BMTC pass sales up

P K Garg, Director of Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) said, while it is too early to assess any possible shift of autorickshaw users to public transport, trends do indicate a minor shift towards buses.

“We have recorded a 10 to 15 percent increase in sales of our monthly commuter pass, across various categories. This may be attributed to auto passengers who have decided to shift the way they would travel daily. During the same period last month we had sold 10,000 City Volvo and Airport gold passes put together. This month we have had 11,000 passes being sold. The ordinary bus passes that sell at an average of 3.3 lakh a month, has also seen a marginal increase in sales. However, regular users of public transport usually get accustomed to a hike, after a brief period,” said Garg.

BMTC officials also said students who travel by autorickshaws on a daily basis can instead opt for travel by Volvo buses. “We offer a concession of Rs 500 on the Volvo monthly pass for students,” added Garg.