Mangalore city buses turn hi-tech with GPS

August 11, 2013

Mangalore, Aug 11: Bus drivers staging some stunts and conductors acting smart in city buses will be thing of past. With an innovative move by City Bus operators' Association of installing Global Positioning System (GPS), the bus employees will be forced only to do their job as the bus owner will keep getting updates on very move of the bus. The GPS was installed in one bus named 'Ram Dev' plying on Mangalore-Bajpe route on Saturday and the

Association intends to extend the same to 14 buses on the same route within next three days. In another three months the same will be installed in as many as 350 buses plying in the city. With this the menace created by bus time keepers at the bus stops and the problem of finding time keepers will be done with completely.

Mangalore happens to be the first city, which has city buses installed with GPS. From time to time several innovative techniques and systems have been introduced in Mangalore's buses, which are said to be the best in the state. Some years ago computerised ticketing machines were brought in and this system is presently functional in over 100 buses in the city.

Earlier GPS was installed in sand carrying vehicles to keep vigil on movement of the sand laden lorries. However, now this technology is all set to be introduced in all buses as well.

First of its kind, installation of this technology will help the bus owner keep track on movement of the buses. Apart from this, the technology will also help the owners be alert with regard to bus theft and fuel theft. Further, since there was acute shortage of time keepers in the city, this initiative has come as blessing.

Speaking to coastaldigest.com, General Secretary of Dakshina Kannada City Bus Owners' Association Vijay Puthran said that his is the first bus to install the technique, on Saturday. Apart from preventing tiff between buses, it also helps the owners provide better services to the commuters. “I have spent Rs 8,000 and installed the device in my own bus. Every month I would have to spend Rs 400 for maintenance. With the installation of device the route taken, speed, timing, fuel consumption etc is recorded,” he said adding that earlier the buses used to pay Rs 2500 to time keepers but with the GPS the cost would work out to Rs 2,000 per month, saving Rs 500.

There are plans to extend the service to 14 buses plying between Mangalore-Bajpe.

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Mangaluru’s public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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