In an era where safety is a paramount concern for women travellers, IntrCity SmartBus is setting new standards in the intercity bus travel industry. With a range of measures from real-time monitoring to dedicated Bus Captains and safe, well-equipped lounges, the company is making strides in ensuring the safety and comfort of women passengers. In this exclusive Q&A, Manish Rathi, Co-Founder & CEO of IntrCity SmartBus, discusses how the company leverages technology, operational protocols, and passenger feedback to create a secure travel environment for women, even during late hours.
How does IntrCity SmartBus ensure the safety of women travelling alone, especially during late hours?
At IntrCity, women's safety is our top priority. To ensure this, we've implemented a policy that only allows women to sit next to other women — a standard we rigorously enforce across the industry. Each journey is accompanied by a dedicated Bus Captain, who is there to assist passengers and uphold their safety. Additionally, we have a 24/7 command center available for passengers to contact at any time.
I'm proud to share that approximately 35% of our travellers are women, a testament to the trust they place in our safety measures. We also maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy for alcohol on our buses, and any intoxicated passengers are immediately deboarded. These efforts have greatly increased women's confidence in travelling with us, even during late hours.
Can you provide more details on the secure lounge facilities at IntrCity SmartBus, particularly how they cater to women's safety?
Our lounges are thoughtfully designed with safety as a priority. All of them are strategically located on main roads in public areas, avoiding secluded spots. We ensure staff presence at all times to monitor the surroundings, and in some locations, we've installed separate washrooms for women. Every lounge is under constant CCTV surveillance, monitored from our central office. These lounges are built as safe public spaces, always keeping the safety of women travellers at the forefront.
I'm proud to share that over 50,000 women have chosen to travel with us since we began, and a significant part of this trust comes from the secure environment we provide—from our lounges to the end of their journey.
How accessible and responsive is the 24 X 7 Control Room in case a female passenger faces a safety issue?
Our 24/7 Control Room is the core of our safety operations. We've established multiple layers of support for our passengers: they can reach out to the Bus Captain, contact our centralized command center, or follow our standard emergency procedures. To ensure accountability, every call to our control room is recorded.
We track all our buses in real-time and have systems that alert us if a bus stops unexpectedly. Additionally, considering that all our buses are cloud-connected, we have the capability to view inside the buses through real-time CCTV footage. This extensive monitoring and rapid response capability allow us to address any safety concerns immediately and effectively.
How has technology (like apps and real-time monitoring) improved safety for female passengers in the bus travel industry?
We have extensively leveraged technology to enhance passenger safety, particularly for women. Our app, with over a million downloads, provides passengers with real-time information about their journey. We monitor all our buses live, ensuring we know their exact location at any moment. If a bus stops unexpectedly, we receive an automatic alert. Additionally, all our buses are equipped with CCTV cameras that stream footage to our control center in real-time.
As we continue to advance our technological capabilities, we are exploring new ways to use data and AI to predict and prevent safety issues before they arise.
How do transportation companies balance operational efficiency with the need to implement comprehensive safety measures?
At IntrCity, we don’t view safety and efficiency as a trade-off; for us, safety is the foundation of efficiency. Our safety measures consistently receive ratings of 9+ out of 10 from our passengers. We directly employ our Bus Captains and other staff, allowing us to uphold high standards of service and safety. We are also selective about our drivers—only the best can operate an IntrCity SmartBus.
We pay special attention to feedback from our female passengers, categorizing it separately to ensure we are continually enhancing our safety measures. In my view, our focus on safety hasn’t just elevated our service quality—it has been key to our operational success.
