redBus, India’s largest online bus ticketing platform, has ventured into new areas and has therefore launched NOVA, the integrated B2B marketplace for the intercity bus industry, which is the first of its kind in the country. The official announcement regarding NOVA was made on January 6, 2026, and the main purpose of the initiative is to support bus operators all over India with smoother procurement, more reliability, and digitalization of operations.
Initially, the new platform links 6,000 bus operators with a network of vendors who have been verified and are therefore reliable, offering support in the form of various products and services specifically designed for the both drivers and passengers. The products vary from basic safety and compliance tools to more innovative ones helping to run the bus industry more efficiently, such as providing a range of products like CCTV cameras, alcohol testing meters, driver monitoring systems, and so on, and also claiming to save fuel by 5 percent with fuel additives. Discounts of 20 to 40 percent will be given to the operators for availing these products, thereby tackling one of the main problems of high costs faced by the industry.
One of NOVA’s key differentiators is its integration with redPro, redBus’s cloud-based analytics and insights platform. This allows operators to not only purchase products but also view performance dashboards and operational data in one place. By combining procurement with analytics, redBus aims to enable more informed, data-driven decisions around fleet utilisation, safety, and customer experience.
According to Prakash Sangam, CEO of redBus, the platform tackles persistent industry challenges such as fragmented sourcing, inconsistent product quality, and lack of trusted vendors. NOVA also opens up a pan-India market for smaller businesses and startups looking to serve intercity bus operators, supported by an integrated settlement framework that helps reduce payment delays.
During its pilot phase, over 100 operators placed at least one order on NOVA, signalling early traction. The launch comes at a time when India’s intercity bus market is estimated at ₹47,443 crore, supported by the world’s second-largest road network.
Founded in 2006, redBus operates across multiple global markets and has sold over 466 million tickets worldwide. With NOVA, the company marks a strategic expansion of its B2B portfolio, positioning itself as a full-stack partner for India’s evolving bus ecosystem.
