redBus launches ‘India BusTrack’ to provide data-based insights in bus transport sector, ET TravelWorld

In a bid to support India’s bus transport sector, leading online bus ticketing platform redBus has introduced ‘India BusTrack‘, an innovative quarterly report which offers a comprehensive analysis of the Indian intercity bus industry. The inaugural report launched at a press event in Delhi presented key insights from November and December 2023.

Among the key insights, it was revealed that 67 per cent of online bus ticket bookings in India come from non-metro regions while expressway development across the country can result in up to 200 per cent growth in bus seat bookings.

redBus, on the occasion said that the initiative aims to fill the existing void in the sector by providing a data-driven overview accessible to all stakeholders, including private bus operators, state-owned bus operators, government entities, and the general public.

India BusTrack promises to revolutionise decision-making processes within the bus transport ecosystem. The inaugural report delves into critical parameters, including demand, supply, geographic distribution, travel patterns, gender ratios, and more. The report ensures stakeholders remain informed about industry dynamics and trends by offering quarterly updates. Notably, while the majority of data reflects the broader bus market, specific insights from redBus’ online platforms are also incorporated, the company shared in its statement.

At the launch event, Prakash Sangam, CEO, redBus, expressed enthusiasm about the launch, highlighting the report’s potential to drive transformative change within the sector. He emphasised the significance of transitioning from fragmented data to comprehensive analytics, enabling informed decision-making and fostering collaboration across the industry.

“Our aim is to provide invaluable insights that empower bus operators, transport bodies, and enthusiasts alike. With BusTrack, we aspire to bridge the gap between fragmented data and informed decision-making, transitioning from rudimentary estimations to comprehensive analytics. This quarterly data report signifies our commitment to revolutionising the bus transport industry, offering precise figures and trends previously unavailable. We envision India BusTrack as a catalyst for progress, fostering collaboration and efficiency across the sector,” he said.

Key Insights from the First Edition of India BusTrack Market Size and Activity: The period saw a gross ticketing value of INR 36.37 billion, with 4468 active private bus operators and 36.06 million passengers travelling.
Network and Reach: India boasts 3,63,918 unique bus routes, connecting 8,530 towns across the nation, rivaling the reach of railways.
Passenger Preferences: AC buses were favoured by 62 per cent of passengers, while 50 per cent opted for sleeper buses, and 33 per cent chose hybrid options.
Travel Patterns: Fridays emerged as the busiest travel day, with Thursdays witnessing higher footfall than Saturdays or Sundays. Tuesdays saw the least travel activity.
Occupancy Rates: Maharashtra & Goa recorded the highest bus occupancy at 82 per cent, while Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh reported the lowest at 67 per cent.
Demographic Trends: Young travellers dominated bookings, with 29 per cent aged 18-25 and 39 per cent aged 26-36. Notably, 33 per cent of passengers were female, and 52 per cent traveled solo.
Booking Patterns: Metro cities accounted for 33 per cent of bus bookings, indicating the growing importance of tier-II and tier-III cities.
Expressway Development Impact: Infrastructure improvements, such as the Samruddhi Expressway, led to a significant reduction in travel time, a surge in seat bookings, and lower costs.

On ETTravelWorld’s query on including On Time Performance of buses, Sangam said the redBus team is working to include the same in the coming reports. He mentioned that more than 90 per cent of bus operators working with redBus use their GPS tracking service, which will help the company compile the on time performance data.

Responding to questions on EV buses and solo women travellers, the redBus CEO said that EV buses currently comprise a very small share of the intercity bus segment, with only 400 bus services plying on redBus. On solo women travellers, redBus team said that there has been a 35 per cent growth in number of solo women travellers using intercity bus service.