Mysuru: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), in an attempt to mitigate its operational costs by 10% has decided to ply more than 10% conductor-less buses against the total fleet. Accordingly, more than 850 buses are presently being run on a Single-Staff model.

Sharing details about this model, KSRTC Managing Director  (MD) V. Anbukumar said, conductor-less bus service has been introduced between Bengaluru-Mysuru, Bengaluru-Hassan, Bengaluru-Davangere, Bengaluru-Shivamogga and other point to point routes, with no stoppages. The driver will issue ticket on those routes with multiple boarding points, added KSRTC MD.

Explaining the reason behind this new initiative, he said that, KSRTC daily operates about 8,000 buses and covers a distance of 28 lakh km per day. “The cost incurred per km considering all the expenses including investment, interest, diesel, administrative expenses and salaries of drivers and conductors and others will be Rs. 50 per kilometre. If our Earning Per kilometre is more than Rs. 50, then only KSRTC will make  profit. Out of 8,000 buses, about 5,000 buses are earning less than Rs. 50 per km due to less patronage and other reasons,” he said. 

Continuing, he said that, KSRTC is always on the look out for ways and means to cut the operational costs, without compromising on the service,  and operating conductor-less bus is one such model in that direction.

Anbukumar concluded by saying that, it is a challenge for the driver to run the bus without the help of a conductor on long distance routes and hence KSRTC has introduced conductor-less bus service on those routes. where the travel time won’t exceed 5-6 hours.