[amtak]

Lovely work there Salil! May be "New Haven" can be changed to "Mantralaya".

[TaurusAl]

LED indicators on BEST buses are not working

MUMBAI: Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) committee members complained that the LED indicators on the buses are not functioning, thus causing trouble to the commuters, who find it difficult to to spot the bus route numbers.

Full Story Here - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/17655628.cms

[Omtoatom]

Originally Posted by TaurusAl

LED indicators on BEST buses are not working

MUMBAI: Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) committee members complained that the LED indicators on the buses are not functioning, thus causing trouble to the commuters, who find it difficult to to spot the bus route numbers.

Full Story Here - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/17655628.cms

Sorry state of affairs, I'd say. Interesting statistic: out of the 1,054 buses that the LED indicators are installed on, on 675 of those have gone kaput. That is more than 60% - staggering!! Possible reason: buses being washed with water wreaking havoc with the electronics!

Due to their non-functioning, citizens whose daily lives depend on these BEST buses obviously have hard time picking the bus routes!

And here I was wondering if BEST was up to some cost cutting turning these off at night!

[TaurusAl]

BEST cancels 4 loss-making bus routes

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has decided to cancel four air-conditioned bus routes from March 1 after an ongoing audit in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai showed they were running into losses.

The four routes to be ceased are: A-76 (Gorai depot to Colaba depot), AS-440 (Wadala depot to Borivli station east), AS-512 (Mulund check naka to APMC Vashi Sector 19) and AS-551 (Marol depot to Vashi bus station). The routes were started in 2009 or 2010.

Statistics evidenced that the BEST was losing an average of Rs 8.4 lakh a month on the A-76 route; Rs 27.8 lakh on route AS-440; Rs 15.6 lakh on route AS-512; and Rs 22.7 lakh on route AS-551. "All four routes did not get a good response. We are therefore cancelling them, but informing commuters in advance," said BEST PRO Virendra Bagul.


http://m.timesofindia.com/city/mumba...w/18325904.cms


What on earth is this ? I wonder who is the advisor for the BEST giving such an advice. If they run in loss due to low demand, why not only run busses in peak hours ? I have never seen a bus like AS 440 running empty during the peak hour. When I was hoping BEST would improve routes and frequency of AC busses, they seem to be taking entirely a different route.

[amtak]

Originally Posted by TaurusAl

What on earth is this ? I wonder who is the advisor for the BEST giving such an advice. If they run in loss due to low demand, why not only run busses in peak hours ? I have never seen a bus like AS 440 running empty during the peak hour. When I was hoping BEST would improve routes and frequency of AC busses, they seem to be taking entirely a different route.

I read in last week's Loksatta that BEST is plannin to cancel all the AC routes in the coming years as the maintenance cost of the AC buses are high. They will scrap all the Kinglong/Cerita buses that they have in their fleet as they grow old.

Someone should introduce them to BMTC please. BMTC is adding Volvo's and these guys want to cancel the routes + Buses.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by amtak

Someone should introduce them to BMTC please. BMTC is adding Volvo's and these guys want to cancel the routes + Buses.

According to the latest news report, BMTC has 566 Volvo city buses, and are planning to order another 150 of them!

In addition to the 566 Volvo buses, BMTC also has about 25 Corona BSIV City bus and about 96 TATA Marcopolo AC buses.

[TaurusAl]

Some expected reactions -

Mumbai commuters fume as BEST limits AC bus route services -

MUMBAI: The BEST's decision to curtail the services of nine AC bus routes across Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai has upset commuters. "A few of the routes were really good.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/18783843.cms


The changed AC bus routes

Bus route..... Old route

AS 2 -- Backbay depot to Dahisar ........Nehru planetarium to Mira Road

AS-70 ..Mira Road to Nehru Planetarium...Mira Road to Mantralaya

AS-302..Mahim to Cadbury, Thane....... Ghatkopar depot to Cadbury

AS-503.. Wadala to Kalamboli..........Wadala to CBD Belapur (afternoon)

AS-505 ..Santacruz to CBD Belapur ...Bandra to Vashi

AS-524 ..Borivli East to CBD Belapur..Borivli East to APMC Vashi sector 19

AS-525 ..Dindoshi to Mahape.........Dindoshi to Millenium business park

AS-592 ..Tardeo to Mahape ..........Will now run only during peak hours

AS-707 ..Santacruz to Bhayander ...Seven Bungalows to Bhayander

[carzone]

Originally Posted by TaurusAl

AS 2 -- Backbay depot to Dahisar ........Nehru planetarium to Mira Road

AS-70 ..Mira Road to Nehru Planetarium...Mira Road to Mantralaya

I stay in Mira Road and since its launch, A-70 EXP is till Nehru Planetarium. According to you, the new route is till Nehru Planetarium if I am getting you right.

Also, haven't yet seen the AS 2 yet in Mira Road. Maybe it isn't yet implemented!

Thanks for the info!

[Jignesh]

Hello All,

I believe most of you might be knowing this, but still there is a very good facility on Best website for Route number search:

http://www.bestundertaking.com/route.asp

Once can search for Bus numbers based on Area or get details of stopages of each Bus Route. The fares are also indicated for all types of buses.

In my opinion Best Bus is probably best public road travel sevice in India. Probably blue buses of Haryana Roadways are only once that can match the quality of service of Best Buses.

Having said that, I feel many conductors are very rude while dealing with travellers. I understand that they will be having problems of their own. but if the passenger is not treated well, entire purpose is gone.

Also the union is too strong & Best bus drivers literally do not fear breaking traffic rules. Recently I heard a Best driver openly challenging a passenger to note his badge number & file a complaint against him at bus depot.

Thanks,

[carzone]

Originally Posted by Jignesh

Having said that, I feel many conductors are very rude while dealing with travellers. I understand that they will be having problems of their own. but if the passenger is not treated well, entire purpose is gone.

Also the union is too strong & Best bus drivers literally do not fear breaking traffic rules. Recently I heard a Best driver openly challenging a passenger to note his badge number & file a complaint against him at bus depot.

Thanks,

yes, there are some those who think themselves as the owners of BEST.
Saying that, there are some who are very polite and always eager to help passengers. I travel regularly via BEST and find around 75% of conductors very polite.

Thanks for the BEST website though.

[ghodlur]

I normally travel by 492 starting from Waghbil, Thane till Hiranandani Gardens Powai. Mornings its great since I get a seat as it is the starting point but evenings its hell and have to go standing till Mulund toll naka or Teen haath naka, Thane.

My mails to the BEST for increasing the frequency of the bus from the presetn 25 min to 15 mins or introducing an Express service on the route has fallen to deaf ears. Got the response from BEST saying they dont have any plans of introducing any new services for beyond Mumbai area limits. Also BEST does not want to start any Point of Sale of Passes in Thane, one will have to go to Mulund depot to get a pass.

The regular drivers on the route are good drivers following most of the rules. but once in a while some young blood driver comes in and takes the passengers on a F1 ride braking rashly, accelerating suddently with no concern for the passengers who are thrown across and above one another.

[TaurusAl]

Originally Posted by carzone

I stay in Mira Road and since its launch, A-70 EXP is till Nehru Planetarium. According to you, the new route is till Nehru Planetarium if I am getting you right.

Also, haven't yet seen the AS 2 yet in Mira Road. Maybe it isn't yet implemented!

Thanks for the info!

I hope the info is correct. I got it from TOI. Have posted the original link where I got the info from. It will be better to cross check with the conductor or depot though.

Originally Posted by Jignesh

Recently I heard a Best driver openly challenging a passenger to note his badge number & file a complaint against him at bus depot.

Thanks,

You heard it right. Its been happening for more than a decade.

Even in case of a road accidents involving other vehicles and even if the BEST driver is at fault, the drivers have the same attitude.
"Note my number and do what you want".

[ariesonu]

I used to travel by A-76 and later by AS-440 from last two and half years and wonder which morons took decision to completely stop the latter route. They could have reduced the frequency but by completely stopping the service, it shows that BEST is not aware of the ground realities.
On other hand the road commissioner of Mumbai wants to levy fuel surcharge on cars to encourage people for using public transport. But Mr. R.C., we suggest you first get BEST to provide the so called PUBLIC TRANSPORT that you want us to use and then talk sense.

Raab rakha.

[Jignesh]

Hello Friends,

Below is the news in today's papers:

Man falls off BEST bus & dies: A 23-year-old man accidentally fell off a BEST bus and died on the way to hospital. Bus No 451 was ferrying passengers from Goregaon to Adarsh Nagar & the incident occurred at 1.55 pm, when the bus was crossing the Aarey check-post.

Full article here: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/18801690.cms

Most probably Best driver & conductor are not at fault here because the person was standing on the near the rear door (I do not know whether the bus was over-crowded or not).

I feel it is high time to have doors of Buses closed before the bus starts from stop (just like in A/c Buses). This is something that cannot be implemented in Mumbai trains, but Best buses can probably implement it, though with some resistence from passengers. This will be a huge leap in passenger safety & also keep thieves out, as they cannot get in & get out at their will.

Thanks,

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by Jignesh

I feel it is high time to have doors of Buses closed before the bus starts from stop (just like in A/c Buses). This is something that cannot be implemented in Mumbai trains, but Best buses can probably implement it, though with some resistence from passengers. This will be a huge leap in passenger safety & also keep thieves out, as they cannot get in & get out at their will.

Resistance is obvious when any new thing in brought. Bangalore's BMTC has pneumatic doors since quite a long time, and drivers keep the rear door closed between bus stops, and especially at traffic lights. In fact, the drivers are penalised for driving with open doors if the same is noticed by the concerned authorities. So its not really impossible to have doors kept closed in city buses.