HRTC reduces freight charges on carrying commercial items in buses

The HRTC has reduced the freight charges on carrying commercial items in its buses. In an amendment to its existing freight charges, the HRTC has reduced the freight rates for bags/luggage/boxes containing commercial items such as automobile spare parts, electronic items, electric items, dry fruits, new utensils, cosmetic items, hosiery items, medicines and medical equipment in the 0-40 kg weight bracket. There is no change in the 41-80 kg bracket.

Until now, the bags/luggage/boxes filled with the above mentioned items, up to 40 kg, used to attract freight charges half the fare of the accompanying passenger and full fare of a passenger in case these items were transported without a passenger. Following the amendment, the 0-40 kg segment with an accompanying passenger has been split into parts — 0-5 kg and 6-40 kg. While the fare has been reduced to one-fourth of the passenger fare for goods weighing between 0-5 kg segment, one will have to shell out half of the passenger fare for goods weighing 6-40 kg.

In the without-passenger category, the 0-40kg segment has been split into three parts — 0-5 kg, 6-20 kg and 21-40 kg. The amended rate for these segments is one-fourth of a passenger’s fare, half of a passenger’s fare, and a passenger’s fare, respectively.

According to HRTC Managing Director Rohan Chand Thakur, no fare is charged for personal and household goods weighing up to 30 kg per passenger or two bags/luggage/boxes of any size. “There has been no change in this and it continues as before,” he said.

The amendment had kicked up a storm on social media as many thought the freight charges had been increased, and the passengers would have to pay freight charges for every single item they carried with them in an HRTC bus.

No change in 41-80 kg bracket

• Following the amendment, the 0-40 kg segment with an accompanying passenger has been split into parts — 0-5 kg and 6-40 kg.
• While the fare has been reduced to one-fourth of the passenger fare for goods weighing between 0-5 kg segment, one will have to shell out half of the passenger fare for goods weighing 6-40 kg.
• There is no change in the 41-80 kg bracket.