BMTC buses have increased their daily coverage by 9% over the past year, reaching an average of 203km per day in the fiscal year 2023-24. This improvement in operational efficiency comes amidst a surge in new vehicles on city roads. BMTC officials attribute this progress to various factors, including extending bus operation hours to 10-11 hours from the previous eight-hour shifts and deploying buses on long-distance routes. The extension of general shifts, along with overtime payment for crew members, has facilitated more efficient vehicle utilisation. Additionally, the introduction of e-buses by private operators, running for extended hours, has contributed to this enhanced efficiency. Operating buses on long-distance routes beyond 50-60km has also aided in optimal vehicle utilisation, with routes like NICE Road operations from BIEC to Electronics City playing a crucial role. BMTC's fleet size currently stands at 6,100 buses, including newly inducted e-buses, a number that has not seen significant growth despite a considerable increase in private vehicle numbers in the city. Traffic congestion remains a challenge for public transport providers, impacting operational efficiency, leading to trip cancellations, increased fuel consumption, and stress on bus crew. Traffic bottlenecks such as Central Silk Board, Hebbal, Tin Factory, Sarakki, and Gorguntepalya exacerbate these challenges. Efforts to address traffic congestion, such as providing priority lanes for BMTC buses, have faced obstacles. While initiatives like the priority lane from Central Silk Board to KR Pura were implemented initially, subsequent construction work on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) for Namma Metro's Blue Line resulted in the removal of these lanes. Despite proposals by BBMP to establish bus priority lanes on ten major corridors, these projects have yet to materialise. (ET Infra)