Kochi: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), which has successfully generated non-ticket revenue through its courier service, is now exploring further expansion of the initiative amid an urgent need to improve earnings.

Although proposals such as home delivery services were previously considered, they did not materialise. With the organisation now under pressure to identify additional revenue streams, the management is reviewing new options to scale up the courier business.

The courier service, launched across 43 depots in Kerala as well as in Coimbatore and Nagercoil, achieved strong early success, generating over ₹12 crore in revenue within two years. KSRTC had initially deployed its own temporary staff for the operations. However, the management of the service was later outsourced to a private company.

Revenue from the courier service stood at ₹12 crore up to August 2025. Earnings rose from ₹2.5 crore in 2023–24 to ₹6.5 crore in 2024–25. In the five months between April and August 2025 alone, nearly ₹3 crore was generated. Stakeholders believe that if KSRTC reclaims and strengthens the service, it could be implemented more effectively and profitably.

Under the current arrangement, KSRTC provides depot space, buses for transportation, and computer systems, while the private operator manages day-to-day operations, including parcel acceptance and delivery.

The courier initiative was inspired by a similar successful experiment by the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation.

Initially, the service began with limited infrastructure, inadequate staffing, and minimal systems in place. Operations were largely supported by retired KSRTC employees and empanelled daily-wage workers, including those who had lost their jobs. Facilities such as counters and infrastructure remain limited in several locations.

A key attraction of KSRTC’s courier service is its speed: parcels can be dispatched overnight and delivered anywhere within the state within 16 hours. Following its success, even some private courier companies are reported to be utilising the service for their own logistics operations.