Indian Passenger Rely on Buses More than Any Other Mode of Transport

Though most in both urban and rural areas primarily rely on buses for travel, other kinds of vehicles, like two-wheelers and cars, dominate. Buses (and trams) account for the bulk of the spending on travel in India, a sample survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) has revealed; yet buses constitute only a small fraction of the total number of vehicles on the roads. Though most people in both urban and rural areas primarily rely on buses for travel, other kinds of vehicles, like two-wheelers and cars, have come to overwhelmingly dominate the transportation scene over the years.

Though the NSSO survey did not take into account the monthly per capita expenses for travelling using the respondents' own vehicles, the percentage share of buses is strikingly high in both urban and rural areas. This, despite those living in urban areas spending a much larger amount on transportation than those in rural areas.

Link to NSSO databases

The survey revealed that spending on transportation accounts for a large share of the expenditure on services. The majority of households - 66 per cent in rural and 62 percent in urban areas had incurred expenditure on bus travel. But in terms of the budget share on bus transport, rural areas were ahead with 68 per cent. The spending on buses was about 10 per cent less in urban areas. The data covered travel expenses for a month. The survey on ‘Household Expenditure on Services and Durable Goods’ was conducted between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015. A total of 7,969 villages and 6,048 urban blocks were surveyed.

The modes of transport that are receding into the background are often the ones that need to be encouraged most. As a National Transport Development Policy Committee Report (NTDPC), released in 2013, observed, "rising car ownership and declining rates of walking and cycling have placed severe pressure on urban roads. Municipal bus services are often in short supply or entirely missing from urban areas where they are much needed. "

Read the full article @ The Hindu