Why Bengaluru's bus system is India's best and loses least money

Buses are the transit system of choice for the poorest commuters in Indian cities, but the losses they incur stem from a failure to raise fares

Bengaluru is India’s third most-populous city, but its bus system is not only India’s largest with 6,448 buses (in 2015-16), it also lost the least money (Rs 1.01 billion) over six years to 2016 among eight metropolitan bus systems, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of transit data.

Buses tend to be the mass transit option of choice for a city’s poorest inhabitants. For instance, the cheapest bus ticket in Delhi is Rs 5 for non AC buses and Rs 10 for AC buses, according to the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC)