Targeting long-distance travellers, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will launch conductor-less end-to-end low-floor AC service on the Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam route from Monday. Conceived on the Jan Shatabdi Express model, the bus service is mainly targeting officials travelling to government offices and other institutions in two cities.
The main attractions of the bus service are there will be no stop for the bus along the route and no conductor on this bus. This is the first time in the history of KSRTC that services would be conducted without a conductor, according to officials. The schedule is arranged in such a way that the service (except holidays) starts from Thiruvananthapuram at 5.10 a.m. and arrives Ernakulam at 9.40 a.m. and starts from Ernakulam at 5.20 a.m. and arrives at Thiruvananthapuram at 9.50 a.m.
The KSRTC has allotted two push-back seat buses for this service. Though there would be no stops for this bus along the route, the buses will have 1 minute stop at Ayathil feeder station in Kollam and Kommadi feeder station in Alappuzha, from where the passenger can board the bus, said the officials. Online booking for passengers has already begun.
Passengers have been given the facility to buy tickets from Thiruvananthapuram Central Bus Station, Ayathil, and Kommadi feeder stations half an hour before the journey. The KSRTC will start more services if the service is found successful, said the officials.
