In Brief
Another 8300 buses to be added to the ST fleet
ST currently has 14,000 vehicles.
New smart buses to run on district and taluka routes
ST buses are prioritized as an economical and affordable mode of travel. Due to various government schemes, travel can be done at concessional rates through ST. In this context, to accommodate the increasing number of passengers, the ST Corporation has decided to add 5,000 new buses to the fleet every year. By the end of December 2026, the corporation's fleet will include 8,300 new vehicles.
The new fleet of vehicles includes simple, smart, Volvo (seating and sleeper), and mini buses across all categories. Importantly, the simple buses will have 3 by 2 seating. Currently, ST has 14,000 vehicles. Out of these, 12,500 vehicles are running on the roads for transportation. The remaining vehicles are standing in the depot due to being out of order. About 5.5 million passengers travel across the state daily by ST. The number of 12,500 buses running for these passengers is very low. Therefore, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnayak has decided to add 5,000 new buses to the corporation's fleet every year.
Meanwhile, a tender has been prepared for the purchase of three thousand simple buses for rural and taluka levels. The simple buses will have a seating capacity of three by two. This will increase the seating capacity, and it is said that these buses will be tested in the new year. The corporation plans to run smart buses on routes connecting districts and talukas from Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. For this, five thousand buses will be purchased, of which one thousand buses will be inducted in the coming year. These buses will have an integrated security system based on artificial technology. For safety, there will be a facility of CCTV and an alarm system to inform if the driver is feeling sleepy. Currently, the pre-tender preparation is in its final stage.
Volvo for Metro Cities
There are plans to purchase 50 sleeper and 150 seater buses in the Volvo range for routes like Mumbai-Pune, Goa, Nashik-Pune, Konkan for tourists and passengers.