History

KSRTC, the fond name for Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, connects the state well on road. As one of the oldest operated and managed public transports of India.

The history of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation began whilst the development of the transport industry it wasn't booming enough like today. The Travancore State Transport Department (TSTD) was constituted by the erstwhile Travancore Government with a view to reorganize the transport service of the State.Mr E.G. Salter, Assistant, Operating Supdt of London Passenger Transport Board was appointed as Supdt on 20.9.1937.

The State Motor Service was inaugurated by His Highness Sree Chithirathirunal on 20.2.1938. His Highness and his kin were the first passengers of the inaugration trip and Mr. Salter was himself the driver to that bus. This bus along with the 33 other buses brought on road driving through the Kawdiar Square was seen to be a beautiful attraction.

60 comet chassis fitted with Perkins diesel Engines were imported from England and the staff had built the body under the supervision of Mr. Salter himself. The selection of operating staff remains as a model which has been followed by the present staff as well. Those who were likely to lose their jobs in the private sectors due to the nationalization of Thiruvanathapuram-Kanyakumari route were given preference for appointment in the new department. Nearly a hundred Bachelor degree holders were given appoinments as Inspectors and Conductors.

The first antique bus of Kerala was a saloon type bodied 23-seater of which the passenger entry door was at the rear end and it also possessed a first class enclosure. The time schedule, fares and bus stops were predetermined and published for the information of the public. Simultaneously a parcel service had also been started increasing the utility of the bus service with its unique features. By this service in that year the public could sent their important parcels through the special agents appointed by the government.
TTSD nurtured as a predominant bus service, with interstate connectivity on longer routes. There existed mainly three bus routes of which one was Thiruvanthapuram-Nagercoil, Nagercoil-Kanyakumari and the third, Nagercoil-Colachal. They were introduced on 21.2.1938 with 39 buses totally for all of the three bus routes as a whole.

Half a 'Chakram' was the minmum fare in 1938. The first class tickets had cost 50% more than the coordinating rate. During that period free travelling was allowed for children upto 3 years and only half the fare for children aged till 14 yrs. There were no luggage tickets as such but when the luggage weighed more than 28 pounds upto 56 pounds it had the levy of 4 chakras and luggage or luggages that weighed more than 56 pounds had the levy of 6 chakras upto 112 pounds and above. Since the Chakram had triple the value of a 100 rupee currency note today, the cost of travelling was comparatively higher during those days.

At the time of transfer there were only a countable number of bus schedules - 661 bus schedules and 36 lorry schedules. It possessed a fleet of 901 buses 51 lorries and 29 other vehicles. The new working of the corpoartion started with 30 new buses and 8 new lorries. 10 old buses and 7 old lorries and one tractor trailer were converted for other uses. Plant and machinery owned by Kerala State Road Transport Corporation is extended throughout all its workshops in the whole of Kerala .