KSRTC to effect single duty pattern in phases

Kochi: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will start implementing single duty pattern in phases even as the management promised to take steps to ensure adequate rest to the crew on long-haul services. The decision followed a discussion its managing director A. Hemachandran held with representatives of unions including TDF and CITU. “The duties will be formulated in such a manner that the crew gets adequate rest," a senior KSRTC official said. 

"While services with comparatively less collection will have a single duty pattern, the profitable ones will see staff continuing on double duty. The driver-cum-conductor system will also be continued. However, crew change will be allowed in those services requiring over 13 hours of running.” The revised duties will come into effect in 15 days, after consulting with the law department.

Last year, it had revised its bus schedules depending on the revenue collection, introducing single-duty, one-and-half duty and double duty patterns.  However, the High Court gave a directive to change the duty pattern as per the provisions of Motor Transport Workers Act 1961 and Kerala Motor Vehicle Workers Rules 1962.  The Act had provisions for a single duty pattern with eight working hours.

In the first phase, only ordinary and city fast schedules will be converted into single duty pattern. Later, other services will also be converted.  Under the single duty system, the crew needs to work for eight hours a day. Upon implementation, most of the long-haul services will have to be rescheduled to adjust duty timings. It may lead to cancellation of many afternoon ordinary services for providing staff with compulsory rest.  Currently, drivers and the conductors on long distance services take double duties as their working hours in a single schedule comes to 13 to 18 hours.