Bengaluru Techies and Commuters Urge BMTC to Open Real-Time Bus Data

Public transport advocates and technology professionals in Bengaluru are calling on the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation to release its real-time transit data to external developers, pointing to persistent technical failures on the transport agency's official mobile application. The demand comes amid ongoing commuter complaints regarding unreliable bus-tracking information, particularly during peak travel hours.

Yathish Kumar, co-founder of Friends of BMTC, said commuters need actual live information rather than static timetables that only display scheduled arrival times. Under the city's heavy traffic conditions, static schedules often leave commuters stranded, as buses may have already departed or failed to show up altogether. Kumar noted that developers are seeking real-time location data showing the exact position of buses at any given moment.

Technical shortcomings extend beyond the user interface, according to Kumar. Inadequate server capacity often causes the application to crash under high traffic volumes during peak periods. In addition, the GPS tracking units installed aboard BMTC buses frequently become outdated or malfunction, meaning live tracking remains unreliable even when the application is operating.

Data scientist Vivek M said an effective system must provide either the live coordinates of every vehicle or estimated arrival times at each bus stop. He pointed out that the current tracking system repeatedly fails, shows outdated vehicle positions, and prevents users from monitoring multiple bus routes simultaneously. Allowing third-party developers access to the data feed would enable customised journey-planning tools and integrate Bengaluru's bus network into global transit platforms, matching services provided by private aggregators such as Uber and Namma Yatri. Pravar from Bengawalk also endorsed this approach.

However, transport groups have urged the transport corporation to proceed with caution. Shaheen Shasa, co-founder of Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike, warned that open data could be vulnerable to commercial exploitation by private mobility businesses that do not serve the broader public interest. She suggested that BMTC focus on improving its own digital tools by partnering with the right organisations.

Shasa also emphasised that technology upgrades must not divert attention from structural transit problems. She noted that digital applications are primarily used by occasional passengers, whereas daily commuters who rely on regular routes need BMTC to address basic bus frequency and service reliability on the ground.