This page shows the current applicable minimum wage for workers in Public Motor Transport and Drivers in Karnataka, as notified by the state government. Use it to check the rate that applies to drivers, conductors, and support staff across your fleet in Karnataka according to their skill category.
Minimum wage rates for Public Motor Transport and Drivers in Karnataka
| Category of worker | Zone I | Zone II | Zone III | Zone IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Un-skilled | ₹620.66 | ₹599.43 | ₹579.22 | ₹559.97 |
| Semi-skilled | ₹665.22 | ₹641.88 | ₹619.65 | ₹598.47 |
| Skilled | ₹714.25 | ₹688.57 | ₹664.11 | ₹640.82 |
| Highly-skilled | ₹768.18 | ₹739.93 | ₹713.03 | ₹687.41 |
Rates effective 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.
What counts as Public Motor Transport and Drivers
Public Motor Transport and Drivers covers workers engaged in operating, crewing, and maintaining road transport vehicles run for hire or reward, including buses, taxis, cabs, auto-rickshaws, and goods carriers. It takes in the driving staff along with the workshop, terminal, and support workers who keep these motor vehicles roadworthy and in service.
- Bus depots and passenger road transport operators
- Taxi, cab, and auto-rickshaw fleet operators, including aggregator partner fleets
- Goods carriage and freight transport companies with truck fleets
- Motor vehicle workshops, service garages, and body or tyre repair units
- Bus terminals, transport stands, and parcel or courier booking offices
- Tourist coach operators and staff or school transport contractors
Typical roles and skill categories
- Heavy vehicle driver (bus and truck)
- Light motor vehicle driver (taxi and car)
- Auto-rickshaw driver
- Bus conductor
- Cleaner and vehicle helper
- Motor mechanic and fitter
- Auto electrician
- Tyre repairer
- Depot clerk, dispatcher, and checking inspector
In this employment, cleaners, vehicle washers, and helpers usually fall under the unskilled category, while bus conductors and light motor vehicle drivers are commonly treated as semi-skilled. Heavy vehicle drivers, mechanics, and auto electricians typically map to the skilled category, with senior technicians, diagnostic specialists, and multi-axle or hazardous-goods drivers placed in the highly-skilled category.
Who fixes this wage
Public Motor Transport and Drivers is a notified scheduled employment under the minimum wages framework, so the Karnataka government fixes and periodically revises minimum wages for it by skill category, and in many cases by geographic zone. Every motor transport establishment operating in Karnataka is bound to pay each worker at least the notified rate for the category that applies to that worker.
How Karnataka sets minimum wages
Karnataka fixes minimum wages under its Shops and Commercial Establishments schedule, dividing the state into four zones numbered I to IV. Rates are set for four categories of worker and are kept current through a variable dearness allowance rather than a fresh base notification each period. The dearness-allowance revision applies from 1 April 2026 and runs through to 31 March 2027.
Common questions
What is the current minimum wage for Public Motor Transport and Drivers in Karnataka?
In Karnataka, the minimum wage for Public Motor Transport and Drivers currently runs from about ₹559.97 to ₹768.18 per day, depending on skill category and zone, effective 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. The exact figure by category is in the table below. Confirm the exact rate for your worker's skill category and zone in the table above, and against the latest official notification.
Does the minimum wage for a bus or truck driver in Karnataka differ from that of a conductor or a cleaner?
Yes. Wages in this employment are fixed by skill category, so a heavy vehicle driver, usually classed as skilled, is entitled to a higher notified rate than a conductor or cleaner placed in a lower category. Match each worker to the correct category before applying the rate.
Are taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers who work for a fleet operator covered by this scheduled employment?
Drivers engaged by a taxi, cab, or auto-rickshaw operator in Karnataka for wages are generally covered as employees under this scheduled employment. Purely self-employed owner-drivers working for their own account are a different situation and may not attract an employer-paid minimum wage.
How should overtime and rest be handled for drivers who work long or split shifts?
Transport crews often work beyond normal hours, and work done above the prescribed daily or weekly limit attracts overtime at the statutory rate on top of the notified minimum wage. Employers in Karnataka should keep proper duty, trip, and attendance records so that overtime and weekly rest entitlements can be calculated correctly.
Never underpay in Karnataka
ZeniaHR maps every worker to the correct minimum-wage notification by state, skill and zone, and flags anyone paid below it.
Book a demo