State-run buses not preferred for long haul

Lack of comfort in State-run buses makes private buses the automatic choice

Why do commuters prefer private buses to State-run buses for long distance travel?

Passengers, who spoke to The Hindu recently, had many reasons. Experts opined that it was more due to lack of comfort in State-run buses that private buses became the automatic choice for them.

On long distance travel, seating arrangement was as important as the road and the driver.

"If you are unable to stretch your knee or put your head at rest in the back, middle aged persons may feel fatigued. As a result, knee and neck pain develops for such commuters at a faster pace.”

For instance, any person, whose height is a little over five feet, may develop knee and neck pain, if he/she travels frequently long distance in State-run buses. "When leg space is narrow, joints become stiff, especially for those who have crossed middle age. Because of pre-existing wear and tear, stiffness sets in. Initiation of hip and knee movement would also be difficult," said R. Sivakumar, orthopedic surgeon at Government Rajaji Hospital.

A Transport department official said that a majority of State transport undertaking (STU) buses had either 55 +2 or 57 +2 seats depending on the wheel base. The road tax earned from State buses to the exchequer was Rs five crore per annum. Removal of one or two rows of seats would result in revenue loss , he added.

Arunkumar, a consumer activist in Madurai, said that people's welfare was more important than loss in revenue.

"If the government provided comfortable seats as in private buses, there would be a level playing field and State-run buses can attract passengers naturally," he added.

The government had to amend the TN Motor Vehicles Act Rules taking into account that a majority of mofussil buses were plying on long distance routes. If comfort was assured, automatically, passengers would prefer STU buses on nominal fare than private buses that charged higher fares. It should not look into revenue loss alone, said S. Sampath, State treasurer, TNSTC Staff Federation.

A senior official in the TNSTC, Chennai, said that around 40 per cent of the 20,812 regular buses and 2035 spare buses across Tamil Nadu were operated as routeor moffusil buses for longer distance.

He also recalled that a proposal was sent to the government after the then Transport Ministers K. A. Sengottayan (in AIADMK regime) and K. N. Nehru (DMK) agreed for amendment by removing one or two rows in each of the new buses.

However, the officials at the Finance department then stalled the proposal citing loss in revenue.

The question is will the government be worried about loss in revenue or people's welfare.