KSRTC Launches Airavat Bliss & Superia: w/ WiFi, Seatback Monitor, Pantry and Toilet

[Sarvodaya]

KSRTC introduces Volvo Buses called "BLISS" to Tirupathi. Highliths include onbaord emergency toilet, wifi (passengers get unique password along with the ticket), onboad pantry. The service is available to Tirupathi and Chennai intially. The ticket will cost Rs.50 more than than the regular Airwath Club class. But the onboard Meals will be expensive. Approximately Rs.125/-. The regular conductor will double up as Flight Attendant

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by Sarvodaya

KSRTC introduces Volvo Buses called "BLISS" to Tirupathi. Highliths include onbaord emergency toilet, wifi (passengers get unique password along with the ticket), onboad pantry. The service is available to Tirupathi and Chennai intially. The ticket will cost Rs.50 more than than the regular Airwath Club class. But the onboard Meals will be expensive. Approximately Rs.125/-. The regular conductor will double up as Flight Attendant

Sirji, whats an "emergency" toilet by the way! Isnt any nature call emergency?. So it is still the 9400XL on which the club class is built? no 9400 PX so far? I remember to have read somewhere that KSRTC is going to introduce the PX with on-board toilet and canteen facilities on test basis or was it only the 9400PX city bus only? I am surprised to see it still being based on the 9400 XL and not on the PX with I-Shift. Any idea, does any operator got the PX and the I-Shift?

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by Sarvodaya

KSRTC introduces Volvo Buses called "BLISS" to Tirupathi. Highliths include onbaord emergency toilet, wifi (passengers get unique password along with the ticket), onboad pantry. The service is available to Tirupathi and Chennai intially. The ticket will cost Rs.50 more than than the regular Airwath Club class. But the onboard Meals will be expensive. Approximately Rs.125/-. The regular conductor will double up as Flight Attendant

KaSRTC is introducing one more service today, called Superia (with chemical toilet)

The introductory routes are Bangalore-Chennai and Bangalore-Tirupathi.

They also offer Wifi and live channels on individual seats.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

... I am surprised to see it still being based on the 9400 XL and not on the PX with I-Shift. Any idea, does any operator got the PX and the I-Shift?

Volvo is yet to lauch 9400PX. Its still some few months away.
But why as a passenger we are interested towards 9400PX?. There is hardly going to be any difference in comfort level.

[coriollis]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

But why as a passenger we are interested towards 9400PX?. There is hardly going to be any difference in comfort level.

If anything should improve, it is the driver comfort.
Although, the stalling/vibrations induced due to lugging in wrong gear (KSRTC is famous for that) would definitely get down resulting in smooth ride. This may also reduce the body/ engine mounting maintenance resultant of low frequency high amplitude vibrations.

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by coriollis

If anything should improve, it is the driver comfort.
Although, the stalling/vibrations induced due to lugging in wrong gear (KSRTC is famous for that) would definitely get down resulting in smooth ride. This may also reduce the body/ engine mounting maintenance resultant of low frequency high amplitude vibrations.

Originally Posted by Ashley2

Volvo is yet to lauch 9400PX. Its still some few months away.
But why as a passenger we are interested towards 9400PX?. There is hardly going to be any difference in comfort level.

I saw this coming! Its none of my business whether if its a PX or XL or for that matter a 9400 or even a AL 12M Viking with body built to look like a volvo or a prakash z-series, as long as I get a comfortable place to sit enjoy the a/c ride. But then there is no difference between an auto-freak and a normal ramu and somu.(Well its my personal opinion). I love to travel and feel the difference, talk to drivers, get to know how they feel and understand the new technology, (if any), or just even get their experience in driving a rear-steer assisted bus while making turns. I have been long expecting Scania to bring in their "Touring" buses into India, although highly unlikely, its just that the technology fascinates me more than simple a/c ride from point A to point B.

More than the PX, i am looking forward to see the I-Shift equipped buses in our highways. That should very much help the driver as well as the passengers, atleast we wont feel the jerks and idiotic gear shifts done by the driver.

Btw, what is the difference between KSRTC "Bliss" and "Superia" ? By the way, what's this "emergency" toilet concept?

Seems the difference is Bliss has a pantry facility, chemical toilet and Superia will have only a chemical toilet and no pantry. Both are equipped with WiFi and in-seat entertainment. It would be a bliss in long journeys or during day rides. But what will happen to the people in the first row(1-4 seat no.s)? Will they get the in-seat entertainment?How?

Detailed info on "Bliss" service:

http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/.../Ad0020309.png

[coolclouds]

KSRTC introduced 6 services today, 4 Superia and two Bliss
Bliss - Both chemical toilet and pantry, 43 seats
Superia - Chemical toilet and individual screen, 45 seats

Seat nos. 19 & 20 are just opposite toilet

Seat no. 18 has less outside view in Superia due to stickers

Body graphics in bliss looks poor (to me, looked like a patch work)

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

KSRTC introduced 6 services today, 4 Superia and two Bliss
Bliss - Both chemical toilet and pantry, 43 seats
Superia - Chemical toilet and individual screen, 45 seats

Seat nos. 19 & 20 are just opposite toilet

Seat no. 18 has less outside view in Superia due to stickers

Body graphics in bliss looks poor (to me, looked like a patch work)

Sirji, do you have any pics of the seats 1-4? When we have a in-seat entertainment, whats the need for the huge LCD in the front? Do these 9400's have axle lifting ability? I see a switch in the dashboard with the axle lift icon.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

Sirji, do you have any pics of the seats 1-4? When we have a in-seat entertainment, whats the need for the huge LCD in the front? Do these 9400's have axle lifting ability? I see a switch in the dashboard with the axle lift icon.

Plese find roof mounted screens for seats 1-4

[rohittunga]

As usual a Superb move by KSRTC . I feel that all these facilities ( WiFi, Toilet and Pantry) will be of greater use if these buses ply for longer routes like Mumbai or Shirdi. Now since all these facilities are introduced, the driver will not be obligated to stop at restaurants en route. So does this mean that they'll reach their destinations 30 min or so faster ??

I feel so proud of KSRTC and BMTC service now more than ever

[mazda4life]

Nice going KSRTC ...pushing the envelope every time, just read what a chemical toilet is, hope they dont go the railways route of making the track a open sewer.

I think it will be like the RV where you go to a specific point and flush out the tank. Also, hopefully with the microwave, it will be easier to travel with kids on long distances. Wonder if the screens are touch screens with capacitive instead of resistive.

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

KSRTC introduced 6 services today, 4 Superia and two Bliss
Bliss - Both chemical toilet and pantry, 43 seats
Superia - Chemical toilet and individual screen, 45 seats

Hope these services are introduced on long duration routes. Bangalore Tirupathi is hardly 6 hrs. Would love to see these on routes that are 12+ hrs.

[coolclouds]

These toilets are auto flush. A guy from KSRTC said it costs about 3.25 lakhs, not confirmed though.

Presently, these buses will run on Bangalore-Chennai and Bangalore - Tirupathi routes. As someone pointed earlier, the rate would be Rs. 50 higher than club class rates.
(A tough time ahead for Olivea's Bangalore-Chennai service!)

[srishiva]

The tags on the switches seems to have been outsourced to kids. Can't they paint it at least?

[n.devdath]

KSRTC, India's largest State owned fleet operator, and probably the most profitable too, today launched 2 new categories of premium bus services. Both of them, KSRTC claims, are a country first.

Airavat Bliss: This category has a chemical toilet and a pantry with a microwave oven where passengers can either order food from the menu or heat the food they have brought along. Apart from the above, the buses have LCD screens behind each headrest, boast of 60 live channels and Wi-Fi connectivity on the go.

Airavat Superia: This category does NOT have a pantry but has a chemical toilet like the Bliss with other entertainment facilities and Wi-Fi.

These buses are the typical Volvo multi axle 9400 and have been introduced in the BLR-Chennai and BLR-Tirupati route to begin with. Their fares will be INR 50.00 costlier than the regular Airavat Club Class which IMHO is very lucrative.

I have a question to the CV gurus here though. Why weren't these buses introduced on longer routes, which require the toilets more frequently like the BLR-BOM route for example?
BLR-Chennai and BLR-Tirupati are hardly 6 hour routes where people usually do not feel the need for a toilet compared to BLR-BOM for example.
Here is the link to the TOI articlehttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/15024310.cms

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