Now, ATVM on ST buses

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) is introducing ticket-vending machines on its long-distance buses. The service, expected to be operational within next two-three months, would not only save time of the conductor and passengers but also lakhs of rupees on stationery cost, MSRTC PRO Mukund Dhas said. Such a system is working well in neighbouring Karnataka and MSRTC, which operates over 15,000 buses daily, wants to harness benefits of technology to cut time delays and printing costs, Dhas said. The facility would initially be provided in long-route buses (covering distance of over 250 km), Dhas said. We plan to extend the service to medium-route buses, he added. Now, the MSRTC headquarters at Mumbai Central, prints tickets, sends them to 30 divisions from where they go to depots. We have to discard tickets if any new denomination is introduced when the fares are increased. This money would be saved, an MSRTC official said. The machines will also give a clear picture of passenger trend enabling them to rationalise their trips. The conductors will be less burdened, as daily calculation will be done in a few seconds through the software, the official said.