- 63.7 per cent of all microbus users shifted from auto- and e-rickshaws, and 14 per cent from two-wheelers
- Lower fares (78 per cent), air conditioning and comfort (74 per cent), and safety (55 per cent) were the main attractions for microbuses
- Vehicle class suited the stage-carriage operation, especially on narrow corridors, but current vehicle design needs modifications.
- A 45-day microbus pilot designed and conducted by CEEW in Raipur, along with the support from Government of Chhattisgarh and under guidance from the MoHUA

New Delhi, 23 October 2026: Small buses, microbuses, can fill public transport gaps in Indian cities’ narrow, crowded roads, and especially in small and medium towns. Riders surveyed under the Raipur microbus pilot, 96 per cent backed microbus services for their daily commute. These key insights come from a new study ‘Are Microbuses Suitable as Public Transport Vehicles?’ by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), launched today at the 19th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference. CEEW ran a 45-day pilot project of microbuses in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, in collaboration with the Government of Chhattisgarh and under the guidance of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

During the pilot in June–July 2026, eight air-conditioned vehicles, with seating capacities ranging from 17 to 22, operated daily from 06:00 to 19:00 across two key routes: Raipur Junction–ISBT Bhatagaon and Raipur Junction–Tatibandh. As demand grew rapidly, the pilot recorded 18,682 total boardings, averaging 480 riders daily and a single-day maximum of 722.

Onboard surveys of 500 passengers showed that just over half (53 per cent) were workers, who commuted around four times a week and travelled 4–12 kilometres per trip. Overall, 63.7 per cent of riders shifted from auto- and e-rickshaws, and 14 per cent switched from two-wheelers. They were drawn by lower fares (78 per cent), air conditioning and comfort (74 per cent), and better safety (55 per cent). After switching to microbuses, their average individual travel spending fell from 6.9 per cent to 3.1 per cent of household income. For passengers from the lowest-income households, it fell from 13.9 per cent to 6.6 per cent. The vehicle size and class were found suitable for stage-carriage operations. However, users and crew recommended design changes to the existing models.

Himani Jain, Fellow, CEEW: "Public transport share must increase across Indian cities to address growing congestion, vehicular air pollution and GHG. Small buses are inconspicuously missing in Indian markets. CEEW analysis shows that microbuses could be a viable public transit option, in addition to standard buses. It's critical to choose the right bus-size to match demand and road width. Our pilot finds that microbuses can offer affordable and reliable service on narrow roads of old city areas. It could also be useful as feeder service to Metro, on routes in small and medium cities and its peri-urban connectivity."

By 2031, India is projected to have about 4,200 statutory cities, and the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme covers 169 large cities. Nearly 95% of cities in India are small and medium - with populations between 20,000 and 300,000. Many of these cities do not have enough passengers for a big bus, and their roads are too narrow for standard buses. CEEW’s another study ‘Microbuses have Mega Demand in Indian Cities: Rethinking Public Transport for all 4,200 Cities’ estimates that Indian cities will need about 6.5 lakh microbuses by 2031, and 77 per cent of these will be needed in small and medium towns.

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