Bhubaneswar: The Comprehensive Region Urban Transport (CRUT) on Sunday said 95 Ama Bus captains have faced disciplinary action for driving under the influence of alcohol since Nov 2024.According to CRUT, 69 bus captains were detected under the influence of alcohol before starting their shifts and were suspended from duty for three months. Another 26 captains were caught drunk while on duty and were immediately terminated by their operators. The Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) also suspended their driving licences.The transport agency said it conducts mandatory breath analyser tests three times daily for bus captains at all depots and makes the results publicly available on its website to ensure accountability and transparency. Since Nov 2024, as many as 4.28 lakh breath analyser tests have been carried out across its operations.CRUT issued the statement following a recent incident in which a bus captain was found under the influence of alcohol while returning to the depot after completing scheduled operations. An inquiry committee established for the purpose confirmed serious violations of safety protocols, following which the bus operator terminated the employee with immediate effect. CRUT has also recommended cancellation of the driver’s licence by the concerned RTO.Apart from alcohol screening, CRUT said its ticket-checking squads regularly monitor buses for speed violations. Till date, 54,827 speed checks have been conducted across routes in the city region. All Ama Buses are fitted with electronic speed governors that restrict diesel buses to 40 kmph and electric buses to 35 kmph within city limits, while the speed limit on national and state highways is fixed at 50 kmph.“Passenger safety is non-negotiable. Through continuous monitoring, strict enforcement and coordination with transport authorities, CRUT remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of operational safety,” the agency said.