Tender invited for recruitment of 1,000 drivers through outsourcing

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), which is struggling to operate all its buses due to shortage of drivers, has invited tenders to hire 1000 drivers on contract basis through private agencies. Drivers with experience in driving heavy vehicles, cargo vehicles are stipulated to be supplied.

BMTC has around 6800 buses and runs only 5565 buses daily due to the shortage of drivers. As a result, adequate bus service is not being provided to all areas of the city. The number of routes and trips has been reduced due to shortage of drivers. The drivers who are currently working are overwhelmed by the pressure of work.

The financial condition of BMTC, which has suffered a loss of crores of rupees, has further deteriorated after Covid. Thus, the recruitment process of drivers, operators and other staff has been suspended for 2-3 years. Many of the suspended drivers were not rehired when the staff went on strike demanding wage revision. Besides, many have been transferred to inter-corporations. No recruitment process has been done for the posts of retired persons. Due to all these reasons there is a shortage of drivers.

90 buses under BMTC's Smart City scheme, 300 electric buses under FAME-2 scheme of the central government have been procured on a contract basis. The drivers are appointed by the leasing company supplying the buses. Similarly, 921 e-buses have been procured and operated on contract basis. Now the drivers are being recruited on a contract basis.

It is intended to recruit 200 drivers each for North, South, East, West and North-East zones of the transport agency. The tender stipulates that drivers with minimum 10th pass, 2 years experience of driving heavy vehicles and less than 50 years of age should be supplied. Currently there is a shortage of 1500 drivers. New e-buses and diesel buses are being purchased and 4000 drivers and operators will be required by next year. A BMTC official said that they are being hired on contract basis as the government has not given permission to hire drivers.

More than 100 drivers employed by Ashoka Leyland's Switch Mobility Limited to drive e-buses staged a protest at the Yelahanka depot recently they, demanded pay hike and other demands. Due to this, there was a disruption in the traffic of buses.

We have not been given a salary receipt or appointment letter. No facilities including accident and health insurance are being provided. Quality uniforms are also not provided.

They had promised to pay Rs 25 to 30,000 in case during recruitment. But, Rs 10 to 11,000 salary is being paid. Free bus pass, standard uniform along with salary revision,'' demanded the protesting drivers.