[VETRI] [FLEET] Detailed fleet-level breakdown behind the scheme. Sources: Daily Thanthi 2026-08-26 (composition), Daily Thanthi 2026-10-01 (distance caps), X posts (claims). All figures as reported by cited source.
| Class | Buses | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary city/town buses (existing Vidiyal) | 7,710 | Already free since 2021 — 72 lakh women/day |
| + Express / LSS / Deluxe (metro + urban) | 2,302 | NEW from 2 Oct |
| + Mofussil Ordinary (inter-district, ordinary fare) | 2,047 | NEW from 2 Oct |
| + Ghat/Hill Ordinary | 275 | NEW from 2 Oct |
| Scheme total (pre-launch) | 12,334 |
Number evolution to track:
| Date | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-26 | 12,334 | Daily Thanthi composition |
| 2026-09-21 | 12,692 (69% of 18,413 fleet) | CM launch review |
| 2026-10-02 | 12,695 · 1,68,500 daily services | TVK IT Wing post (vs govt 12,692 · 1,65,312) |
Open reconciliation: Vidiyal ordinary-bus baseline is 7,331 (indian.community) vs 7,710 (DT Aug 26). Both ~same fleet, different date/source — pick a canonical number per snapshot.
Free long-distance travel possible by hopping eligible buses: Chennai → Kanyakumari via Chengalpattu, Tindivanam, Villupuram, Vriddhachalam, Trichy, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Kovilpatti, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil. DT cites live corridors: Trichy–Dindigul, Thanjavur–Nagapattinam/Velankanni, Coimbatore–Palani/Erode, Erode–Salem, Madurai–Virudhunagar–Kovilpatti, Tirunelveli–Nagercoil. Time-cost is the hidden price — each hop waits for the next bus.
| Handle | Claim | Post |
|---|---|---|
| @TVKHQITWingOffl | 12,695 buses · 1,68,500 daily services (≠ govt 12,692 · 1,65,312) | x.com |
| @hosurupdates | Distance caps Express ≤100 km, LSS ≤40, Deluxe ≤50 | x.com |
| @dpisiva | Ground skepticism: rented private buses on scheme routes; TNSTC ORD buses running empty; Krishnagiri JMS non-stop vs scheme timings | x.com |
| @grok | SETC exclusion + sticker marking + chain-travel eligibility | x.com |
gos/.