[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by akula.sreekanth

Hi Devdath, KSRTC is not India's largest state owned fleet operator. APSRTC is the largest fleet operator under one roof which also holds a guinness record for the same.

Thanks Sreekanth, that was informative. How about profits? Is APSRTC also the most profitable RTC in the country?

Originally Posted by akula.sreekanth

I have travelled in one of these buses. Toilet is in the middle of the bus at a slightly lower level than the seats and the seats next to the toilet on the opposite side of the aisle used to be single seats.

What was your experience then? Was there any smell/water on the floor? How clean were the toilets, and most importantly, when was this launched?

Originally Posted by scopriobharath

I see people "shave beards" and take "bath" in Trains, while the toilets are purely meant for call of nature only. What is the guarantee it would not be repeated in Bus toilets.

Which is my biggest cause of concern. Have you traveled in them? What was your experience?

Originally Posted by Steeroid

A bit of history: in 1977the other KSRTC (Kerala) ran a notorious bus service which had toilet facilities primarily because it was a non-stop service, doing the Trivandrum-Cochin run in 4 hours flat in those days - a feat only equalled by the former Chief Minister K Karunakaran's equally infamous official Mercedes Benz.

The buses were called Terraplane and they were banned from the roads (by court order). because the drivers ran in true non-stop mode - they didn't stop for anything, including pedestrians.

How much time does it usually take from Cochin to TVM?

Your definition of "True Non Stop" had me in splits. Steeroid.

Did you ever 'Fly' in that Terraplane?

[akula.sreekanth]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

How about profits? Is APSRTC also the most profitable RTC in the country?

Hi Devdath, I'm not sure about profits. But I read in some website that KSRTC made a profit of Rs. 36 Cr on a revenue of 800 Cr. And APSRTC made Rs.118 Cr profit in first 9 months of 2009-2010, on a revenue of Rs. 5,110 Cr. That makes KSRTC more profitable in terms of margins. But APSRTC's revenues and profitability deteriorated once the Telangana movement started after YSR's demise. There were strikes/bandhs when APSRTC stopped services, at times for days together losing about Rs. 50 Cr per day and went into losses again. But in terms of revenues APSRTC is quite big. I'm not sure whether it is true or not but APSRTC claimed sometime in 2011 that they ferried more passengers than Indian Railways on a single day (1.4 Cr passengers per day).

Sorry mods, for deviating from the topic. If you feel this is off topic please delete this

What was your experience then? Was there any smell/water on the floor? How clean were the toilets, and most importantly, when was this launched?

The toilets were closed. In fact my wife had to use the toilet and the conductor said the toilet is not operative. So she had to request (read beg) to stop the bus somewhere in chennapatna bus station so that she could use a toilet. I probably used this bus sometime in 2009 to visit some relative's place closer to Mysore.

[scopriobharath]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

What was your experience then? Was there any smell/water on the floor? How clean were the toilets, and most importantly, when was this launched?

This was sometime in 2005/2006 timeframe. It was a Non-Volvo bus with a Chemical toilet. I did not physically travel by went to drop my mate at Majestic bus stand in Bangalore. I could not enter the Bus at all, it was such foul smelling that i wanted to get off at the earliest. My friend proceeded to HYD in that bus and trust me, he got off on the outskirts of HYD and an auto to reach his house. This explains how pathetic toilet maintenance is. He observed that People were also brushing teeth in the toilet (example got down at Attibele and took an Auto to Wilson Garden).

[AlphaKilo]

So as of now, down south, its only SETC and TNSTC who are not owning any volvo/merc/Isuzu/kinglongs (apart from the city volvo's being used as inter-city ones).

I guess either the private bus owners lobby is too powerful or the govt. is just lethargic and complacent with their all "New" 12M leylands.

[safari_lover]

What kind of toilets are these? I am hoping for something similar to the ones found on Aeroplanes? If yes, then it would be great add on.

Hopefully they will launch these on BLR-HYD or BLR-Bidar route, soon.

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

So as of now, down south, its only SETC and TNSTC who are not owning any volvo/merc/Isuzu/kinglongs (apart from the city volvo's being used as inter-city ones).

I guess either the private bus owners lobby is too powerful or the govt. is just lethargic and complacent with their all "New" 12M leylands.

Absolutely true. The private bus owners lobby is very powerful. Also Leyland has its manufacturing facility in chennai, this could also be one of the reasons. Even if they introduce i donot think the maintanence of these buses would match the Ksrtc standards. There is way too rampant holes through which all the maintanence money drains out.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by scopriobharath

This was sometime in 2005/2006 timeframe. It was a Non-Volvo bus with a Chemical toilet. I did not physically travel by went to drop my mate at Majestic bus stand in Bangalore. I could not enter the Bus at all, it was such foul smelling that i wanted to get off at the earliest. My friend proceeded to HYD in that bus and trust me, he got off on the outskirts of HYD and an auto to reach his house. This explains how pathetic toilet maintenance is. He observed that People were also brushing teeth in the toilet (example got down at Attibele and took an Auto to Wilson Garden).

Thanks SB. That pretty much explains our common ways of using, rather, abusing the provided facilities, be it a mall, a bus, a train, or even an aircraft for that matter.

I just hope that this service, which is very convenient to ladies and nursing mothers especially, is successful, one way or the other.

Originally Posted by safari_lover

What kind of toilets are these? I am hoping for something similar to the ones found on Aeroplanes? If yes, then it would be great add on.

Hopefully they will launch these on BLR-HYD or BLR-Bidar route, soon.

s

Yes, they are chemical toilets, rumoured to cost INR 3.25 lacs each, pretty much like the ones found on aircraft, which collect, process and eliminate odor from waste (to a certain extent) before drying it so that it can be disposed. All this sounds very good in concept but regular maintenance, chemical refills and most of all, judicious use is very important to keep them functioning.

[akula.sreekanth]

Originally Posted by safari_lover

I am hoping for something similar to the ones found on Aeroplanes?

Aircraft toilets are serviced regularly (after each touchdown). Somebody has to flush these toilets which have collected during the journey. If it is not done after a trip, it soon becomes unusable. It entails a different kind of background maintenance (a team of people who take care of these once the bus is back in the originating station). If the team is reluctant to do their job then we can imagine how messy the service can become.

Hopefully this time around these services are clean and usable

Regards
Sreekanth

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

Absolutely true. The private bus owners lobby is very powerful. Also Leyland has its manufacturing facility in chennai, this could also be one of the reasons. Even if they introduce i donot think the maintanence of these buses would match the Ksrtc standards. There is way too rampant holes through which all the maintanence money drains out.

Venki, going by those standards, then AL should be ruling the state roads(which of course it does) but just by so-called new buses but which are poorly maintained! When they know its a low-maintanence organisation(MTC,SETC,TNSTC), why can they not make their vehicles more robust? How hard can it be? I am not simply talking about the body, but about the engines, and other components which seem to failing more often than they are supposed to! Its after all a pride and presitegious thing to see their company buses facing the unruly maintenance and still going strong for more than 3-4years.

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

Venki, going by those standards, then AL should be ruling the state roads(which of course it does) but just by so-called new buses but which are poorly maintained! When they know its a low-maintanence organisation(MTC,SETC,TNSTC), why can they not make their vehicles more robust? How hard can it be? I am not simply talking about the body, but about the engines, and other components which seem to failing more often than they are supposed to! Its after all a pride and presitegious thing to see their company buses facing the unruly maintenance and still going strong for more than 3-4years.

How come the same AL buses with private operators are good? I agree the standard may not be that high but atleast proper care and maintanence would improve a passengers comfort during the travel. Which hardly happens. I travelled once from Chennai to Thiruvannamalai in SETC bus in which one of the headlights was not functioning. The driver tried checking all the depots on the way and nobody had any spare bulb.

[srishiva]

Originally Posted by akula.sreekanth

Hi Devdath, I'm not sure about profits. But I read in some website that KSRTC made a profit of Rs. 36 Cr on a revenue of 800 Cr. And APSRTC made Rs.118 Cr profit in first 9 months of 2009-2010, on a revenue of Rs. 5,110 Cr. That makes KSRTC more profitable in terms of margins. But APSRTC's revenues and profitability deteriorated once the Telangana movement started after YSR's demise. There were strikes/bandhs when APSRTC stopped services, at times for days together losing about Rs. 50 Cr per day and went into losses again. But in terms of revenues APSRTC is quite big. I'm not sure whether it is true or not but APSRTC claimed sometime in 2011 that they ferried more passengers than Indian Railways on a single day (1.4 Cr passengers per day).

KSRTC is just one of the 4 divisions (NWKRTC, NEKRTC and BMTC the others). So it cant be the biggest in numbers or revenues anyway.

As a whole for the state since all of them are state owned, the numbers could be more than APSRTC. BMTC's revenue currently is about 1600 crores. KSRTC's was 1746 crores in 2009-10.

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

How come the same AL buses with private operators are good? I agree the standard may not be that high but atleast proper care and maintanence would improve a passengers comfort during the travel. Which hardly happens. I travelled once from Chennai to Thiruvannamalai in SETC bus in which one of the headlights was not functioning. The driver tried checking all the depots on the way and nobody had any spare bulb.

+1, I have faced many such situations while using the SETC/TNSTC's. On one hand, they have such technical problems, over and above it, they are usually equipped with speed limiters. Probably they are too just for name sake to make sure that the driver shouldnt even try to speed. I have heard on several occasions from drivers, saying, bus is limited to 60 Kmph. Can you imagine - 60 kmph? A 340kms between Chennai - Bangalore at 60 Kmph (top speed), average speed will be lets say 40 kmph.. I would better get down and cycle to bangalore all the way, still I would be ahead of these TN RTC buses.

My personal experience, a relatively ok SETC UD bus(from outside), from bangalore to chennai, started at 7am at majestic, through chitoor, reached chennai at 6.30 PM chennai CMBT. Almost 12 hours for 340kms. Reason: Rain - wipers not working, breaks not in condition, left rear inner tyre puncture. With all these, driver managed to lug the bus to chennai in almost 12 hours at a snails pace. He took atleast 4 breaks of 20mins each.

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by srishiva

KSRTC is just one of the 4 divisions (NWKRTC, NEKRTC and BMTC the others). So it cant be the biggest in numbers or revenues anyway.

Isn't the KSRTC the umbrella body governing all the 4 divisions including the BMTC? That is what I was given to understand sometime ago much like the Indian Railways being the umbrella body for all its 9 divisions.

[srishiva]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

Isn't the KSRTC the umbrella body governing all the 4 divisions including the BMTC? That is what I was given to understand sometime ago much like the Indian Railways being the umbrella body for all its 9 divisions.

They all operate independently. They have independent websites too The transport minister is the only common guy lording over them, I think.

[selfdrive]

The problem here would be in terms of maintenance definitely. One more thing to consider would be if anyone would be willing to be seated near the toilets.

It would be better to build highway stops/ pullovers with clean toilets every 100km or so, and the buses can stop there for say 10 mins. These stops can be used by all vehicles.