No more double shifts, only 48 hours of work per week for KSRTC bus drivers

BENGALURU: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus drivers will no longer have to pull double shifts or long duty hours. From today, the transport utility has made rest compulsory for drivers on long-distance routes and night journeys.

As per the work schedule, drivers will no longer have to work for more than eight hours in a shift and not more than 48 hours in a week. These measures follow in the increasing number of accidents involving KSRTC buses.

The transport corporation had set up a committee to study the cause for increasing accidents which found that working double shifts and doing night shifts without rest could be among the causes as it leads to lack of rest. The committee recently presented its report to the KSRTC based on which the new measures have been introduced.

Drivers will now compulsorily have to get rest and will not be put on double shifts. They will not be required to put in more than eight hours per shift and if they do additional work, including at night, they should be allowed to rest for 4-5 hours. The KSRTC hopes to bring down the accident rate with the new measures and improve its efficiency.