22,000 Ahmedabadis now using BRTS daily

Call it a consequence of free commuting in swanky and swift bus service or Amdavadis’ penchant for modern bus service, around 22,000 citizens started using the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) daily in the third month of trial runs in September, and the trend is continuing. 

This is what Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL) found in a survey conducted to check the mode of transport of citizens. The sample survey covered around 200 citizens -  68% men and 32% women - who have become regular BRTS commuters.

The survey arrives at the number of passengers since the launch of free trial runs on July 16. In July, when the BRTS fever was at a high, the number of passengers was around 19,000 to 22,000 daily, with 14 buses plying at a frequency of six to eight minutes. The number decreased to 17,000 in the month of July, with 14 buses plying at a frequency of six, eight and ten minutes. With 18 to 20 buses plying in September at an increased frequency, around 22,000 passengers used the BRTS. 

“The response is very positive. More and more passengers are opting to travel in BRTS because of increased frequency of buses and comfortable travel,” said a senior AJL official. The BRTS had seen highly positive response during Navratri, when around 38,000 passengers availed BRTS in a day to reach the garba venues.

Interestingly, the majority of passengers using BRTS are professionals. Of the surveyed passengers, around 54% were professionals, 18% students and 28% constituted the rest.   The survey also revealed that around 70% of interviewed passengers own two-wheelers, 8% own both two-wheelers and four-wheelers and around 22% have bicycle. The survey also showed that around 27% passengers have given up using their private vehicles and switched over to using the BRTS.