The Indian Bus Scene (Discuss new launches and market info here)

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Do they have three buses for TVM-BLR service? I was assuming that its just two!

They have three buses (RA100/101/102). Two buses run TVM-Bangalore and one runs TVM-Ernakulam. The spare bus is rotated on the TVM-Ernakulam route. When one of the two buses on the TVM-Bangalore route has a problem (or is due for service), the Ernakulam route is cancelled and the bus goes on that route. (Earlier they used to send a Globus as spare for the Ernakulam service - now they prefer to cancel the service instead).

These are the three buses:

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by binaiks

Very true. The current guys are making every effort to ensure that the corporation would shut down by the end of their tenure (or atleast be reduced to mere existence). Good revenue earning routes are disturbed on flimsy pretexts - and finally the route gets cancelled citing poor collection.

Can't agree more with you! You nailed it

They indeed are the same. Thanks for reminding about Avion - I remember seeing the same headlamps on some other vehicle, but was wondering what vehicle was that. The same model (headlamp assy) was also used by a private bus operator on the Thrissur-Kozhikode route as well. AFAIK, its a chinese product.

You can see the same HL assembly being used in many SML mini-buses here in Bangalore. Guess they're on JCBL bodies. However there are a few with Safari (IIRC) HLs as well.

[Superleggera]

Originally Posted by binaiks

They have three buses (RA100/101/102). Two buses run TVM-Bangalore and one runs TVM-Ernakulam. The spare bus is rotated on the TVM-Ernakulam route. When one of the two buses on the TVM-Bangalore route has a problem (or is due for service), the Ernakulam route is cancelled and the bus goes on that route. (Earlier they used to send a Globus as spare for the Ernakulam service - now they prefer to cancel the service instead).

These are the three buses:

Hi Binai, slightly off topic- Do you have the picture of old KeSRTC buses?. If so, could you pls post them here?

From my memories, the type of buses I remember,

1. The ones which had the destination board in the in the center-top postion, small windshields separated by a rod in the center. Rear also follows the same pattern
2. After this, the smaller windshields are replaced by bigger ones, and the destination board moved to left-top corner of the bus. Rear still had smaller windshields, but it was looking good. May be those kind of busses are still running in TVM (KLX regn)
3. After this the new generation busses came, I guess

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

Attachment 609402

Source : AL

Originally Posted by silversteed

Aren't the headlights the same ones used in the AshLey Avion Airport-Tarmac coach?

btw, the air-intake at the rear looks funny to me.

You are correct it was posted by AshLey sir. Btw, volvos being serviced by volvo is ok, but why would they seize the vehicle? Are the KeSRTC volvos on lease?

The Corona skypack was released first in the Airport-Electronic city route and I had posted a video of its inaugural trip somewhere. But the headlights of it were different and this looks different. Are there two versions procured by BMTC? I remember someone in the video saying they have a low floor and SLF versions? I am sure the Mercedes buses have been released in LF and SLF versions but no idea about the Corona. Is this the corona Skypack?

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

Btw, volvos being serviced by volvo is ok, but why would they seize the vehicle? Are the KeSRTC volvos on lease?

Now if you service your vehicle at a dealer regularly, but you fail to pay him regularly, wouldn't that dealer catch hold of your vehicle? That is exactly what happened at Volvo as well - KeSRTC has outstanding dues in their service bill and they have not paid up for new buses as well. The buses which were stuck up at Volvo Service Centre in Kochi was released after the State government gave guarantee for payment.

KeSRTC was put on "Cash-and-carry" mode for service of their B7Rs (9400s) long back - KeSRTC make payments by DD for every service done on their 9400s.

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

The Corona skypack was released first in the Airport-Electronic city route and I had posted a video of its inaugural trip somewhere. But the headlights of it were different and this looks different. Are there two versions procured by BMTC? I remember someone in the video saying they have a low floor and SLF versions? I am sure the Mercedes buses have been released in LF and SLF versions but no idea about the Corona. Is this the corona Skypack?

The bus you had seen on the Airport route was the Trial bus. The bus I've posted an image of is a bus owned by BMTC. The trial bus was returned to Corona after trials, and Corona has started delivery of buses (reportedly they've ordered 200 of them - not very sure). The Corona buses are Low Floors (Entry + 1 step).

Merc buses were offered as Ultra-Low Floors and Low Floors - sadly BMTC wouldn't be procuring them, since Merc has expressed its inability to supply BS4 buses. (I hear that Merc would be displaying its new BS4 city bus at the Autoexpo this year)

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

The Corona skypack was released first in the Airport-Electronic city route and I had posted a video of its inaugural trip somewhere. But the headlights of it were different and this looks different. Are there two versions procured by BMTC? I remember someone in the video saying they have a low floor and SLF versions?

This could have been a feedback from the BMTC to change the facia.

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

I am sure the Mercedes buses have been released in LF and SLF versions but no idea about the Corona. Is this the corona Skypack?

Originally Posted by binaiks

Merc buses were offered as Ultra-Low Floors and Low Floors - sadly BMTC wouldn't be procuring them, since Merc has expressed its inability to supply BS4 buses. (I hear that Merc would be displaying its new BS4 city bus at the Autoexpo this year)

Mercedes gave only Ultra Low Entry(ULE) buses for trial. As such there is no Ultra Low Floor(ULF) bus available in India with any manufacturer (except AL Avion ULF and its only a tarmac coach).

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

Mercedes gave only Ultra Low Entry(ULE) buses for trial. As such there is no Ultra Low Floor(ULF) bus available in India with any manufacturer (except AL Avion ULF and its only a tarmac coach).

Difference? ULE means the last step will be quite low but the floor will be higher like climbing a couple of steps into the bus?

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

Difference? ULE means the last step will be quite low but the floor will be higher like climbing a couple of steps into the bus?

ULE means step-less entry to the bus - your first step is into the bus. In a Low-Floor, you'd have to climb one step i.e., entry + 1 step. In a semi-Low Floor, it becomes Entry + 2 Steps. In a regular bus, you climb Entry + 3 steps.

ULE and LF are usually Rear Engine buses (FE buses are used, but only in airport operations), while SLF and Regular buses are usually Front Engine buses.

Originally Posted by Ashley2

Mercedes gave only Ultra Low Entry(ULE) buses for trial.

If you are talking of BMTC, then Merc had given two buses for trial - one was ULE and the other was an LF. The same buses were operated by PMPML in Pune as well. However, in later trials conducted in Mysore and Mumbai (BEST as well as NMMT), only the ULE bus was run.

Edit: Here are the pics of the two different buses that were tried by BMTC:

This one is the ULE:


This one was the LF:This one had 2x2 layout benches (not the individual seats like in Volvo). (Image taken from the internet - copyrights rest with the original photographer)

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

Mercedes gave only Ultra Low Entry(ULE) buses for trial. As such there is no Ultra Low Floor(ULF) bus available in India with any manufacturer (except AL Avion ULF and its only a tarmac coach).

Originally Posted by binaiks

If you are talking of BMTC, then Merc had given two buses for trial - one was ULE and the other was an LF. The same buses were operated by PMPML in Pune as well. However, in later trials conducted in Mysore and Mumbai (BEST as well as NMMT), only the ULE bus was run.

I was not aware of the two different versions given to BMTc.

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

Difference? ULE means the last step will be quite low but the floor will be higher like climbing a couple of steps into the bus?

Originally Posted by binaiks

ULE means step-less entry to the bus - your first step is into the bus. In a Low-Floor, you'd have to climb one step i.e., entry + 1 step. In a semi-Low Floor, it becomes Entry + 2 Steps. In a regular bus, you climb Entry + 3 steps.

ULE and LF are usually Rear Engine buses (FE buses are used, but only in airport operations), while SLF and Regular buses are usually Front Engine buses.

ULE has only the entry portion low and the floor raises in the rear portion.
ULE has a low entry as well as larger low space inside the saloon.when the % is more the 65(though may vary slightly) its called ULF.
ULF can be made with both front engine and rear engine.


wrt front engine ULF the drive is given to front axle and wrt rear engine the complete cooling system along with remote fan drive is vertically mounted to get larger floor space in the rear portion of bus.

ULF front engine is for Tarmac (Eg-Cobus 3000, AL Avion ULF)
ULF rear engine is for city application ( Eg-VDL Citea, Man Lions city, Volvo 7900)
Also with RE ULF you can have door at the ROH which is not possible with ULE.

Normal ULE with raised rear floor Volvo 8400




Ultra Low floor in the rear portion. (yellow arrow indicates the packing of cooling system) Volvo 7900




Ultra low floor in rear engine vestibule bus - Man Lions city




View from rear portion of bus




Door at ROH - VDL Citea


None of these images are mine. Taken from respective pages

[AlphaKilo]

ahhh! Now I understand!. Ok, then since the Mercs do not have a BS4, they were not selected and since corona(cummins) has a BS4 engine, they have been selected! I googled a little bit to find out the prices and saw that the corona is way cheaper than Mercs in any case, and I am sure the mechanics in the workshop would be comfortable with the Cummins, by virtue of having seen the engine in the new gen tatas. Moreover, if I remember correctly, the PDF(posted here about corona body construction) that it burns less hole in operators packet and is more fuel efficient than the imports. What ever it be, but I am sure corona can be no match to the quality of volvo or merc.
What about the new MAN FE bus? No one spotted it anymore? That thread is lying idle for sometime now.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

Ok, then since the Mercs do not have a BS4, they were not selected and since corona(cummins) has a BS4 engine, they have been selected!

Thats not really the case - both the buses fall in different categories. The order for Merc was only 10 buses, while the other for Corona was 200 buses! Merc was being considered for the Airport Route, while Corona would be provided as a lower class service - somewhat similar to the AC Marcopolos now running in Bangalore.

Since the Merc order did not materialise, BMTC has ordered more Volvo 8400s (Remember, Volvo had recently showcased their BS4 variant).

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

What about the new MAN FE bus? No one spotted it anymore? That thread is lying idle for sometime now.

It is still roaming around - someone had posted a recent pic of it on Facebook.

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by binaiks

Since the Merc order did not materialise, BMTC has ordered more Volvo 8400s (Remember, Volvo had recently showcased their BS4 variant).

It is still roaming around - someone had posted a recent pic of it on Facebook.

More volvos? why doesnt BMTC convert its fleet to all volvos. It would make it the only STC or only bus operator in india to have full a/c full LE buses. Good PR for its state. Or atleast in such a case, the moutain city(speed breaker city) will have less steeper speed humps.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

Ultra low floor in rear engine vestibule bus - Man Lions city

Sorry if I sound stupid, if the floor is kept so low, how are the rear wheels driven, in this RE-ULF setup? The floor is kept low all throughout, so the drive-shaft cannot be in the center, like the RE-ULE such as the Volvo 8400. Are they chain-driven?

And what is it that you mentioned about cooling system? Could you explain further, if possible, with better pics?

[Transsenger]

Here is another view of ULF with RE & rear door. In this type of buses the engine, drive shaft etc will be mounted towards one side. So that one half of the rear end can be utilized for passengers seating or entry exit door. And while mounting the engine on one side, the cooling system (radiator, inter cooler etc) usually is placed above the engine.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Sorry if I sound stupid, if the floor is kept so low, how are the rear wheels driven, in this RE-ULF setup? The floor is kept low all throughout, so the drive-shaft cannot be in the center, like the RE-ULE such as the Volvo 8400. Are they chain-driven?
And what is it that you mentioned about cooling system? Could you explain further, if possible, with better pics?

They are definitely not chain driven.
1.The rear axle is twin speed aganist the normal single speed axles. Even with this there will be a small hump to accomodate rear axle beam.

2.Engine will not be in the centre and will be oriented towards LHS to accomodate a door at RHS.

3.Cooling system - Radiator,Intercooler,remote fan drive will be packed in two ways.

a.Roof mounted .


b.Vertically(side) mounted.

LH View - Volvo


RH View - Volvo


RH View - Alexander Dennis


Iveco has a different design where in all will be packed in the rear portion itself. By and large these are two different concepts used.


Iveco Citelis



Rarely there is one more design where in the engine will be horizontally mounted.



Quad axle bi articulated Vestibule buses do use this engine and hence they are called as Mid engine buses.