The delay is typical of DTC's efforts to overhaul its fleet. Of the 5,438 buses in the fleet presently, more than 1,500 are old buses, earmarked to be scrapped. The entire fleet of standard floor buses is over the usual service ceiling, considered too "old" to be put into service. As per DTC service regulations, any bus that has been in service for eight years or clocked 5 lakh km, is condemned as scrap. The corporation, in such cases, replaces it with a new bus.
The reality though is that only the new low-floor buses are within their service period. All the standard floor buses have been 'condemned' as most were bought in 2001 with the rest in 2003. "Though the standard floor buses are being used, the fact is that operational costs are very high on these buses," said an official. Numbers establish that beyond a doubt. According to DTC's records, it's losses in low floor buses is only Rs 9 per km while for the condemned buses, it's a massive Rs 31 per km.
On an average, a DTC bus runs 170-200km per day, so mechanical wear is high. DTC's "new" fleet of low-floor buses have already started showing wear and tear, with incidences of breakdowns going up every year. This is despite the fact that these buses were mostly bought in 2010.
In the older buses, the mechanical problems are increased manifold. "These buses keep breaking down, driving up maintenance costs," added an official. From faulty old wiring to mechanical faults, the standard floor buses are beset with maintenance issues, say sources.
A case in point is the outshedding figures. Outshedding is the term used to describe a bus starting from a depot and going on its daily route. Figures available for April 22, 2013 show that while 3,781 buses were scheduled to run on duty, actually only 3,531 standard floor buses were on duty. Sources say that typically, buses scheduled for duty develop mechanical failure when out on the route or breakdown, throwing the entire bus schedule out of gear.
According to DTC officials, 500 buses are to be replaced every year from the old fleet. The reality is that this year, till date, only 75 buses have been actually scrapped. The loss figures keep mounting, however, for the DTC. For every Rs 37.75 earned per km, the DTC spends Rs 135.08 per km. It's whopping loss of Rs 97.33 per km.
DTC officials claim the reason why buses are not being scrapped is because of the paucity of buses in the city. At present, the government mandate puts the onus of public transport on the DTC, with the corporation expected to address 60% of the needs and the cluster buses, 40%. "But with only around 550 buses operational under the cluster scheme, DTC has been running the old buses to make up for the shortfall in services," said the DTC spokesman.
Officials cite the fact that if DTC buses are taken off the road without a service alternative, it would not be acceptable. "The only way the standard floor buses can be replaced is if the cluster buses are launched," added the official. However, with cluster buses yet to be launched in most routes, DTC has been asked to fill in the operational gaps till these buses come on roads.
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