BMTC may offer differential pricing on Volvo buses

Trying to increase patronage during non-peak hours

An internal study commissioned by the corporation is underway to peg the occupancy rates and losses on these routes during non-peak hours.

BENGALURU: Could it be possible to enjoy the luxury of travelling in an air-conditioned Volvo bus and pay lesser than what other commuters paid earlier in the day?

Buses plying on certain routes pose a typical problem to the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) — packed beyond capacity during peak hours and hardly any passengers otherwise. Most of these are the expensive air-conditioned Volvos to the tech hubs.

To correct matters, BMTC is contemplating introducing differential pricing for peak and non-peak hours on such routes as early as January. Among the routes are the ones connecting Majestic to ITPL and Electronics City.

“These are areas that mainly house offices. What we have observed is that these buses have good occupancy only during morning and evening peak hours. We are looking at whether reducing ticket prices during non-peak hours will persuade more commuters to use these services,” said a senior BMTC official.

An internal study commissioned by the corporation is underway to peg the occupancy rates and losses on these routes during non-peak hours.

“It is going to be a data-driven exercise. It may seem more practical to reduce the number of trips during non-peak hours, but we must also consider the schedule of the crew. They may not be comfortable working in a split schedule,” said the official.

“Occupancy is not an issue in ordinary buses. Our average load factor is 78 per cent — which is one of the highest in the country. We are only looking at further optimising our services,” added an official.