Commuting in the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) AC services will be cheaper up to 20 per cent during in the off season, as it is all set to introduce ‘flexi fare tickets’ from the midnight of April 18.
The state-run corporation is understood to have taken the decision in an attempt to woo more customers by slashing the price during the lean period. A press note released by the RTC authority on Sunday, though, furnished details about the reduced ticket prices for some route, it did not come clear on the parameters that defines the ‘off season.’
According to the RTC officials, such schemes are being launched to improve the occupancy ratio of the buses. The average occupancy ratio of these buses is aound 75-80 per cent till last month. But it has dropped to around 70 in April due to soaring temperatures. Further drop is expected from the last week of the month.
Two years ago, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, in a similar move, slashed the ticket prices of its inter-state services on weekdays. According to the RTC release, the fare in AC services from Visakhapatnam to Chennai and Bengaluru will be cheaper by up to 20 per cent in the off season.
For example, the passengers of Amaravati services in the Visakha-Chennai route will get a discount up to Rs 327 on the actual fare of Rs 1764, the same in Bengaluru route will be up to Rs 281 on actual ticket price of Rs 2051. Similary for Gruda services, the discount in the lean period will be up to Rs 281 on actual fare of Rs 1521, the press release said.
