[TheARUN]

Karnataka I think has the dubious distinction of having the highest 'amounts' when concerned to Automobiles. The highest fuel cost and the highest taxes in the Country

I think the seat cost here is also Rs.3,000

Bus Operators who operate between 2 states have to pay taxes in both States. An Ernakulam - Bangalore Operator pays tax in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

One of the main reasons Operators preferred the Krishnagiri route to Chennai from Bangalore over the Chitoor route is because the Chitoor route would have resulted in 3 Taxes, RTC Buses however are exempt from Taxes since they have bilateral agreements with neighbouring States

In the olden days, a Bus say running from Madurai to Bangalore would terminate on the out-skirts Hosur and you would have to cross the border on foot, and get into another Bus to reach Bangalore

As per my calculations, the main items hitting profitability are
1. Cost of the Bus
2. Fuel efficiency
3. Seat occupancy

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by RGK

... In TN, there is a new concept introduced by the Govt which is called Seat Tax per Quarter. I think it is approximately 3000/- per tax So you need to run the bus on full load daily.

So to avoid loss , some of the bus operators opted for less number of seats (1+2) instead of 2+2....

Originally Posted by TheARUN

Karnataka I think has the dubious distinction of having the highest 'amounts' when concerned to Automobiles. The highest fuel cost and the highest taxes in the Country

I think the seat cost here is also Rs.3,000.

AFAIK, even long back the permit cost for a omni bus was 3000/ seat / quarter in TN

Originally Posted by binaiks

IIRC, SRE never ran Hispanos on the B'Lore-Bellary route! The Hispanos (Divo) was always on the Bellary-Mumbai route. That route is still alive.

I was not aware of the past, so safely to reply to SAE 40. I used the word with drawn!

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

As per my calculations, the main items hitting profitability are
1. Cost of the Bus
2. Fuel efficiency
3. Seat occupancy

Last week, my friend went to Mumbai from Bangalore. Onward ticket was on SRS B9R 2pm service and it had only 7-8 passengers till Mumbai.

While coming back, he booked on National B9R and it had only 5-6 people till Bangalore. The crew picked each and every local passengers en route (Bom-Pune, Pune-Hubli, Hubli-Davangere etc etc) and got the bus almost full which in result, made my friend sleepless and insecure.

Just curious to know if the owner will be getting these local tickets or it goes to the crew only?

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

...
Just curious to know if the owner will be getting these local tickets or it goes to the crew only?

Major operators have ticket checkers who checks these enroute passengers entry.
They are also given tickets and will be taken to operating revenue only.
But still this is not 100% possible to ensure the same .

[TheARUN]

Just returned from the works of PRAKASH Body Builders and want to pen down everything so that I don't forget

I got a break down of cost on the body

These are a few points that I could gather

• Only 36 Semi-sleeper seats are possible in 12M, though B7R VOLVO has 40 with the same length
• 225HP Chassis is the only one which can support an engine driven AC (Wonder how Raj runs his Bus on the 160HP AC) The PRAKASH guy was saying that anything less would require a slave engine
• You cannot have a VOLVO type passenger door on a 12M since it fouls with the AC, you have to have a swing out door
• VECTRA seats are costlier than HARITA seats
• They have contacts with AC manufacturers and can put introduce them to the Purchaser
• Luggage storage is provided at the rear and on the near side of the bus
• Almost anything can be specified and built and its all inclusive in the standard cost

[coolclouds]

How much will the cost of 12M chasis? Also, the seat price mentioned is for Vectra or Harita?

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

Only 36 Semi-sleeper seats are possible in 12M, though B7R VOLVO has 40 with the same length

In Volvo with 40 seats is not semi sleeper and only reclining. 36 in 12M is a semi sleeper ones.

Originally Posted by TheARUN

225HP Chassis is the only one which can support an engine driven AC (Wonder how Raj runs his Bus on the 160HP AC) The PRAKASH guy was saying that anything less would require a slave engine

AL do not recommend AC fitment for the newer 180 hp 12M ones as the torque is less. Earlier BS II ones had higher torque and so it was recommended in them.

Originally Posted by TheARUN

You cannot have a VOLVO type passenger door on a 12M since it fouls with the AC, you have to have a swing out door

With AC you cannot have a inswing door .
If you want inswing door you may have to have a small qaurtervent panel and then you can fit the door.

[TheARUN]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

How much will the cost of 12M chasis? Also, the seat price mentioned is for Vectra or Harita?

The 12M starts from 12,00,000 and goes all the way up to 19,00,000.

There are 3 engine options

1. 165 Bhp
2. 183 Bhp
3. 225 Bhp

The higher the Bhp, the greater the cost

Then there are suspension options

1. Front and Back shackle suspension
2. Front and Back Weveller
3. Front Weveller and rear Air-suspension
4. Full Air-suspension

There is also the option of having a retarder.

The 19,00,000 version is 225 Bhp with Retarder and Full Air-suspension

Minus retarder it is lesser by 1,50,000 and minus Air-suspension it is lesser by 2,50,000

[TheARUN]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

How much will the cost of 12M chasis? Also, the seat price mentioned is for Vectra or Harita?

As for seats, the guy was very vague, all I could get out of him was that VECTRA is costlier than HARITA, the seats range from 3,50,000 to 4,00,000 works out to 10,000 per seat

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

• Only 36 Semi-sleeper seats are possible in 12M, though B7R VOLVO has 40 with the same length

A small correction. In a Volvo, you can fit 36 Semi-Sleeper seats, and the last row of 5 seats get regular seats with limited recline. In case of a 12M, you actually lose quite a bit of space in the partition between the driver cabin and the passenger saloon, plus the co-driver berth right behind the driver seat.

In a 12M, you can fit 36 semi-sleeper seats with all of them having the same angle of recline. As I mentioned earlier, in a Volvo, the last 5 seats get very low recline.

Originally Posted by Ashley2

In Volvo with 40 seats is not semi sleeper and only reclining. 36 in 12M is a semi sleeper ones.

In a 40 seater Volvo (its actually a 41 seater), its 36 Semi-Sleeper plus 5 regular. In a 45 seater Volvo, all seats are regular.

KPN runs their B7Rs as 36 seaters, with the last row being reserved for the crew.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

There is also the option of having a retarder....

Retarder is a standard feature in 225hp model its not a option in other models.

BTW, are you planning for purchase of Buses or just checked prices!

[TheARUN]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

Retarder is a standard feature in 225hp model its not a option in other models.

BTW, are you planning for purchase of Buses or just checked prices!

I'm not seriously planning a purchase, its just a long-standing dream as of now

Here is a picture from outside the PRAKASH works. Its a structure frame on an ASHOK LEYLAND VIKING 210/222 and the one in front is the shell of another ASHOK LEYLAND VIKING 210/222

• PRAKSAH used to use angles for the structure, now they are using Box-sections
• The Co-driver berth, video partition etc are an integral part of the structure - I was thinking that they are add-ons

One thing I don't know/forgot to ask is whether they use aluminum sheets for the exterior or stell sheets?

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

I'm not seriously planning a purchase, its just a long-standing dream as of now

I wish you realise your dreams soon.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

Here is a picture from outside the PRAKASH works. Its a structure frame on an ASHOK LEYLAND VIKING 210/222 and the one in front is the shell of another ASHOK LEYLAND VIKING 210/222

I guess the "bony" one is a Sleeper - going by the high window space. The one in the front is surely a seater.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by binaiks

I guess the "bony" one is a Sleeper - going by the high window space. The one in the front is surely a seater.

Its sleeper only.
Note the reduced luggage compartment and a smll partition between upper and lower deck!
Also there is no rear boot compartment.