In a bid to strengthen public transport operations and improve bus ridership across India, a national communications and outreach programme titled Reaching Your Riders (RYR) has been launched. The initiative is being led by GIZ with the support of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), in collaboration with ITDP India.
Designed as a six-month intervention, the initiative aims to improve how public bus systems communicate and engage with passengers in day-to-day operations. “With ridership gradually recovering in the post-COVID period and bus fleets expanding in several cities, the programme is a timely opportunity to enhance public confidence and increase usage of public transport,” said a release.
Despite the addition of thousands of buses annually, gaps in information dissemination continue to act as barriers for passengers. Manjunath Sekhar, director, Sustainable Urban Mobility, GIZ India, said today’s riders expect real-time information at their fingertips, and knowing when the next bus will arrive has become almost mandatory for new-generation users.
The release further highlighted that bus travel in many Indian cities is often perceived as uncertain and stressful due to poor communication. By improving how agencies interact with riders, the initiative seeks to transform bus services into reliable, trustworthy systems where passengers feel seen, informed and heard.
The programme will be implemented in three phases. The first phase includes a kick-off and assessment of existing communication mechanisms within selected State Transport Undertakings (STUs). The second phase will involve an international exposure visit to study best practices, followed by an application process for pilot implementation. In the third and final phase, four STUs or Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) with the highest potential for improvement will receive technical support to implement pilot projects.
Published – February 09, 2026 08:44 pm IST
