Another 3 lakh drop BEST service this year

Citing breakdowns, defunct ACs and discourteous staff, more commuters snub buses, leaving transport body with 38 lakh daily passengers, where it once had 44 lakh

The BEST has kept up its dismal record of losing bus commuters. After having lost 3 lakh daily passengers in January this year, it has again lost an equal number, bringing the tally down to 38 lakh from 44 lakh last year.



As the slump has intensified in the past five months, the transport body, aggrieved with the steady decline in its commuter traffic has formed a special sub-committee to find out what's causing the decline.
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It will review the day-to-day functioning of the undertaking, and ascertain the reasons for the decreasing traffic.
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The seven-member committee will hold its first meeting this Friday, and BEST MD O P Gupta is expected to attend.

MiD DAY had earlier reported ('3 lakh a day drop in BEST passengers, January 6), about how BEST's daily rush had come down from 44 lakh commuters a day last year to 41 lakh in January this year.

Officials said that the main reason behind the loss in traffic is buses going kaput. Many fire incidences have occurred in the buses, scaring the passengers away.

Sunil Shinde, chairman, BEST committee, said, "We have found that one of the reasons for lesser passengers is breakdown of the buses. We are trying to solve these problems and will increase the number of our passengers again."
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Also, commuters are disgruntled with BEST's air-conditioned services. They have found leakages, defunct ACs in many buses.

"Why do we pay more money for travelling in AC buses when the ACs do not work? I have witnessed leakages and switched-off ACs countless times.
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So I have almost stopped travelling in these buses in favour of locals, even though they consume more time," said Rakesh Kumar, who commutes regularly between Thane and Borivli.

The rash driving and rude treatment from bus drivers and conductors is also not the best policy to woo commuters, who constantly complain against the discourteous on-board staff.
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To this end, the sub-committee, apart from studying technical problems, will also meet drivers, conductors and other staff responsible for running the buses and assess them psychologically, an official said.

Another reason cited is staff shortage. From technicians to bus drivers, the BEST is pressed for human resources.

And the ones on its payroll are discontented with the pay. "We don't have enough drivers and conductors. We have bought nearly 1,000 buses this year, but do not have technicians to repair faults.
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The staff is dissatisfied, as we have not increased their salaries. We will discuss these issues and get back the passengers we have lost," said Ravi Raja, a BEST committee member who is also part of the freshly minted sub-committee.

The BEST has a total fleet of 4,700 buses. Of these, nearly 800 remain stationary at the depots due to shortage of drivers, conductors, and technicians. And many of the 288 air-conditioned buses face daily technical snags.

"Apart from this, we will also look at the bus time-tables and rework the bus routes to ease heavy-traffic areas. Recruitments and other factors which have affected the services will also be studied," added Raja.

4,700
The number of buses in BEST's fleet

8,000
The number of BEST drivers and conductors on BEST's payroll

4,500
The number of daily-wage drivers and conductors

Expert View
According to Sudhir Badami, a transport expert, the reason for the dwindling passenger number of passengers is also that buses plying on the highways are packed during peak hours. "If BEST introduces schemes like the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) or articulated and bi-articulated buses, then it may be able to woo commuters back and attract more train commuters as well," Badami said.