Mumbai's BEST struggles with driver shortage for expansion

Mumbai's BEST bus service is currently facing a shortage of drivers as it plans to expand its fleet with 4,500 new buses. The General Manager, SVR Srinivas, acknowledged this problem and emphasized the need for experienced drivers. He stated that drivers will need at least two years of experience and will undergo training before being hired. One reason for the driver shortage is low pay. Many potential drivers are hesitant to work for BEST's contractual buses, which offer salaries between Rs 16,000 and Rs 20,000. In contrast, full-time drivers earn between Rs 35,000 and Rs 41,000. There are also concerns about frequent strikes and inadequate training for drivers. BEST has seen a decline in ridership, with the number of commuters dropping from 45 lakh to over 30 lakh. The goal is to increase this number to over 50 lakh while improving bus occupancy rates. Currently, the average occupancy is only 49%. Srinivas plans to reduce the wait time for buses on routes, aiming for a frequency of 10-15 minutes between buses. He also mentioned reevaluating routes, focusing on more profitable ones, and discontinuing those with few passengers. To ensure efficiency, he wants to eliminate bunching, where multiple buses travel closely together on the same route. BEST is anticipating the arrival of 1,500 new buses by September or October. Srinivas pointed out the need to shorten lengthy routes to improve travel times, particularly during peak hours. Lastly, BEST aims to enhance services around Metro stations and introduce a unified ticketing system for passengers.