Thiruvananthapuram: A major staff reallocation programme by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), modelled on Karnataka RTC, has sharply reduced costs and boosted revenue.

Nine years ago, KSRTC employed 44,394 staff to operate 4,600 buses. Today, the same fleet runs with 27,700 employees, 16,694 fewer than before. Despite the cuts, the corporation reported a record daily income of ₹10.19 crore.

In 2016, the workforce included 35,842 permanent employees and 9,092 temporary staff (empanelled), with an average of 9.65 employees per bus. At times, that figure exceeded 10. Now, the corporation has 22,500 permanent and 5,247 temporary employees, averaging 4.81 permanent workers per bus. On a daily basis, about 2,500 replacement employees are deployed.

Data suggest the redeployment has helped stabilise finances. On 8 September, KSRTC reported an average revenue of ₹22,152 per bus, a figure that rivals private operators.

However, the gains could be undermined by delays in the vehicle replacement programme. Of the 2,050 buses in KSRTC’s fleet, many are set to be phased out within the next eight months. The second phase of the corporation’s revival package depends on the timely delivery of new buses and the resumption of 1,200 long-distance routes.

Plans to procure electric buses have also stalled, raising concerns over the continuity of the modernisation effort.