TN pvt bus operators flag GPS pricing; govt moves for transparency

Chennai: Private bus operators have sought govt intervention alleging large price differences in sale of GPS devices (with panic buttons) and reflective stickers required for annual fitness certificate renewal.State transport department officials said steps are being taken to bring transparency in pricing and align with models followed in neighbouring states.At a meeting in Chennai on Monday, the All Omni Bus Owners Association, led by president A Anbalagan, said certified vehicle location tracking devices(VLTD) were being sold in Tamil Nadu for 14,000 to 18,000, while similar devices in neighbouring states cost between 6,000 and 7,000.Though VLTD installation has been mandatory since 2016, enforcement was tightened recently. Moreover, from April 1, 2026, national permit lorries were required to install the devices not only for fitness certificate renewal but also for tax payment procedures.The official said that at present some lorries were stranded in Bihar and Odisha over non-compliance.Tamil Nadu was now attempting to replicate Karnataka's model by publishing the price ranges of empanelled VLTD providers, the official added."As a first step, rates quoted during the EOI stage along with company addresses would be uploaded on the Tamil Nadu State Transport Authority website within days, while further steps including price fixation could be considered later."The association said states such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Puducherry had shifted transport monitoring, tax collection and document verification systems to digital platforms after changes introduced from September 2021.However, Tamil Nadu still continues physical border check-post inspections, leading to stoppages, document verification and delays for omni buses and public transport vehicles, it said.