Over the last few years, the BMTC has introduced a number of campaigns to promote the popularity of its services. In fact, on the fourth of every month, the body celebrates 'Bus Day' — an occasion where commuters in the City are encouraged to steer clear of their own private modes of transport.
However, not many Bangaloreans are keen to do so. Partly, because they have problems with the frequency and connectivity of the bus services in the City and also due to lack of space, poor hygiene and rude conductors. Metrolife speaks to a few commuters to find out what improvements they would like to see in the City's bus services.
Vaidehi Arun, a teacher, believes that the chief factor that stops a lot of people from taking a bus is the lack of comfort. Although she feels the frequency of the buses is quite decent, overwhelming crowds and lack of space in the vehicle is definitely a deterrent, she points out. "There are huge numbers of people in the bus, which makes the journey incredibly uncomfortable. Especially during peak hours, people crowd around the seats and hanging off the foot boards; in short, it's not a pleasant way to travel. Ideally speaking, everyone should get a seat. This will be possible only if more buses are introduced on the roads — if that happens, I'm sure many more people will start taking the bus daily," she suggests.
Personally, she feels that the BMTC has done a good job with the Volvo buses that ply on Outer Ring Road. "I think the authorities have cottoned on to the fact that in these areas, the buses are mainly used by techies and other professionals. So, they have increased the comfort level to an extent. The fare is a little higher, but people don't mind that. They should work on extending the same facilities to all buses," she says.
Anuja, a student of Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, points out that there is still more that can be done in terms of connectivity. "By and large, I would say the connectivity of the BMTC buses is good. But there are still certain pockets of the City where the situation can be improved. For instance, there are hardly any direct buses from Electronic City — where I stay — to the Majestic Bus Stand. We have to change
buses and since we often have heavy luggage with us, it can be tough," she reflects.
Alok, a professional, believes that the biggest problem with depending on a bus to get to work is the issue of timing. "I travel from Koramangala to Indiranagar everyday, but the fact that the buses don't arrive at a fixed time is a huge problem. Sometimes, there's also a huge gap between two buses," he states.
For people who aren't aware of the regular routes and timings of different buses, taking one can be difficult too. Smitha, a student of Dayananda Sagar Institutions, points out that organising better signage at bus stops and on the vehicles themselves will make commuting easier for a first-timer. "As someone who doesn't have much knowledge about the different BMTC routes, it is definitely tough to get around by bus. And for people who don't speak the local language, it's even more of a problem because communicating with the driver is difficult," she admits, adding, "It would help if there were more signboards on buses, which clearly display the destination. Bus stops should also have route maps — some of the main bus stands in the City do, but I think if this is incorporated at the smaller bus stops as well, commuters would find travelling by bus easier."
However, not many Bangaloreans are keen to do so. Partly, because they have problems with the frequency and connectivity of the bus services in the City and also due to lack of space, poor hygiene and rude conductors. Metrolife speaks to a few commuters to find out what improvements they would like to see in the City's bus services.
Vaidehi Arun, a teacher, believes that the chief factor that stops a lot of people from taking a bus is the lack of comfort. Although she feels the frequency of the buses is quite decent, overwhelming crowds and lack of space in the vehicle is definitely a deterrent, she points out. "There are huge numbers of people in the bus, which makes the journey incredibly uncomfortable. Especially during peak hours, people crowd around the seats and hanging off the foot boards; in short, it's not a pleasant way to travel. Ideally speaking, everyone should get a seat. This will be possible only if more buses are introduced on the roads — if that happens, I'm sure many more people will start taking the bus daily," she suggests.
Personally, she feels that the BMTC has done a good job with the Volvo buses that ply on Outer Ring Road. "I think the authorities have cottoned on to the fact that in these areas, the buses are mainly used by techies and other professionals. So, they have increased the comfort level to an extent. The fare is a little higher, but people don't mind that. They should work on extending the same facilities to all buses," she says.
Anuja, a student of Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, points out that there is still more that can be done in terms of connectivity. "By and large, I would say the connectivity of the BMTC buses is good. But there are still certain pockets of the City where the situation can be improved. For instance, there are hardly any direct buses from Electronic City — where I stay — to the Majestic Bus Stand. We have to change
buses and since we often have heavy luggage with us, it can be tough," she reflects.
Alok, a professional, believes that the biggest problem with depending on a bus to get to work is the issue of timing. "I travel from Koramangala to Indiranagar everyday, but the fact that the buses don't arrive at a fixed time is a huge problem. Sometimes, there's also a huge gap between two buses," he states.
For people who aren't aware of the regular routes and timings of different buses, taking one can be difficult too. Smitha, a student of Dayananda Sagar Institutions, points out that organising better signage at bus stops and on the vehicles themselves will make commuting easier for a first-timer. "As someone who doesn't have much knowledge about the different BMTC routes, it is definitely tough to get around by bus. And for people who don't speak the local language, it's even more of a problem because communicating with the driver is difficult," she admits, adding, "It would help if there were more signboards on buses, which clearly display the destination. Bus stops should also have route maps — some of the main bus stands in the City do, but I think if this is incorporated at the smaller bus stops as well, commuters would find travelling by bus easier."