Thane bus fleet grows, passenger numbers drop

THANE: The Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) has become the only local body transport service in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to record a 23% reduction in passenger numbers, despite expanding its fleet by 13% in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to state government records.
The transport organisation’s average daily fleet increased from 267 buses in 2023 to 308 in 2024. However, the average daily passenger count declined from 2.42 lakh to 1.84 lakh during this period.
Notably, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) saw an increase in passenger numbers despite reducing its fleet, while Navi Mumbai recorded a decline in passenger numbers alongside a reduction in fleet size (refer to box for data).
Thane’s commuters and activists attribute this decline to poor route planning, possible political influence, and the organisation’s failure to adopt modern technology and maintain competitive services.
Mumbra-based activist Rafique Shaikh said his requests for additional services to popular routes to Mumbai and Dombivli had gone unanswered.
"There is faulty planning of routes where high-density sectors are ignored while routes with low passenger count run with more bus frequencies. Further, the TMT is lagging in terms of matching facilities and cleanliness seen in buses operated by other agencies like BEST, NMMT among others," he said.
"The waiting time for TMT buses between Ghodbunder Road and Thane railway station during peak hours is often high. Plus, empty buses are frequently spotted stuck in jams for several minutes while approaching Thane station and on Ghodbunder Road during peak hours, which forces passengers to opt for alternatives. The TMT could implement solutions similar to BEST's approach, like short-terminating services when there are traffic jams or using bypasses at clogged junctions like Majiwada, where a few long-route buses should be allowed to use the flyovers so that they don't lose time. Also, shifting terminals like at Gaondevi could also be explored," said a passenger activist.
B. Behare, TMT manager, when contacted, stated that the administration would examine the situation and adjust route frequencies if necessary.