THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Forgot to take headphones on your bus journey? Relax. Following the surge in ridership driven by Priyadarshini service, KSRTC is stepping up passenger experience by rolling out a digital radio network across its fleet for 21 lakh daily commuters. Accompanying the hum of diesel engine will be a blend of music, weather updates, travel advisories and stories by staff.
The entire initiative will be sustained entirely through ad revenue at zero cost to the public. Transport Minister C P John spearheaded the digital radio service and hinted at plans to introduce multimedia TV screens on select routes in the future. Launched on June 15, the UDF government’s ‘Priyadarshini’ free travel scheme for women has boosted bus patronage across Keralam.
Daily female ridership rose by 25.7%, from 11.08 lakh in the first week to 13.93 lakh by the thirteenth week. Women and transgender passengers now make up over 60% of ordinary bus passengers, driving daily traffic across all KSRTC services past 27 lakh commuters.
Senior KSRTC officials are now preparing to equip all 5,700 operating buses with the new audio system under this public-private framework.
As per an official, the service will run strictly from 6am to 9pm with smart volume limits. There will a complete ban on political or religious content and up to five minutes every hour will be reserved for official travel advisories and public welfare updates.
Technology specifically built for state’s terrain
The system relies on cloud-connected technology built specifically for Keralam’s terrain.
“Whether a bus is winding through deep forest stretches or passing through rural valleys where cell phone signals vanish, smart onboard units will download and store playlists locally to guarantee uninterrupted offline playback,” a technical officer with the project team detailed.
“More importantly, dispatchers can instantly override regular programming to broadcast high-priority safety instructions during emergencies, all at zero cost to the treasury or commuters.”
Travel rhythm
Digital radio network across fleet for 21L daily commuters
Content: Music, weather, travel updates and staff stories
Ad-funded by private partners ; 5 mins/hr for advisories