Bengaluru: BMTC Ticket Booking, Live Bus Tracking On Ola and Uber From September End

BMTC commuters in Bengaluru will soon be able to track buses live and book tickets through Ola and Uber. The service is expected to go live by the end of September, alongside the upgraded Namma BMTC Mobile App 2.0.

Bengaluru commuters could soon get easier access to BMTC bus information and ticketing services, with the transport corporation planning to enable real-time bus tracking and ticket booking through private ride-hailing platforms such as Ola and Uber. A senior BMTC official has said the service is expected to go live by the end of September. Alongside this, BMTC is also preparing to launch an upgraded version of its own mobile application, 'Namma BMTC Mobile App 2.0', by the end of next week.

Standard Agreement And Free Data Sharing

BMTC Managing Director Raghunandan Murthy provided details about the planned integration with private ride aggregators. He said the corporation is in discussions with private platforms and will soon introduce a Standard Agreement that will allow companies complying with BMTC's rules to access its data.

"We are talking to private ride aggregators and will soon have a Standard Agreement. Any company that follows our rules can use our data," Murthy said.

He also clarified that passengers will not have to pay any additional charges to access the service.

Speaking about 'Namma BMTC Mobile App 2.0', Murthy said the corporation has addressed previous complaints and technical issues. The upgraded app will feature new services and provide the live location of buses across the BMTC network.

BMTC currently has a fleet of 6,938 buses, including 1,771 electric buses. Around 6,200 buses are operated on the roads every day.

Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh's Key Directive

Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh issued the directive during a high-level meeting at Vidhana Soudha attended by senior officials from the Transport Department, BMTC and KSRTC.

Suresh said sharing BMTC's data with private apps would make it easier for commuters getting out of cabs or autos to check bus timings and routes for the next part of their journey.

200 Mini Diesel Buses To Be Purchased

BMTC is also planning to purchase 200 new diesel mini-buses. Each bus will be 7 metres long and will be deployed on metro feeder routes and smaller roads.

"These 7-metre buses are perfect for the narrow roads around metro stations," Murthy said.

At present, BMTC operates 255 larger buses, measuring 9 and 12 metres, as metro feeder services.

The proposed 200 buses are part of a larger plan announced in the Budget to purchase 1,000 buses for all four state transport corporations. The department is awaiting the government's approval to begin the tender process. The entire procurement is expected to be completed within six months.

The metro feeder network will also be expanded to cover all metro stations, including the six new stations on the upcoming Pink Line on Bannerghatta Road. A joint survey is already underway with the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and the traffic police to identify suitable feeder routes for the Pink, Green and Yellow lines.

More AC Buses And A Crackdown On Revenue Leaks

The minister has also directed BMTC to operate 200 mini AC electric buses within a 5-km radius of all metro stations. These buses are part of the 4,500 electric buses being procured under the PM E-Drive scheme.

He also instructed officials to increase AC bus services for technology companies and IT parks, with the aim of encouraging employees to use public transport instead of private vehicles. Officials have been asked to begin discussions with IT companies on the proposal.

Suresh also directed all state transport corporations, including BMTC, to reduce unnecessary expenditure and take steps to plug revenue leaks.