100 Mini and Midi buses to arrive by Dec end!
Ever since BEST reduced its fares there has been a sudden surge in its passengers. As a result, there is a scarcity of BEST buses. Therefore, to compensate the dearth of buses the Brihanmumbai Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) has acquired 100 Small (Mini) and Mid-sized (Midi) buses. It may be noted that a Midibus has a sitting capacity of 31 passengers and a standing capacity of an additional 12 commuters. Similarly, a Minibus has a sitting capacity of 21 passengers and a standing capacity of 8 commuters. These buses will be on the roads by the end of December 2019.
Elated at the purchase of additional 100 buses, a commuter said, “It is great news that BEST has increased the number of buses because with BEST reducing its rates people have returned to travelling by buses. According to reports, an additional 10 lac commuters have started travelling in buses. Since the numbers of commuters have increased, hence there is an acute shortage of buses to accommodate the rush. ” He added, “Earlier, BEST had promised to introduce 400 buses but just introduced 30 buses. Due to this shortage commuters have to wait long hours in queues at bus stops. But with the arrival of additional buses, things will become normal.”
According to reliable sources from the BEST administration, presently 30 buses have been given on contract and are doing excellent business. Looking to public demand BEST has purchased 100 buses. These buses are presently involved in getting relevant documents like Bus Registration and RTO procedures. By the end of December 2019, BEST will ply more than 100 buses on Mumbai roads.
Though the commuters are delighted, there are speculations that the Bus Committee may face difficulty in hiring qualified and experienced bus drivers. This will result in a shortage of drivers. Secondly, these buses will not run on roads during weekends as they would be undergoing maintenance and servicing.
