John L. Paul Kochi
Having faced flak for shying away for over a decade to introduce an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) wherein commuters will be able to track buses of their choice, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is now gearing up to launch the system.
This will be initially available to track superclass buses, followed by fast passenger and ordinary services.
Vehicle location tracking (VLT) devices have been installed in over 2,000 buses, mainly superclass ones.
They would act as a GPS system, helping commuters keep track of bus services in different routes that will shortly be mapped. They will also help know aspects like the expected time of arrival of each bus at a particular stop, like on online travel aggregator platforms.
The Vehicle location tracking system would be the first phase of the ITMS, others would follow, official sources say.
This facility will be available on the KSRTC website, while an app too will be readied for this purpose.
A trial has been planned in city circular buses in Thiruvananthapuram to ensure its reliability.
To enable the ITMS, efforts are under way to make KSRTC’s operational control centre (OCC) in the capital a ‘smart’ one.
The agency also held discussions with service providers like online taxi firms and autorickshaw stakeholders to streamline first- and last-mile connectivity for bus commuters, it is learnt.
Connectivity up to one’s doorstep is crucial, especially at night when buses and other public transport modes are limited.
“The KSRTC is working in tandem with the Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System (DIMTS) to ready the ITMS that is nearing its final stage,” said Biju Prabhakar, chairman and managing director of the KSRTC.
Public transport enthusiasts had been critical of KSRTC’s delay in rolling out the ITMS, citing it as a reason for relatively low patronage and fleet utility of its buses.
This cost the agency dear during the past years, resulting in the agency plummeting deeper into loss.
This worrying disconnect with commuters was one of the prime reasons for low footfall on its buses, many of which operated near empty or with just a handful of passengers.
Enquiry system
The KSRTC is also preparing to modernise its antiquated enquiry system, for which a call centre having nine telephone connections and an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) is being readied.
The trial of the system, including a provision for virtual assistance for refunding ticket costs, is under way, sources say.
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