Long weekend fails to yield expected biz for pvt buses

The prices of oil, tyres and manpower too, have risen apart from fuel. Fuel is 60 per cent of our operational costs. —HARSH KOTAK, MEMBER, MUMBAI BUS MALAK SANGHATANA

This long weekend was perfect for many Mumbaikars who went holidaying; however, not that promising for private bus and tourist car operators. Although they expected good bookings, they could book only 60-65 per cent travellers unlike their expectations of crossing the 90 per cent mark.

There are nearly 15,000 tourist cabs and 3,500 intercity buses that ply on the roads, of which still 35-40 per cent weren’t booked for this long weekend.

The primary reason for the weak demand has been the rising fuel prices (petrol, diesel and CNG) in the last few days. The tariffs for intercity buses have gone up by at least 20-22 per cent for all routes, while the per kilometre rate for AC cars varied from Rs 15 to Rs 18 per kilometre depending on the type and model of the car, which again has increased. As a result, the ticket price for Mumbai-Pune AC bus was Rs 350-400, increased by Rs 75-100.

“There is movement of tourists leaving the city but it is only in private cars. Due to the hike in fuel prices, our cost of operations have gone up and so we were forced to increase the tariffs,” said Malik Patel, the secretary of the Federation of Tourist Taxi Operators. Bus operators claimed that it’s not just the fuel price which has increased but other ancillaries as well. “The prices of oil, tyres and manpower, too, have risen apart from fuel. Fuel is 60 per cent of our operational costs,” said Harsh Kotak, member, Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana.

A bus operator KV Shetty claimed that business is slowly improving but it hasn’t seen that spike for this long weekend.

Some of the routes starting from Mumbai, where the intercity buses and National Permit tourist taxis are plying are Mahabaleshwar, Shirdi, Alibaug, Goa, Nashik, Ganpatiphule and Pune.