Pune private bus operators raise fares by 20 to 25 per cent, cite five years of rising costs

Hiring a private bus in Pune is about to cost noticeably more. The Pune Bus and Car Owners Association has decided to raise fares by 20 to 25 per cent. The increase covers buses used for private functions, trips and staff transport. The association says the cost of vehicles, fuel, maintenance, tolls and taxes has climbed sharply.

Association president Rajan Junavane announced the decision at a press conference at Patrakar Bhavan. He said fares have stayed where they were for five years, while operators' costs have gone up considerably over the same period.

Junavane said: "Bus transport rates have not gone up in the last five years. But in the meantime, the cost of vehicles and of tyres, spare parts, maintenance and repairs, drivers' salaries and allowances, insurance, fuel, and meeting the government's various rules and technical requirements has risen considerably." He argued that operators can no longer run services profitably at current rates, so the hike cannot be deferred. The new rates apply mainly to buses with 13 to 49 seats, including school buses, staff buses and tourist buses.

The new per-kilometre rates depend on seating capacity. A 17-seat bus moves from Rs 23 to Rs 27, and a 20-seat bus from Rs 25 to Rs 30. A 32-seat bus goes from Rs 33 to Rs 38, and a 35-seat bus from Rs 36 to Rs 42. A 40-seat bus goes from Rs 41 to Rs 45. Both 45-seat and 49-seat buses go from Rs 45 to Rs 55.

Junavane described the association as an important body in Pune's passenger transport sector, with about 1,400 members. Its members run buses hired for special trips, educational tours for schools and colleges, weddings and religious journeys. They also operate school buses that carry children and staff buses that carry employees of companies in Pune and nearby areas.

Association secretary Tushar Jagtap pointed to the price of vehicles and essential spare parts. He said the financial burden on operators has grown considerably. "The prices of mini buses, Tempo Travellers and other buses have doubled. Tyre prices have risen by 50 per cent and fuel prices by 70 to 80 per cent. The cost of AdBlue has been added separately. Prices of spare parts and batteries have also doubled," Jagtap said.

He added that drivers' salaries and allowances, RTO vehicle inspection and fitness certificate fees, insurance premiums and government e-challan fines have all risen too. "In these conditions, this fare increase has become necessary to run our business and protect the livelihoods of those who depend on it," Jagtap said. In another statement he said: "This increase has become necessary to keep the business going."

The new fares are expected to take effect once the required process is completed. A proposal has already been sent to the Transport Department. School bus fares are expected to go up from the next academic year. The change is likely to affect schools, colleges, companies and other organisations that regularly hire buses for students and employees.

Association member Kiran Desai said operators are struggling with rising costs and are not getting full support from the government. Association representatives also allege that facilities and relief given to government transport services are not extended to private operators. The association has demanded that the government prepare an official fare chart for private vehicles, as it has already done for autorickshaws.

Operators say the hike comes at a time when they are increasingly worried about rising taxes, maintenance costs and stricter safety rules. They say these pressures are making it hard to keep their business running.