Digitalisation drive to cover 200 private buses in Angamaly, Kalady

Private bus operators in Angamaly and Kalady launch digitalisation scheme with LED boards, mobile app, CCTV, GPS tracking, and safety features.

Keeping up with the times, private bus operators in Angamaly and Kalady have launched a digitalisation scheme to streamline the operation of 200 buses.

Under the scheme, buses will be equipped with LED destination boards, a mobile app for time schedules, stop announcements, CCTV, front crossing alerts, door cameras, and live GPS tracking. The project was launched on Friday in the presence of Motor Vehicles department (MVD) officials.  

“The features also include a digital display board at the Kalady panchayat bus stand, showing the scheduled timings and destinations of buses. Announcements are made in Malayalam, English, and Hindi to assist passengers from other States as well,” said Davis P.O., secretary of the Private Bus Operators’ Association (Angamaly and Kalady area), who owns three buses.

He said that commuters could also opt for cashless travel through digital payments, while the ‘Busser’ app could help track scheduled bus timings. The sensors and cameras would alert the driver about passengers and pedestrians in the immediate vicinity, preventing accidents caused by blind spots. “The project, funded by the association after a year of preparation, aims to cover around 200 buses that operate on Angamaly, Kalady, Aluva, North Paravur, Kothamangalam, Muvattupuzha, Mala and Chalakudy routes. Operations can be monitored from the information centre at the Kalady stand,” he added.

“Many owners are also keen to install an AI-based driver-drowsiness detection system to prevent accidents. In this system, a set of five cameras constantly monitor the driver, particularly in buses that operate at night,” said Siju Manuel, managing director of a Bengaluru-based firm that supplies digital safety and allied equipment for buses.

Bus operators, mainly young investors, are also relying on equipment to monitor the number of passengers boarding their buses and track refuelling to prevent revenue loss. Many buses have installed GPS and CCTV to monitor incidents of rash driving, it is learnt.