BMTC to introduce automatic passenger counting system on 30 buses in Bengaluru

The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is set to introduce an Automatic Passenger Counting (APC) system on 30 selected buses to obtain more accurate data on passenger movement, occupancy, and boarding and alighting patterns.

The system is intended to provide BMTC with automated information on the number of passengers boarding and alighting at different stops, along with onboard occupancy. According to officials, the system will also enable the transport corporation to compare passenger counts recorded by the APC with data from its Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETMs), including information relating to students and pass holders.

The initiative is expected to give BMTC a more detailed picture of passenger demand across routes and trips. The data generated through the system can be used for service planning, schedule rationalisation, analysing passenger loads, and identifying instances of overcrowding, officials said.