Chennai: The premium bus fleet of Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) will soon have premium and economy seats, similar to the classification in flights. The front half will retain the premium quotient of cushioned seats, free Wi-Fi with pre-booking options, while the rear half will have regular seats on an AC bus that can be boarded on the go.MTC premium buses were launched in March on two routes — route no. 91 connecting Kilambakkam and Tiruvanmiyur, and route no. 570S connecting CMBT with Siruseri IT Park. Nine premium buses ply these routes to cater to IT professionals commuting to work, and fares range from ₹50 to ₹150. However, these buses of late have become troll material and earned the meme tag ‘aavi’ (ghost) bus on social media for often running near-empty on busy routes, since there are few takers as the seats can only be pre-booked.A senior MTC official said the entire interior of the fleet has to be reworked to split the bus into two segments, and this requires approval and certification from the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). “A design proposal has been sent to ARAI in this regard,” added the official.If approved, commuters can board the premium bus on the go and buy a regular AC bus fare (₹15-₹80) and travel on the rear half of the bus, while the front half with cushioned seats and Wi-Fi will be reserved for those who pay the premium. No standees would be allowed. “Even after boarding the bus, the commuter can decide if they want to travel premium or economy and switch,” added MTC officials.MTC also has plans to switch the entire AC bus fleet of 225 buses to premium-economy concept if it is received well by commuters.
