Pune: Private Bus Operators Announce 15–25% Fare Hike, School Bus Fares To Rise Next Academic Year

Pune: Amid the ongoing drought crisis in Maharashtra and ahead of Diwali, the Pune Bus and Car Owners Association has announced a 15-25% hike in fares for private contract and tourist buses, citing a steep rise in vehicle prices, fuel-related expenses, spare parts, taxes and driver salaries. School bus fares are also set to increase by around 25-30% from the 2027-28 academic year, adding to the financial burden on parents already grappling with rising living costs.

Announcing the decision at a press conference, association president Rajan Junavane said, "The revised rates for private buses hired for tourist trips, religious tours, educational excursions and other group travel would apply immediately. However, the school bus fare revision will be implemented only from the next academic year, following discussions with the Regional Transport Office (RTO)."

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Association secretary Tushar Jagtap said, "The association had not revised its rates since 2021, despite a substantial increase in operational costs over the past four to five years." He said the price of a Tempo Traveller that earlier cost around ₹12 lakh had risen to nearly ₹23 lakh, while a bus priced at ₹30-32 lakh now costs between ₹60 lakh and ₹65 lakh.

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"The cost of tyres and spare parts has increased by around 50-60%, while finding experienced drivers has become increasingly difficult. A driver who earlier worked for ₹15,000-20,000 a month now demands a salary of ₹30,000-32,000," Junavane said.

He added that operators continued to bear expenses such as insurance premiums, vehicle taxes and bank instalments irrespective of whether their vehicles were operating. According to the association, a staff bus operating in Pune incurs annual taxes of around ₹2 lakh, while tourist buses also face additional permit charges. Air-conditioned buses, meanwhile, attract annual taxes of approximately ₹6,500 per seat.

Junavane claimed that several established operators running fleets of 100-200 buses had shut down their businesses because of the rising financial pressure.

"The increase is modest compared with the rise in our costs. We have taken this decision because operators are struggling to sustain their businesses. If owners cannot afford proper tyres, pay drivers on time or maintain insurance, it also becomes a safety concern," he said.

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School Bus Fares to Rise from 2027-28

Sachin Panchmukh, who looks after the school bus segment, said the proposed school bus fare hike would not be implemented during the ongoing academic year, as doing so midway through the session could create difficulties for parents.

"We have submitted our proposal to the RTO after discussions and final meetings with the authorities. The revised school bus fares will be implemented from the next academic year, 2027-28, and not during the current academic year. Introducing the hike midway through the session would put parents in a difficult position. The proposed revision is around 25-30%, and the new rates will come into force from next year," Panchmukh said.

According to the association's proposed rate chart, school bus charges for the first three kilometres are pegged at ₹3,500 per student, with an additional ₹500 per kilometre thereafter. The final implementation of revised school bus rates will depend on the outcome of discussions with the RTO.

For private buses hired for trips and other contract-based travel, the association said the increase would vary between 15% and 25%, depending on the type of vehicle and service.

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Revised Rates Across Bus Categories

According to the association's revised rate chart, the cost of hiring a 20-seater Tempo Traveller has increased from ₹13,20,799 to ₹22,27,903, a rise of approximately 68.66%.

The rate for a 10-hour, 100-km local trip has been fixed at ₹7,000 for a 17-seater, ₹7,500 for a 20-seater, ₹9,500 for a 32-seater, ₹10,000 for a 35-seater and ₹11,000 for a 40-seater, with larger 45-seater vehicles charged ₹12,500-13,000.

For outstation trips beyond 300 km, the per-kilometre rates range from ₹27 for a 17-seater to ₹55 for larger 45-seater buses, along with a special permit charge of ₹500-800 and a driver allowance of ₹500.

For Mumbai trips up to 350 km, fares range from ₹12,500 for a 17-seater to ₹22,000 for larger buses, while trips to Mahabaleshwar up to 300 km range from ₹11,000 to ₹20,000, depending on seating capacity.

The association has also proposed revised air-conditioned (AC) bus rates, with local fares ranging from ₹8,000 for a 13-seater to ₹20,000 for a 45-seater, and outstation per-kilometre charges ranging from ₹28 to ₹200, depending on vehicle type.

For school buses, the proposed fare is ₹3,500 per student for travel up to three kilometres, with an additional ₹500 per kilometre thereafter. The school bus rates are proposed to take effect from the 2027-28 academic year.

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