Thiruvananthapuram: Private bus owners say the State Transport Authority’s decision requiring a five-minute gap between buses on the same route in cities and a 10-minute gap in rural areas will create travel difficulties.

The Transport Department says the adjustment is aimed at reducing unhealthy competition, but bus operators call the rule impractical.

Owners argue that deploying buses at fixed intervals during both peak and off-peak hours will not benefit commuters. At present, buses in urban areas often run one to two minutes apart, with the highest demand between 8 and 10 am and 4 and 6 pm. Operators say the practical approach is to allow more buses during rush hours and scale back when demand drops.

Private buses typically run from 6 am to 8 pm. Owners warn that if services are rescheduled under the new 5 and 10-minute spacing, drivers will not be able to complete their current number of trips in a day. During off-peak times, many routes already see gaps of 15 to 30 minutes. The new system would force buses to run at fixed intervals even when there are few or no passengers, resulting in losses, they say.

Another concern is that city and rural buses often depart together. If required to keep distance in city limits, operators say the timings for rural routes will be disrupted, leaving villages with fewer buses.

Bus owners argue that systems such as geo-fencing would be enough to curb competition. With GPS already mandatory, the Motor Vehicles Department has access to real-time travel data. Operators’ organisations have urged that the time-gap rule apply only to new permits, not existing services.