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Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
MTC buses run on paper, not on Tambaram roads
Chennai: At 7pm every day, Tambaram West MTC stop is packed with commuters, most of them waiting for 55 series buses to areas such as Mannivakkam, Mudichur, and Vandalur. "I wait nearly 45 minutes every day for a bus to Mudichur. When it finally comes, it is packed to the brim," says Joy Praveena J, an accountant. Sasikala J, a shop keeper in Tambaram, waits patiently in the evenings because she has time. "But in the mornings, I just take a share auto and spend 40 more because the bus never comes when I need it," MTC officials claimed 12 buses are operated from 7pm-8pm daily, but commiters said this is not true. "I've seen a maximum of five, with just one going to Mudichur. Usually, it's just 2-3 overall," said Venkatesh of Pallikaranai. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai A TOI visit to the stop at 7pm on June 24 found only three 55 series buses operated in one hour, but MTC data said that 11 services were made. MTC managing director Prabhushankar attributed such mismatches to flaws in the Automatic Vehicle Location System (AVLS) to monitor and reschedule services. "Sometimes the issue is also with local indiscipline. Certain depot managers may not be managing services well." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Knee pain prices might surprise you Knee pain | search ads Find Now Undo Prabhushankar said the Chalo App will soon be replaced by Chennai Intelligent Transport System (CITS), offering real-time bus tracking, GPS integration, and in-bus announcements. MTC now deploys 41 mobile checking squads and plans 1,500 new buses by Dec next year. Road work and metro construction have increased travel time per trip. Drivers may not be able to complete scheduled rounds, said V Rama Rao of Traffic and Transportation Forum, an NGO. MTC says it hired 700 new drivers and 625 conductors on contract and that overall services were up. In June, 43 new services were added at Madhavaram depot, and 9 each in Tambaram and Kilambakkam. It also said the combined daily trip capacity across Madhavaram, Kilambakkam, Tambaram, and Poonamallee depots is 6,892, but only 5,925 trips are currently being run. The near 1,000-trip gap raises questions about service consistency across suburbs.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bus app misfires as GPS faults derail live tracking
Chennai: Commuters relying on the govt's Chennai Bus app to track Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses may want to think twice—the app is currently running on a mix of faulty data, and incompatible GPS kits. Some of the newest additions—blue-coloured low-floor buses—have defective GPS kits. The issue came to light when Srikanth, a software engineer, reverse-engineered the app and posted his findings on X. He claimed that at least 15 new low-floor buses were sitting idle at depots for extended periods, raising questions about operational inefficiency. Resident-activist D Ramakrishnan from Adambakkam added, "We understand old buses being out for repairs. But why are brand new buses, less than a year old, out of service for months?" MTC rejected this and said that none of the buses were grounded and that periodic maintenance might cause temporary inactivity. It also acknowledged a transition to a new technology partner and promised that live tracking would resume shortly. Meanwhile, flawed GPS data not only misled passengers but unfairly blamed staff. Drivers are questioned for delays even when on time or stuck in traffic because the app shows wrong timings. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Que tipo de dedos você tem? É isso que diz sobre a sua personalidade! Conselhos E Truques Undo T Prabhushankar, Managing Director of MTC, said the earlier contract with Chalo—the private firm handling GPS tracking for MTC buses—had ended, and was temporarily extended until a new concessionaire takes over under the government's Smart City initiative. He admitted that around 10% of the new buses, though equipped with in-built GPS devices, were either incompatible with the current system or rendered ineffective due to server update issues. "This will be addressed under the new project as part of the Chennai Intelligent Transport System (CITS). We are in a transition phase and expect to resolve these issues within a month," he said. The CITS project will also introduce Passenger Information Systems (PIS) to display real-time bus data, including expected arrival times, at terminals, bus stops, and transit hubs. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
