected to be rolled out by July first week.

“The buses will be introduced in highly congested routes in Madurai, Kumbakonam and Salem divisions. In select point-to-point non-stop routes, buses will be operated without conductors,” said an official.
The proposed conductorless bus routes are Chennai - Vellore, Chennai - Tiruvannamalai, Salem - Hosur, Madurai - Tirunelveli, Tenkasi - Tirunelveli, Madurai - Tiruchy, Tiruchy - Karaikudi and Nagercoil - Tiruneveli. Though other States, including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka had introduced conductorless buses in the past, they were withdrawn.

Presently, a few services of Vellore - Tirupati, Kancheepuram - Tirupati, Chennai - Tirupati buses of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) are operated without conductors.
The move is aimed at improving the financial condition of State transport undertakings which have accumulated debts of Rs 29,000 crore.

According to transport policy note of 2017-18, the State government spent nearly 51.4 per cent of its total revenue towards salary of employees and officials, while the fuel expenses consume 28.3 per cent of revenue. As on September 30, 2017, with a fleet strength 22,203, eight transport corporations catered to about 2.1 crore passengers and ticket collection stood at Rs 25.3 crore a day. Workers and employees strength of STUs is 1.26 lakh.

Patronage of government bus services has fallen after fares were increased on January 20 this year. Subsequently, the fleet strength of buses is also said to have been cut by 10 to 15 per cent. However, the government is yet to reveal the records of ticket collection and fleet strength.

K Natarajan, treasurer of Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), said, “Government had not recruited new workers for the past 20 months. If the driver has to issue the tickets for passengers boarding en-route, it would increase travel time,” he said.

However, a senior trade union office bearer from Transport Employees Federation, said the move would be successful in express buses. 

Tickets at start points
As per the plan, tickets will be issued at the originating points of the buses. Enroute, the drivers will issue the tickets, officials said.