The Hindu : Front Page : State transport drivers feel the squeeze

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Sunday, Oct 12, 2008
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State transport drivers feel the squeeze

Anil Kumar Sastry

Tough measures against them tell on their pay packet

Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

A file picture of the crew of Airavata (Volvo) buses. —

BANGALORE: How much do you think a driver with over 25 years of experience in the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) earns a month? At least Rs. 15,000? But B. Muniswamy (name changed on request) who drives a Volvo (remember Volvo drivers are the “creamy layer,” handpicked by KSRTC), earns just Rs. 8,000 a month, his basic pay being just above Rs. 4,000.

Now, how did Mr. Muniswamy come to such a pass? His troubles started when a worn-out tyre burst, and his three increments were axed. When one of the window panes developed a crack, another two increments were slashed. Again, when two passengers did not possess tickets while he was driver-cum-conductor, his basic pay was brought down to the minimum even though the ticketing machine showed he had issued the tickets and the ticket collection amount was properly accounted for.

Not alone

This is not only the story of Mr. Muniswamy alone, but also of hundreds of drivers in the four State-run transport corporations who are frequently penalised in the name of disciplinary action. “Having served the corporation for over two decades and having crossed the prime of my youth, I don’t have any option but to continue to drive,” Mr. Muniswamy said. Although the driver clocks in over eight hours beyond the prescribed working hours, he is paid overtime only for two hours. Though he should be given rest after eight hours of duty, often, he is asked to continue to drive.

Ramachandra (name changed on request), another driver, said one of his colleagues “greased a few important palms” to get a particular long-distance route. It was not to pilfer ticket money as e-ticketing has virtually put an end to such a practice, but so that he could earn a few thousand rupees extra by way of overtime duty on the long-distance route. However, within a few a months, a truck hit his Airavata from the rear, damaging the vehicle. He was promptly ejected from the route.

The bus corporations insure their Volvo buses but they also recover the cost of repair from drivers, sometimes amounting to a couple of lakh rupees, said Ramachandra, adding, “Already there are few takers for driver’s post.”

While buses on long routes have two drivers and a conductor, those on contract for tours have only one driver and not even an attendant. “We have to drive the vehicle without break, do all sorts of duties right from providing blankets, water bottles and the like to passengers,” said Mr. Muniswamy. “Even if one half-a-litre water bottle is not accounted for, the management deducts Rs. 8 from our salary. We have no one to fight for us; we really feel the absence of a strong trade union these days.”

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