PUNE: The bus driver has a key role to play in the functioning of the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML). After all it is he who is directly responsible for ferrying hundreds of passengers every day.
However, the transport authority seems to be paying very little attention to them. Poor allocation of bus drivers, when it comes to the optimum utilisation of their skills, has resulted in many buses staying off the road. Simply put, bus drivers are not present when they are required the most.
Nearly 20 to 25 per cent of buses in the PMPML fleet remain off the road every day and the transport body says that they do not have enough drivers. However, some activists say that the PMPML does not properly allocate its drivers to the depots resulting in a shortage of drivers at some depots.
An official from the PMPML said, “Due to the non-availability of drivers, some depots are in a lot of trouble.” Citing an examplea of Kothrud depot, he said, “The depot has been allocated 175 buses and 341 drivers.
We have a total of 49 routes, but many times we have to cancel a few trips as there are not enough drivers. The Kothrud depot still requires at least 40 additional drivers to run buses to their full capacity.”
Jugal Rathi, president of the PMP Pravasi Manch said, “Around 300 buses remain off the road every day and one reason for this is that the PMPML does not properly deploy drivers at every depot.
On some routes, drivers are appointed where the buses run empty, on other routes the frequency of buses is quite low, as there aren’t drivers to run the buses.”
Rathi added, “Ultimately, it is the passenger who suffers. The PMPML sometimes cancels the schedule and passengers have to travel in overcrowded buses. Even if PMPML purchases new buses, who will drive them is the question.”
At present, the PMPML has 1,500 buses of which they have hired nearly 300. To run these buses, the transport body has 2,946 drivers.
When Mirror spoke to some bus drivers they said, “Some employees have been appointed as drivers, but they are doing technical jobs at depots and drivers on the field have to carry the extra burden. We feel that PMPML should allocate existing drivers properly and recruit more drivers for the new buses which will be added to the fleet.”
However, the transport authority seems to be paying very little attention to them. Poor allocation of bus drivers, when it comes to the optimum utilisation of their skills, has resulted in many buses staying off the road. Simply put, bus drivers are not present when they are required the most.
Nearly 20 to 25 per cent of buses in the PMPML fleet remain off the road every day and the transport body says that they do not have enough drivers. However, some activists say that the PMPML does not properly allocate its drivers to the depots resulting in a shortage of drivers at some depots.
An official from the PMPML said, “Due to the non-availability of drivers, some depots are in a lot of trouble.” Citing an examplea of Kothrud depot, he said, “The depot has been allocated 175 buses and 341 drivers.
We have a total of 49 routes, but many times we have to cancel a few trips as there are not enough drivers. The Kothrud depot still requires at least 40 additional drivers to run buses to their full capacity.”
Jugal Rathi, president of the PMP Pravasi Manch said, “Around 300 buses remain off the road every day and one reason for this is that the PMPML does not properly deploy drivers at every depot.
On some routes, drivers are appointed where the buses run empty, on other routes the frequency of buses is quite low, as there aren’t drivers to run the buses.”
Rathi added, “Ultimately, it is the passenger who suffers. The PMPML sometimes cancels the schedule and passengers have to travel in overcrowded buses. Even if PMPML purchases new buses, who will drive them is the question.”
At present, the PMPML has 1,500 buses of which they have hired nearly 300. To run these buses, the transport body has 2,946 drivers.
When Mirror spoke to some bus drivers they said, “Some employees have been appointed as drivers, but they are doing technical jobs at depots and drivers on the field have to carry the extra burden. We feel that PMPML should allocate existing drivers properly and recruit more drivers for the new buses which will be added to the fleet.”
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