A new association of tourist transport operators, the North Bengal Tourist Transport Operators Association (NBTTOA), was launched in Siliguri on Monday to address the pressing concerns of the sector.

Its representatives addressed a news meet on Monday to outline key issues affecting transporters who ferry tourists from Siliguri to places in and around north Bengal.

“For the past two years, the Sikkim government has stopped issuing permits to vehicles registered in Bengal. As commercial vehicles are being introduced every year, nearly 2,000 vehicles are operating without Sikkim permits currently. This causes revenue losses and financial stress for transporters,” said Biraj Das, the NBTTOA president.

He stressed that steep entry taxes on routes to Bhutan and Nepal discouraged cross-border tourism and reduced income opportunities for local operators.

The association raised concerns about the mandatory installation of vehicle tracking devices, highlighting their high cost — around ₹20,000 per unit with an annual renewal fee of around ₹5,000. They argued that despite the expense, the lack of an effective monitoring system made the investment less meaningful. “We support safety measures, but there must be a proper review and implementation so that transporters are not unnecessarily burdened,” Das added.

NBTTOA representatives said at the news meet that they sought certain steps from the state government, such as amendments to the government's vehicle-hiring policies, curbs on re-registration of older commercial vehicles and illegally using private vehicles for commercial purposes.

The NBTTOA has 51 members who are transporters. They run around 250 vehicles in the region.