New Fleet System: Rs 70 Million to Revolutionize Smart Bus Subsidies

The Minister of Internal Transport, Osman Mahomed, announced a significant shift in managing free transport for students and pensioners. The government plans to implement a new Fleet Management System (FMS) to address longstanding issues in the sector, especially the lack of transparency in how subsidies are allocated to bus operators.

During a parliamentary session, Minister Mahomed responded to Deputy Franco Quirin’s questions, criticizing the current subsidy method.

He explained that the existing system, introduced in 2005 when free transport was first implemented, is outdated.

The method sets fixed monthly payment amounts per bus route, based on estimates of bus usage.

For example, the monthly subsidy per bus for individual operators ranges from Rs 35,750 to Rs 71,500, depending on the route, including those in Rodrigues.

Despite a 51% increase in the number of vehicles on the road since 2015—rising from 486,144 to 733,991—the number of licensed buses has actually decreased by over 100 during the same period.

Meanwhile, the Metro Express has become a major player, now transporting around 40,000 passengers daily.

Despite these developments, government subsidies for free transport have remained largely unchanged.

Minister Mahomed condemned this situation, calling it “daylight robbery” and criticizing the misallocation of public funds.

The proposed Fleet Management System will monitor bus operations in real time, tracking the number of trips, distances traveled, and service frequency.

“This will be a game changer,” Mahomed said. The new system will ensure subsidies are based on actual trips made, increasing transparency and promoting more efficient use of public money.

The 2025-26 budget allocates Rs 70 million for the project. Its implementation will also include new legislation for bus services and the introduction of a cashless ticketing system, modernizing the entire transport sector.

“This will bring a paradigm shift in the modernization of land transport,” the minister concluded, promising ambitious reforms to improve governance and service quality.

Source: Le Mauricien