COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore division of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), as a measure to cut back on fuel costs, issued a circular on Thursday, announcing its decision to reduce the number of trips operated with ultra-low-floor buses, especially during the early morning and late at night, with effect from Saturday.
Sources said the ultra-low-floor buses -- 165 of them are operational in the Coimbatore region -- have a mileage of just under three kilometres per litre, resulting in losses for the transport division. As per the circular to the depot branch managers in the region, the number of trips of ultra-low-floor buses operating 10 journeys daily has been reduced to six. For short-distance buses operating a maximum of 20 trips a day, the number has been reduced to 10; and for buses operating 28 trips, it is cut down by half. The circular also stated that only the journeys during early morning and night were reduced in order to minimise the impact on the public.
According to official sources, branch managers have started reducing the number of journeys based on the passenger density, which is being monitored to identify low-demand periods. For instance, a 5 am trip may be cancelled if the passenger numbers are low, and a 9 pm trip might be withdrawn or not operated on certain routes.
A corporation conductor, demanding that the decision be revoked, filed a petition with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Cell on Saturday, highlighting that the move would directly affect the public. The complainant, on condition of anonymity, told TNIE that the move would affect passengers, especially women, who rely on these buses for commuting during the early morning and at night. "Already, several buses on these routes were cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the reduction in the number of trips would worsen the situation. It will benefit private buses, which will gain more passengers and revenue. The decision appears to favour private bus owners," he alleged.
N Logu, secretary of NGO Coimbatore Consumer Voice, said that reducing the number of journeys citing austerity is unacceptable. He said the buses are already running late, forcing students and commuters to wait longer at bus stops, resulting in overcrowding. He urged the authorities to revoke the decision and asked the state government to subsidise the TNSTC.
A senior TNSTC officer from the Coimbatore region told TNIE that the number of passengers using the ultra-low-floor buses during the early mornings and nights is low, and thus operating the buses during said periods has become expensive due to the rising diesel costs. "It will not affect the passengers, as ordinary or private buses run at a 10-minute interval before and after these services," said the officer.
