Time-worn MTC buses raise safety questions

The Hindu: Chennai: Tuesday, July 03, 2018.

More than 80 % of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s (MTC) 3700-strong fleet of buses is over five years old. With the fitness of the vehicles coming under a cloud, so does the safety of passengers who travel on them.

MTC, burdened with huge losses in the wake of the 30% reduction in commuter population after the hike in bus fares, faces a funds crunch with regard to even undertaking maintenance activities. So, replacing its ‘ageing’ buses is virtually ruled out.

In response to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2002 by The Hindu, MTC provided data on its fleet. Of the 3,716 buses (includes air-conditioned, small and vestibule buses) only 674 buses are under five years old, and none figures in the under one-year category. While 1,921 buses are between five and 10 years old, 1,121 are in the 10-13 year bracket.

MTC is finding it difficult to find the funds to replace these ageing buses because of its poor financial health, officials claimed. They added that if the Centre supported purchase of new vehicles, it would ease the State’s burden. A decade ago, thousands of buses were replaced thanks to the Central government funding purchses through the JNNURM scheme. “Now no funds come from the Central government for purchasing new buses and this is the main reason why MTC is forced to run old buses,” an official explained.

A senior official of the State Transport department, when asked about the average age of a public transport vehicle after which it is not considered road worthy, said that seven years is the ideal age with no concerns about maintenance or safety issues. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, does not prescribe any age limit for scrapping buses, he added.

A senior Regional Transport Officer, while confirming that there is no provision for scrapping heavy passenger vehicles after a prescribed time frame, said that every year, buses have to renew their Fitness Certificate wherein RTO officials give them a ‘rigorous’ check-up. He said that taking note of the issue of old buses, the State Government through a special provision has made it mandatory for government buses to get a road worthiness certificate every six months in addition to the Fitness Certificate. This special provision is only for government buses and not for private buses, the official added.

While rash driving by bus drivers is commonly attributed as the cause of many road accidents involving an MTC bus in the city, bus drivers point out that an ageing fleet also plays a major role in accidents. A bus driver said changing of breakshoes and retreading of tyres alone do not make a bus safe; thousands of parts including the chassis, engine and gearbox, need to be properly maintained.

A senior office-bearer of an opposition trade union said while the government insists on rigorous checks for private school buses, it is just as crucial that it pay attention to the MTC fleet because thousands of schoolchildren use it to travel.