CHENNAI: Online bookings for government buses hit a record high of 35,140 tickets on Wednesday, surpassing the previous peak of 32,910 tickets on January 12, 2018. Typically, daily advance bookings range between 10,000 and 15,000, making this the highest number of bookings in a single day, State Express Transport Corporation (SETC), which manages government bus reservation, said. These bookings cover SETC routes, which operate over 300 km, and mofussil services provided by six TNSTC corporations.
SETC officials said passengers who reserved tickets on Wednesday are expected to travel within the next 60 days. The surge in bookings is attributed to the extended holiday season, including Vinayagar Chaturthi on September 7, Milad un-Nabi on Monday (September 9), Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadashami on October 12 and 13, and Deepavali on October 31.
“We have been introducing special buses during weekends and extended holidays to meet the growing demand. These bookings give us a clearer picture of commuter needs during the festival season, allowing us to better plan services on various routes,” said an official.
In February, the transport department introduced a cash reward scheme to encourage online ticket bookings. Under this scheme, 13 commuters who book tickets online during off-peak days (Monday to Thursday) and selected through a random lot receive cash prizes each month. Three winners are awarded Rs 10,000 each, while 10 others receive Rs 2,000 each. The scheme applies not only to SETC buses but also TNSTC-operated mofussil services to major cities, temple towns, and tourist destinations.
An official acknowledged that although bookings have not surged dramatically since the introduction of the reward scheme, they are steadily increasing.
Notably, SETC routes with the highest ticket demand include Chennai-Coimbatore, Chennai-Bengaluru, Chennai-Tiruchy, and Chennai-Tirunelveli.