Mumbai Becomes First City To Get 100% Digital Buses - Details Here

Mumbai becomes the first city in the country to get 100% digital buses with a "Tap in and Tap out" facility. This facility came into force from today, April 19.

With this, the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) has changed its age-old practice of passengers boarding from the rear end of the bus. Moreover, the transport body plans to make these buses conductor free.

The first bus which is running from CSMT to NCPA, has been tested, and the trials for the same got completed on Monday, April 18.

The BEST will also make boarding the bus mandatory from the front where the driver sits. It will have a facility for smartcards and a mobile app (Chalo).

These buses will have 'Digital Bus' mentioned at the entrance and will be exclusively for those travelling cashless.

In the beginning, 20 such buses will be introduced on office-going routes shortly and gradually, more buses will be introduced in island city and suburbs.

How does the ‘Tap in and Tap out’ system work?

A user just boards the bus, flashes his mobile or smartcard in front of the digital machine which is affixed near the entrance, and a green tick allows him to board the bus. At the time of alighting, he taps out and the bus fare is deducted from his app or smartcard.

If someone doesn't tap while exiting from the bus, then the maximum amount on that route will get deducted. The conductors will be placed at bus stops so that people have the option of buying paper tickets as well.

Demo of Entry into a 100% Digital bus. pic.twitter.com/14VIjwPilx

— BEST Bus Transport (@myBESTBus) April 19, 2022

There are about 600 air-conditioned buses - including mini and Tempo Travelers - that run on the ring route in the island city and suburbs.

These buses run on 174 routes which carry passengers from railway stations to various residential areas in Mumbai. Passengers traveling on these ring routes do not have to wait for the conductor. Because the card readers are fitted in the bus.

These buses running on the ring route charge a fixed fare of INR 6 for AC bus and INR 5 for non AC bus.