The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has a long and illustrious history that precedes even the state of Kerala or India.
The reasons for why KSRTC is in such loss are many, all of which are well known: politicians meddling in its running, mountains of freebies and concessions, pension payouts, sometimes lethargic staff, corrupt, unqualified and indifferent management, huge lack of visionary political will thanks to vested interests and mind-numbing inefficiency in running services, all very typical of Kerala.
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However, it now has come to a stage where none of this will work anymore, and serious steps have to be taken to stem the rot. We have to save our KSRTC! Like any sick business, the strategy to save KSRTC has to be twofold and very simple. Cut costs and increase revenue.
Cutting costs represents only one half of the strategy of making KSRTC viable, the other half is to make more money, of course. Yes, KSRTC has the highest bus charges in south India and also makes the most revenue per kilometer, but still, there are possibilities of lots more to come in, without hurting anyone.
Most of the measures given below may not be direct revenue earners but they will prompt more people to board the buses which will translate into more revenue which can be ploughed back for staff welfare.
KSRTC has to endure. But for that, it has to also get a complete image makeover to appeal to our car-driving population and bring more people back to KSRTC.
Thanks – Vinod Vadakkus
