Kerala State Road Transport Corporation

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation

Type	Public Sector Corporation under the Ministry of Transport of the State Government of Kerala
Industry	Public transport bus service
Founded	20 February 1938,1965
Headquarters	Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Area served	Kerala
Products	Bus transport, Cargo Transport, Services
Services	Volvo AC Airbus, Scania, Globus AC Airbus,, Super Deluxe Airbus, Super Express Airbus, Super Express, Super Fast, Fast Passenger, Venad/Malabar Limited Stop, Ananthapuri/Thiru Kochi, Ordinary Bus.
Subsidiaries	Kerala Urban Road Transport Corporation (KURTC)[1]
Website	www.keralartc.com

KSRTC Kozhikode

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is the state-run bus company in Kerala, India. It is one of the oldest state run public bus transport services in India and is headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram.

KSRTC Bus at Parambikulam Tiger Reserve

History

The earliest predecessor of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation was the Travancore State Transport Department, constituted by the King Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, with the intent of reorganizing the transportation services of the former state. E.G. Salter, Assistant Operating Superintendent of London Passenger Transport Board, was appointed as Superintendent of the Transport Department on 20 September 1937.^[2][3] The Transport Department grew with nationalisation of key interstate routes such as Thiruvananthapuram–Kanyakumari route and the Palakkad–Coimbatore route.

The first fleet consisted of 60 Comet chassis fitted with Perkins diesel engines, imported from England. The bodies of the buses were built by the staff of the Travancore State Transport Department under the supervision of the Superintendent. The model for the selection of operating staff continues to be followed by the current operating staff. The Transport Department gave preference in recruitment for those who were likely to lose their private transport company jobs resulting from the nationalization of Thiruvananthapuram–Kanyakumari route. Thus the Transport Department began with a staff of about a hundred graduates appointed as Inspectors and Conductors.

The State Motor Service was inaugurated by The King Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma on 20 February 1938. He and his kin were the first passengers of the system on the inaugural trip; Superintendent Salter was the driver of the bus. This bus, along with the thirty-three other buses brought on road driving through the Kowdiar Square was an attraction at that time.

Following the enactment of the Road Transport Corporation Act in 1950, the Government of Kerala formulated KSRTC rules in 1965 by Section 44. The Transport Department was converted into an autonomous corporation on 1 April 1965 and the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation was formally established by the government of Kerala by the notification dated 15 March 1965. KSRTC buses are the registered under a dedicated RTO at Thiruvananthapuram with the registration series KL-15.

Fleet

The corporation has a fleet of 6148 buses and 5598 schedules consisting Ashok Leyland, Tata Motors and Volvo buses and minibuses.^[4] The fleet composition as of 6 December 2010 was:

Service Type	Model	Numbers	Description
City Ordinary	Tata 1510 & Tata 1512c	42	Ordinary Buses in Thiruvananthapuram for city transportation.
City Double Decker	Ashok Leyland Titan	2	Double Decker buses in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram (East Fort to Sangumugham Beach) charging ordinary fares.
Thiru Kochi / Ananthapuri Fast	Tata 1510 & Tata 1512c	205	City buses in Kochi / Thiruvananthapuram with 2x2 seating layout.
Low Floor Non-AC City Bus	Ashok Leyland Panther RE Semi Low Floor	240	Low Floor City Buses under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission scheme with 2x2 seating layout.
Low Floor AC City Bus	Volvo 8400	80	Low Floor AC City Buses under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission scheme in Kochi / Thiruvananthapuram with 2x2 seating layout.
Minibus	Tata 709E, Ashok Leyland Stag	21	Mini Buses are used on small feeder routes charging ordinary fares.
Rajadhani ring road service[5]	Ashok Leyland Viking, Tata 1512 & Tata 1512c	10	New ring road bus service in Thiruvananthapuram city
Short Wheel Base Ordinary Buses	Tata 1512, Ashok Leyland Cheetah	200	Midi Buses with shorter wheelbase (176 in wheelbase) are used on routes in hilly areas, ghats and small narrower roads charging ordinary fares.
Ordinary	Ashok Leyland Viking, Tata 1512 & Tata 1512c	3,958	Short routes served by older buses that used to run on higher grade services.
Venad / Malabar	Ashok Leyland Viking, Tata Globus, Tata 1512 & Tata 1512c	1,465	Comfortable buses used as Limited Stop Ordinary [LS ORD] / Fare Stage Limited Stop [FSLS] / Town to Town [TT] with 3x2 seating layout and Ordinary Fare Stage.
Fast Passenger	Ashok Leyland Viking, Tata 1512c	1152	Short and long distance no frill services with 3x2 seating layout.
Super Fast	Ashok Leyland Viking, Tata 1512c	334	Fast, long distance services with 3x2 seating layout.
Super Express Airbus	Ashok Leyland 12M & Tata 1612c	50	Newly introduced long distance services on 12 m chassis, often interstate with 3x2 seating layout with more leg room and rear air suspension. Some buses have 2x2 reclining seating layout. Same fare as a Super Express.
Super Deluxe Airbus	Ashok Leyland Viking & Tata LPO1512c Ex	50	Luxury interstate and intrastate services, often long distance with 2x2 reclining seats and rear air suspension.
Silver Line Jet	Ashok Leyland Viking	7	Luxury interstate and intrastate services, often long distance with 2x2 reclining seats, WiFi on board.
Garuda Volvo (AC)	Volvo 9400	3	Luxury Interstate Services Buses to Bangalore using Volvo B7R with 2x2 reclining seats and full air suspension.
Garuda Multi Axle (AC)	Volvo 9400	10	Luxury Interstate multiaxle bus services using Volvo B9R with 2x2 semisleeper seats and full air suspension.
Garuda Maharaja Multi Axle (AC)	Scania Metrolink	12	Luxury Interstate multiaxle bus services using Scania Metrolink buses with 2x2 semisleeper seats and full air suspension.*
Total		6,184	Total number of Schedules : 5,598
* Services to start soon

Kerala Urban Road Transport Corporation

In November 2014, Kerala Urban Road Transport Corporation (KURTC), with headquarters in Kochi, was formed to operate low-floor buses which are procured with the financial assistance from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).^[1]

The 314 low-floor buses already procured are to be brought under this newly formed subsidiary (KURTC). With 400 low-floor buses to be procured for extending services to 12 more districts in the State under JNNURM scheme 2013-14, the number of these sleek modern buses is to go up to 767.

Depots and workshops

KSRTC has 28 depots, 48 sub depots, 17 operating centres, 28 station master offices, 5 workshops and 3 staff training colleges spread throughout the Kerala.^[6] In 1995 Kerala State Road Transport Corporation ventured into the technical education field by establishing an engineering college named Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering at Pappanamcode on its Central Workshop premises. The List of KSRTC Bus Stands and Depots are given below:

S.No	Name	Code	Status	Telephone
1	Thiruvananthapuram Central	TVM	Depot	0471 2323886
2	Thiruvananthapuram City	CTY	Depot	0471 2463029
3	Attingal	ATL	Depot	0470 2622202
4	Nedumangad	NDD	Depot	0472 2812235
5	Neyyattinkara	NTA	Depot	0471 2222243
6	Pappanamcode	PPD	Depot	0471 2249400
7	Vizhinjam	VZM	Depot	0471 2481365
8	Kaniyapuram	KPM	Sub Depot	0471 2752533
9	Kattakkada	KTD	Sub Depot	0471 2290381
10	Kilimanoor	KMR	Sub Depot	0470 2672217
11	Parassala	PSL	Sub Depot	0471 2202058
12	Peroorkada	PRK	Sub Depot	0471 2433683
13	Poovar	PVR	Sub Depot	0471 2210047
14	Vellanad	VND	Sub Depot	0472 2882986
15	Vellarada	VRD	Sub Depot	0471 2242029
16	Venjaramoodu	VJD	Sub Depot	0472 2874141
17	Vikasbhavan	VKB	Sub Depot	04712307890
18	Vithura	VTR	Sub Depot	0472 2858686
19	Aryanad	ARD	Operating Centre	0472 2853900
20	Palode	PLD	Operating Centre	0472 2840259
21	Kollam	KLM	Depot	0474 2752008
22	Kottarakkara	KTR	Depot	0474 2452622
23	Chadayamangalam	CDM	Sub Depot	0474 2476200
24	Chathannoor	CHT	Sub Depot	0474 2592900
25	Karunagappally	KNP	Sub Depot	0476 2620466
26	Pathanapuram	PPM	Sub Depot	0475 2353769
27	Punalur	PLR	Sub Depot	0475 2222626
28	Aryankavu	ARK	Operating Centre	0475 2211300
29	Kulathupuzha	KLP	Operating Centre	0474 2318777
30	Pathanamthitta	PTA	Depot	0468 2229213
31	Thiruvalla	TVL	Depot	0469 2602945
32	Adoor	ADR	Sub Depot	04734 224764
33	Pamba	PBA	Sub Depot	04735 203445
34	Mallappally	MPY	Operating Centre	0469 2785080
35	Pandalam	PDM	Operating Centre	04734 255800
36	Ranni	RNI	Operating Centre	04735 225253
37	Konni	KNI	Operating Centre	0468 2244555
38	Alappuzha	ALP	Depot	0477 2252501
39	Chengannur	CGR	Depot	0479 2452352
40	Cherthala	CTL	Depot	0478 2812582
41	Kayamkulam	KYM	Depot	0479 2442022
42	Harippad	HPD	Sub Depot	0479 2412620
43	Mavelikkara	MVK	Sub Depot	0479 2302282
44	Edathua	EDT	Operating Centre	0477 2215400
45	Kottayam	KTM	Depot	0481 2562908
46	Changanassery	CHR	Depot	0481 2420245
47	Pala	PLA	Depot	04822 212250
48	Erattupetta	ETP	Sub Depot	04822 272330
49	Kattappana	KTP	Sub Depot	04822 212250
50	Kumily	KMY	Sub Depot	04822 272330
51	Ponkunnam	PNK	Sub Depot	04828 221333
52	Vaikom	VKM	Sub Depot	04829 221210
53	Erumely	EMY	Operating Centre	04828 212345
54	Thodupuzha	TDP	Sub Depot	04862 222388
55	Moolamattom	MLT	Operating Centre	04862 252045
56	Munnar	MNR	Operating Centre	04865 230201
57	Eranakulam	EKM	Depot	0484 2372033
58	Aluva	ALV	Depot	0484 2624242
59	Muvattupuzha	MVP	Depot	0485 2832321
60	Perumbavoor	PBR	Depot	0484 2523416
61	Angamaly	ANK	Sub Depot	0484 2453050
62	Kothamangalam	KMG	Sub Depot	0485 2862202
63	North Paravur	PRR	Sub Depot	0484 2442373
64	Piravom	PVM	Sub Depot	0485 2265533
65	Koothattukulam	KKM	Sub Depot	0485 2253444
66	Thrissur	TSR	Depot	0487 2421150
67	Chalakkudy	CLD	Sub Depot	0480 2701638
68	Guruvayoor	GVR	Sub Depot	0487 2556450
69	Kodungallor	KDR	Sub Depot	0480 2803155
70	Mala	MAL	Sub Depot	0480 2890438
71	Irinjalakkuda	IJK	Operating Centre	0480 2623990
72	Puthukkad	PKD	Operating Centre	0487 2751648
73	Palakkad	PLK	Depot	0491 2520098
74	Chittur	CTR	Sub Depot	04923 227488
75	Mannarkkad	MKD	Sub Depot	04924 225150
76	Vadakkanchery	VDK	Operating Centre	04922 255001
77	Malappuram	MPM	Sub Depot	0483 2734950
78	Nilambur	NBR	Sub Depot	04931 223929
79	Perinthalmanna	PMN	Sub Depot	04933 227342
80	Ponnani	PNI	Sub Depot	0494 2666396
81	Kozhikode	KKD	Depot	0495 2723796
82	Thamarassery	TSY	Sub Depot	0495 2222217
83	Thottilpalam	TPM	Sub Depot	0496 2565944
84	Thiruvambady	TDY	Operating Centre	0495 2254500
85	Vadakara	VKA	Operating Centre	0496 2523377
86	Sulthan Bathery	SBY	Depot	04936 220217
87	Kalpetta	KPA	Sub Depot	04936 203040
88	Mananthavady	MDY	Sub Depot	04935 240640
89	Kannur	KNR	Depot	0497 2705960
90	Payyannur	PNR	Sub Depot	04985 203062
91	Thalassery	TLY	Sub Depot	0490 2343333
92	Kasargod	KGD	Depot	04994 230677
93	Kanhangad	KNGD	Sub Depot	0467 2200055
94	Bengaluru		ATO & SM	080 26756666, 080 22221755
95	Coimbatore		SM	0422 2521614
96	Mysuru		SM	0821 2440124

KSRTC is also having 28 Station Master (SM) Offices at Ambalapuzha, Ayoor, Eenchakkal, Ernakulam Jetty, Ettumanoor, Iritty, Kadakkal, Kaliyakkavila, Kuthiyathode, Malayilkeezh, Manjery, Mundakkayam, Nagarcoil, Ochira, Pattambi, Pothencode, Puthenkurishu, Tirur, Valanchery, Varkala, Vytila Hub and also have 3 staff training colleges in Trivandrum, Ernakulam and Edappal .

Workshops

The List of KSRTC Workshops are given below:

S.No	Name	Status	Telephone
1	Pappanamcode	Central Workshop	0471 2490801
2	Mavelikkara	Regional Workshop	0479 2302409
3	Aluva	Regional Workshop	0484 2624007
4	Edappal	Regional Workshop	0494 2699248
5	Kozhikode	Regional Workshop	0495 2361667

Facts

• The daily scheduled distance for bus services has increased from 12,00,000 km to 14,22,546 km.^[7]
• Nearly 5,373 buses run on 4,795 schedules every day.^[8]
• Average number of passengers transported in a day is 3145,000 (3.145 million)
• The average earnings per km (EPKM) works out to around ₹25.69 and the average earnings per bus (EPB) works out to ₹8,329..

Fares

Historical Fares

Half a Chakram was the minimum fare in 1938. The first class tickets had cost 50% more than the coordinating rate. During that period free travel was allowed for children up to 3 years and only half the fare was charged for children until age 14. There were no luggage tickets, but when the luggage weighed more than 28 pounds up to 56 pounds, a fee was assessed for 4 chakras. Passengers with luggage that weighed more than 56 pounds were assessed a fee of 6 chakras up to 112 pounds and above. As the Chakram had triple the value of a 100 rupee currency note today, the cost of travelling was comparatively higher during those days.

Current Fares

The fares were last revised on 11 November 2012 .

• 64 paise for City/Ordinary Services,
• 68 paise for City Fast Services,
• 68 paise for Fast Passenger/Limited Stop FP Services,
• 72 paise for Super Fast Services,
• 77 paise for Super Express Services,
• 90 paise for Super Deluxe/Semi Sleeper Services,
• 110 paise for Luxury/High-Tech/Air Conditioned Services, and
• 130 paise for Volvo Services.^[9]

Note: w.e.f 1 March 2016, the minimum charge for Ordinary bus has been bought down to 6.00 INR, in order to benefit the common man, owing to the decrease in oil prices. Ordinary bus charges for all fare stages has been bought down by 1.00 INR.

Bus Type	Minimum Fare in Indian Rupees
CITY/ ORDINARY	7.00
CITY FAST	7.00
FAST PASSENGER/LSFP	10.00
SUPER FAST PASSENGER	13.00
SUPER EXPRESS	20.00
SUPER DELUXE/SEMI SLEEPER	28.00
LUXURY/HI-TECH/AC	40.00
VOLVO [GARUDA]	40.00
VOLVO MULTI AXLE	70.00
LOW FLOOR A/C CITY SERVICE	15.00
LOW FLOOR Non A/C	8.00
[9]

Online booking

Bus reservation can be done online for KSRTC services and the NEW online booking facility is available at http://www.ksrtconline.com/KERALAOnline/

GPRS Enabled Ticket Machines

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation(KSRTC) has introduced GPRS-enabled ticketing machines which are connected to an online server through GPRS to streamline services in 2013. The ticket machines transfer real-time data to the control room at Transport Bhavan. The authorities can keep tabs on the collection of each schedule and that of depots across the state on real time basis by tracking the data from ticketing machines.

Gallery

• 

  Ordinary

• 

  Venad

• 

  Fast Passenger

• 

  Green Express

• 

  Super Fast

• 

  Volvo Low floor

• 

  Rajadhani

• 

  Double Decker

• 

  Kozhikode Bus Station

• 

  Kerala RTC bus at Mysuru

References

1. "All JNNURM buses to be brought under KURTC". The Hindu. October 26, 2014. Retrieved 20 Jan 2015.
2. http://www.natgeotraveller.in/web-exclusive/web-exclusive-month/kerala-bus-journey/ Archive
3. http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/27th-august-1937/52/briton-to-co-ordinate-indian-transport-a-british-t Archive
4. KSRTC Directory
5. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-11/thiruvananthapuram/31324721_1_cm-flags-bus-service-ksrtc
6. http://www.keralartc.com/html/depots.html
7. All about KSRTC
8. At present the corporation has 5373 buses running on 4795 schedules. http://www.keralartc.com/html/aboutus.html
9. FARES, KSRTC fares revised.

External links

• http://www.keralartc.com/
• http://www.ksrtcbustracking.in/
• http://www.ksrtconline.com