Mangaluru: Within a fortnight of its introduction, the Volvo service between Mangaluru State Bank and Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada has been able to attract a good response.

Passengers attribute this to two reasons — comfortable journey within three hours, covering a distance of about 145 km, and competitive fares.

Services leaving Bhatkal early in the morning, 6.40 a.m., 7 a.m., 7.30 a.m. and 8 a.m., are completely full.

Passengers sometimes travel standing in the services, revealed a conductor. The earnings in these morning services too are quite high, fetching up to Rs. 42 a km.

It used to be difficult in the normal course, wherein a one-way journey itself would take about five hours, he said. About 35 seats out of 45 seats in the bus were occupied at the originating point itself.

KSRTC’s Mangaluru Divisional Controller Vivekanand Hegde said the corporation would soon add one more coach to the existing eight coaches thereby enhancing the frequency of services. Fares would remain competitive for some more time, he added.

A conductor on the service said the present competitive fares are attracting more passengers. “If buses run full, there should not be any reason to increase the fares,” he said.