As Kerala eased restrictions on June 17 after a lockdown that lasted for over a month, private buses have been allowed to operate on weekdays from June 18 adhering to COVID-19 protocols. The Kerala government has allowed private buses to operate following the odd-even registration number pattern on alternate days. The arrangement as of now is that buses with even numbers will be allowed to run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and those with odd numbers can run on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On June 18, buses with odd numbers can operate. There will be no service on the weekend as a complete lockdown prevails in the state on Saturdays and Sundays. The lockdown in the state began on May 8 and was extended multiple times before it was eased on June 17. With the lockdown restrictions easing, the government has also allowed public transport in a restrained manner.

However, no decision was announced on allowing private buses to operate until Thursday. The decision was announced by Transport Minister Antony Raju on June 17, as he said that the situation is not conducive for all private buses to enter the road and hence, the operators should cooperate with the government. On June 17, 1,528 buses run by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation operated in the state. However, bus owners have objected to the government's decision to allow buses with odd and even numbers on alternative days. The Kerala Private Bus Operators Federation said that the decision was impractical, against precedence, and that private buses couldn't go by the directive.

The General Secretary of the Federation, Lawerence Babu, said that the government didn't consult them, and also asked why the government didn't apply the same rule for KSRTC buses. He said that the decision has been imposed on private bus operators and it would destroy the private bus industry that is reeling under a crisis due to COVID-19. He added that “the decision is aimed at dividing the public and private sector,” as per a report in The Hindu.