[sarathlal]

In an effort to increase usage of public transport and provide immense travel flexibility to general public, Kerala RTC introduces the concept of Hop-On-Hop-Off (HOHO) bus services in its innovative new The City Circular (CC) Service. The service aims at expanding the public utility’s bus service coverage to most parts of the capital and prevent commuters from travelling long distances to reach bus stops.

Key Facts:
7 routes, 90 buses, 278 Bus stops, 15 mins peak time and 30 mins, non peak time frequency.

• Service buses are operated in circular routes, in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions, at fixed intervals.
• Provides 24 hours of unlimited travel in any city circular buses.
• Mode of payment will be travel card Based on RFID technology.
• Bus reach a stop every 10 mins.
• Per day cost is 150 Rs, but is 50 Rs as introductory offer.
• Travel card can be recharged by conductor, depots and recharge points across the city.
• Interchange points are major stops were intersecting two or more circular services and passengers can switch to different routes.

Current route map:


Travel Card sample:

Official website for more details: https://citycircular.keralartc.com/index.html

[Indian2003]

Originally Posted by sarathlal

The City Circular (CC) Service. The service aims at expanding the public utility’s bus service coverage to most parts of the capital and prevent commuters from travelling long distances to reach bus stops.

Malaysia has this service in Kuala Lumpur and Johore Bahru for about 10 years or more. It might be available in other cities too.

In Kuala Lumpur, the route passes all the tourist attractions so I figure it is to attract tourists.

The service is free of charge.

[sandeepmohan]

The idea is great. The cost isn't (even discounted) and will discourage people from even considering the service.

They need to scrap daily charges and replace that based on commute distance. These buses are equipped with GPS devices so its not like the system does not know when the passenger gets on and off. You swipe when you get it, swipe when you get off.

I assume these cards work on NFC as well which should let you top up from home.

Every State could use something like this for public transport service. I know all Metro rail services do this so should not be hard to implement for buses.

[condor]

Bangalore - 30+ years now. Example routes: 96 & 96A. The two used to go in opposite directions, but same route.

@GKVeda: the buss pass system is still there - daily/monthly. Works out economically for people who depend on the bus service.

[gkveda]

This concept was there in Karnataka, Bangalore(BMTC) earlier. The ticket was issued in the bus it self. Cost was Rs. 30 per day. Once ticket(or it was also called Daily pass) is purchased, the person could travel in any bus route during the day (6 AM to 10:30 PM) could travel any amount of distance with any number of hop-on hop-offs within city. And there were multiple types of tickets too. With a slightly higher cost, there was an option to hop-on to Pushpak services (semi luxury class)

And there was monthly pass as well for Rs. 700 per month. To get monthly pass, one had to get his/her ID Card done from prescribed bus stations.

Not sure if this exist even now, but it was very useful service in Bangalore when it existed.

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

They need to scrap daily charges and replace that based on commute distance. These buses are equipped with GPS devices so its not like the system does not know when the passenger gets on and off. You swipe when you get it, swipe when you get off...

You will find that governments are quick to implement invasive technology and any technology or innovation that allows them power over their citizens without much debate, but when it comes to technology that will streamline collection of tolls, fares, etc. they will object to it citing all sort of Constitutional rubbish. BMTC has yet to implement smart cards, though the proposal has been around since BMRCL (or maybe even earlier) started using it. We can come up with a big list of innovative solutions that would help everyone, including the government do a better job, but vested interests of those in the government always trumps over those of the citizens.

[TKMCE]

I grew up in Trivandrum a decade or four back and using the city services was a part of daily routine as I lived in the suburbs. The services were excellent with services starting as early as 4 AM from the suburbs (to connect with the Venad Express) and running as late as 10.30 PM or so.

Almost all parts of the city and every possible route was covered including many of these very same circular routes. People hardly took the car, buses were everywhere including the Double Deckers which at one point was around 12 in number.

Then they allowed private buses to come in and the rot in KSRTC city service started started. Most of the shorter routes were cut and they started deploying it on longer routes with "City Fasts" which competed with their own mofussil services from the suburban depots. Except along the main arteries, the KSRTC city services as good as disappeared.

Now this latest rehash. From past experience, the management will loose interest in one month and it will be back to the "auto raj".

If they keep up the promised frequency, they have a chance. Else it will be another cheap publicity gimmick.


I plan to try it out anyway. Pricing is attractive @50 Rs as you will be lucky to get an auto for even short rides below 40 Rs,

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by mvadg

You will find that governments are quick to implement invasive technology and any technology or innovation that allows them power over their citizens without much debate, but when it comes to technology that will streamline collection of tolls, fares, etc. they will object to it citing all sort of Constitutional rubbish.

That is unfortunate. It sounds like they are trying to save jobs in the process. If you introduce a smart card system, 100,000 conductor or ticket collector jobs may go up in smoke, which they obviously cannot afford or risk to do.

I lost track the numbers of times I lost money or change I was to get back from the conductor on a BMTC bus. Not that I used them often. The few times I did, it was standard practice to give you the change later. Its their hope that you forget and they keep that change. I know its your own responsibility to get your money back but do I have to be at the mercy of the conductor to get it back. They have no shame. As is to be expected, they do not come back to you and return your change. You need to push through people, chase them and beg for it. They have the nerve to check your ticket, show frustration in searching for Rs.1 or Rs. 2 coin, even when they have a bag full of it. After that, they are in a tearing hurry to get you off the bus as you are delaying them. Its pathetic.

Introduce a smart card and all that extra dough they make is all gone.

[TKMCE]

I was in Trivandrum yesterday for a day.

The city circular buses were moving like zombies. Maximum passengers I saw in any bus were 2 or 3. (and this was at peak morning and evening times).

I got down at Pettah railway station (the second most important station after Trivandrum Central) along with around 400 others on the morning intercity express at around 9.45. No sign of these famed city circulars... but just as I was walking out of the station a normal city service bus with a board -Pettah Railway Station- was pulling in. So I walked back to see where the bus was headed. Soon enough the crew changed the board to "civil station" and started off immediately. Around 30 of us got in.... and I got down at Vellayambalam 20 minutes later at a ticket fare of 15 Rs.

A classic case of lack of proper planning by Kerala's transport planners. The Intercity and Vanchinad coming within half an hour of each other would have close to a 1000 passengers getting down at Pettah itself. Routing many of these city circulars to pick up passengers from the station synchronizing with train timings especially the morning and evening ones frequented by office goers, would have helped both the loss making KSRTC and the passengers themselves.