MTC to use Chennai Bus app to alert depots on bunching of buses

CHENNAI: Regular Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) passengers often complain that buses plying on the same route arrive at stops within minutes of each other disrupting their travel plans.

Also, with the Chennai Metro phase-2 works under way causing traffic snarls, passengers increasingly find themselves stranded for a long time due to the bunching of buses.

To put an end to it, MTC has asked developers of the Chennai Bus app which provides real-time bus location service to provide alerts on bunching of buses too.

Sources in MTC said that the app which was launched in May this year has become an instant hit among passengers with over a lakh downloads.

“The real-time location of buses helps passengers plan their travel and avoid waiting at the stops,” a source said, adding, they have asked the developer to incorporate a few aspects of improving bus operational efficiency, including bunching of buses.

“We have asked the app developers to provide an alert to the depots if the bunching happens on a particular route. The depot managers will act on the alert to regularise services,” the source added.

Professor KP Subramanian, visiting faculty, Division of Transportation Engineering, Anna University, said that MTC’s decision to make use of the app to address the bunching of the buses is a welcome move.

“Bunching is a bane of MTC. The bus services are grossly inadequate as is. Even Bengaluru has 6,000 buses, but MTC has about 3,000 odd buses and it effectively operates only 2,000 of them. Bunching of the buses is a trying time for passengers. It will be good if the app can check the bunching issue. It will go a long way to effectively operate whatever fleet strength they have,” he said, adding, the app can also be used to rationalise bus routes, something that hasn’t been done for decades.