[TKMCE]

Originally Posted by aroonanand

. Mumbai and Trivandrum are the only other cities where I think double deckers are plying today.

There is also ONE bus plying in the outskirts of Kochi between Vytilla and Angamali via Aluva Byepass. With the buses on this route increasing by leaps and bounds recently, the bus is very unlikely to be profitable. Even the novelty value has worn off and after a couple of rides my little kid also had enough of it and complains very vocally about its speed (or lack of it!)

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by aroonanand

In Bangalore, the Outer Ring Road which acts as an important link road to the airport and residential clusters, you cant ply double deckers due to the underpasses. Similarly, on highways, you have poorly planned railway crosses where you have a steel mast which will restrict the height of vehicles.. Also, most city roads in India are so badly designed that it will be an effort to manage these buses on sharp corners. Finally, if these are driven the way normal public transport buses are driven in India, then buses overturning will not be uncommon ! Chennai introduced double deckers in the mid-late 1990s and was not very successful. Mumbai and Trivandrum are the only other cities where I think double deckers are plying today.

Bangalore also has a lot of trees (which is a good thing no doubt), which makes it impossible for double deckers to ply most of the routes. If fact, its common for existing single deck buses to knock off a low branch every now and then.

[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by aroonanand

But in India, it is hard to find roads where these can ply easily... So many underpasses are designed poorly that a double decker cannot use this.. In Bangalore, the Outer Ring Road which acts as an important link road to the airport and residential clusters, you cant ply double deckers due to the underpasses. Similarly, on highways, you have poorly planned railway crosses where you have a steel mast which will restrict the height of vehicles...

I think double deckers are the next logical step in Indian bus industry. With the introduction of low floor, rear engined double deckers in developed countries, the height is not that much more than a regular coach. I have not seen a Volvo low floor double decker, but seen ones made by VanHaul and Neoplan. In city roads, i think the double deckers are better choice than 14M buses. The problem with the double deckers (and for that matter 14 m ones), there wiill not be full capacity passengers all the time, it may be full during rush hours, but other times, such large capacity is unnecessary. So on a cost-basis, for any RTC, buying 2 buses in place of a double decker will be more viable as they could reduce the frequency during off peak hours.

[girishglg]

Came across this news which ridiculously says that there are enough Volvos available at BMTC's disposal.

On the contrary if one sees practically on road, the Volvo fleet is ageing fast and many are very old and in bad shape to operate without breakdowns.

Second the Tata Marcopolo buses have been scrapped which were providing air conditioned travel option albeit in a small way and have not been replaced with any other option

Third is that the only other running air conditioned service is the Corona range of buses which are woefully short and not as popular.

Wonder if we would just see the Volvos fade away into oblivion as other bus types (read double deckers) in the future

Officials say BMTC has an excess of buses. According to them, there are enough Volvo buses to last another two years without having to add more vehicles.

Source courtesy - The Hindu

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle7878387.ece

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by girishglg

Came across this news which ridiculously says that there are enough Volvos available at BMTC's disposal.

On the contrary if one sees practically on road, the Volvo fleet is ageing fast and many are very old and in bad shape to operate without breakdowns.

Second the Tata Marcopolo buses have been scrapped which were providing air conditioned travel option albeit in a small way and have not been replaced with any other option

Third is that the only other running air conditioned service is the Corona range of buses which are woefully short and not as popular.

Wonder if we would just see the Volvos fade away into oblivion as other bus types (read double deckers) in the future

Very true. I see atleast two Volvos break down on the road every day. Earlier the airport ones were in good shape - now they too have breakdowns left right and centre.

Coronas are way better than what Marcopolos were. On the Bannerghatta road route (V-365) they replaced most of the Volvos with Coronas - and thankfully they don't break down as often as Volvos do.

If BMTC doesn't get new AC buses (Volvo/UD or the new Scania Citywide), AC services will surely fade into oblivion.