State bus services did slightly better in FY15

A few more State Road Transport Undertakings (SRTUs) saw a net profit in 2014-15 from the earlier year. There was also an overall improvement in staff productivity and average occupancy ratio.

In 2014-15, of the 46 SRTUs, three saw a net profit, compared to one in 2013-14. Ten saw profit before tax, from nine in FY14, shows data compiled by the research wing of the ministry of road transport and highways.

The net profit making SRTUs were Odisha's (Rs 5.15 crore), Uttar Pradesh (Rs 2.5 crore) and Punjab (Rs 2.4 crore). The 10 SRTUs with profit before tax were in Maharashtra (Rs 688 crore), Gujarat (Rs 127.3 crore), Karnataka (Rs 114.4 crore ), North-Eastern Karnataka (Rs 52.6 crore), North-Western Karnataka (Rs 48.1 crore), Bangalore Metropolitan (Rs 46.2 crore), Odisha (Rs 10.1 crore) and Pepsu (Rs 8.6 crore).

VROOM, VROOM

• A few more State Road Transport Undertakings (SRTUs) saw net profit in 2014-15 from the earlier year. There was also an overall improvement in staff productivity and average occupancy ratio
• In 2014-15, of the 46 SRTUs, three posted net profit, compared to one in 2013-14
• 10 saw profit before tax, from nine in FY14, show data compiled by research wing of the ministry of road transport and highways

Odisha SRTC (141.16 km/staff/day) reported the highest level of staff productivity. Followed by Punjab (128.2 km/staff/day) and Uttar Pradesh (127.2 km/staff/day). This is defined as the average revenue earning km per worker per day.

Overall for all, staff productivity rose from 56.4 km/staff/day in 2013-14 to 58.7 km/staff/day in 2014–2015. Of the 46 SRTUs, 28 showed an increase in staff productivity; 16 showed a decline. In 2013-14, of 44 reporting SRTUs, 19 showed an increase and the other 25 a decline.

Net loss of the SRTUs increased by 6.2 per cent to Rs 10,810 crore in FY15, compared to 27 per cent in FY14.

Among the net loss makers, Delhi Transport Corporation was the worst at Rs 3,991 crore, followed by Mumbai's BEST Undertaking (Rs 846 crore) and Kerala (Rs 755 crore ).  

The average occupancy ratio increased from 68.1 per cent to 69 per cent. The highest of 98.5 per cent was in Andaman and Nicobar. The lowest was Sikkim at 33.1 per cent.

The average vehicle productivity, measured as number of kilometres by a bus a day, rose to 312.9 in 2014-15 from 306.6 in 2013-14. The number of passengers carried in 2014-15 was 25,429 million or 2.2 per cent higher than the number in 2013-14.