Mumbai, April 4: The state transport department (RTO) is set to develop a ‘Digital Bus Portal’ to tighten oversight of private bus operations amid a surge in road accidents.
The portal, to be funded through the Road Safety Fund, will bring all registered private buses onto a single digital platform, enabling real-time tracking of routes, fitness status, driver credentials and duty hours.
Gap in permit and operator data raises concerns
Currently, bus permits are issued to institutions, companies and trusts, but in many cases the permit holder and the actual operator are different entities.
This gap leaves authorities with outdated or incomplete records, making it difficult to monitor compliance. Officials say this disconnect has been a contributing factor in several accidents on state roads.
Mandatory updates and real-time alerts planned
Under the proposed system, permit holders will be required to update each bus’s trip schedule, route details, vehicle fitness, driver licence information and working hours on the portal. Any deviation — such as a missed route, schedule change or a driver exceeding duty hours — will be automatically flagged.
The department is also considering integration with GPS systems, which would provide administrators and passengers with live location and speed data.
Officials said the portal is expected to bring greater transparency and accountability to private bus operations, and steps to implement it have already been initiated.
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Key Features of Digital Bus Portal
● Single digital database of all private buses in the state
● Bus fitness certificate status to be updated online
● Route, trip schedule and permit details to be uploaded
● Driver licence details and duty hours to be recorded
● Automatic alerts for route deviation or excess duty hours
● Possible GPS integration for live location and speed tracking
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