[AkMar]

The elusive Ashok Leyland rear engine low floor bus of BEST. There is only one such bus. I do not know the technical details regarding this one.

[faustus77]

Originally Posted by AkMar

The elusive Ashok Leyland rear engine low floor bus of BEST. There is only one such bus. I do not know the technical details regarding this one.

AkMar
Hi
I have a recollection of seeing double decker buses with a rear engines, way back in 1960s or 1970s. Whether my memory is playing tricks I cannot be too sure. But I would definitely be inclined towards seeing it.
These were different from the automatic geared Leylands which were introduced in 1960s. Before the double deckers we had single deckers with automatic gear shifts.
Regards

[gomzi]

Originally Posted by the_flying_B

Mostly the B.E.S.T. conductors are well behaved. But occasionally, you will find some people who will be in a foul mood. Especially if in the early morning trips you present a conductor a 100 rupee note for a minimum fare ticket. That really riles them up. I've noticed this many times during my college trips.

Nice list! I never paid much attention to the numbering schemes when I was in college and taking B.E.S.T. buses from one end of Mumbai to another for college fests!

One trick that I did do to get change from conductors during my college days was to give them exact change for my ticket and then politely ask for change of Rs 100/- afterwards. It worked everytime! I'm not sure nowadays as the buses look much more crowded than they did earlier and the closest encounters I've had with them in the last 10 yrs is when some of them cut across my car towards the divider in the fast lanes

[Dieseltuned]

Originally Posted by gomzi

One trick that I did do to get change from conductors during my college days was to give them exact change for my ticket and then politely ask for change of Rs 100/- afterwards. It worked everytime!

Hi Gomzi,

This still works, Just did it last week

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by AkMar

The elusive Ashok Leyland rear engine low floor bus of BEST. There is only one such bus. I do not know the technical details regarding this one.

If what's written in the front, just below the windscreen and on the LHS, is to be believed, this is built on a Panther/RE-SLF BS-3 chassis - probably with a 160hp engine

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by faustus77

AkMar
...Before the double deckers we had single deckers with automatic gear shifts.
Regards

I clearly recall seeing BEST single-decker buses in Mumbai in 1980's that sounded like auto-transmission buses. The engine whine would increase to a point and automatically reduce, then again increase, then again reduce, etc. As if an up-shifting was happening automatically.

Also, I also remember seeing some single-decker BEST buses in the 1980's with a very short gear lever, hardly 3-4 inches long. Manual transmission, but ultra-short gear lever. And these buses were a bit differently built. The seats were on a raised platform. They were also differently painted in the exterior.

Those were the days when BEST bus maintenance was top-class!

Venkat

[vharihar]

I would like to purchase the deep sounding BEST bulb horn. Any idea where I can get it?

In 2006, I tried asking in the In-Coach factory in Vikhroli (I lived in Mumbai then). They had one but it wasnt as deep sounding.

I now live in Bangalore. Any idea how I can buy one? Any idea how much it would cost?

Thanks,
Venkat

[vharihar]

Nice video titled "On the Double for 75 Years", about Mumbai double-decker buses.

Link: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11...-75-years_auto

/Venkat

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by vharihar

Nice video titled "On the Double for 75 Years", about Mumbai double-decker buses.

Link: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11...-75-years_auto

/Venkat

There is one odd looking double decker bus (integrated cab, front exit, odd rounded/protruding rear).

Anyone has any more details about those buses?

[faustus77]

Originally Posted by vharihar

There is one odd looking double decker bus (integrated cab, front exit, odd rounded/protruding rear).

Anyone has any more details about those buses?

Varihar
Hi
This is the double decker bus with the rear engine that I have mentioned in my post 106 dated Jan the 19th
Regards

[TaurusAl]

I pass Andheri side in peak hours and it is really disheartening to see only 7-8 passengers in buses with routes called 'Metro Ferry'

Looks like another case of poor planning. Not only they are burning fuel for nothing but also increasing the traffic driving these monsters on already crowded streets.

[performance plumbing]

The new NMMT Buses that ply in Mumbai City on some routes look really high-quality cosmetically. I hope BEST buys such buses under teh JNNRUM II Scheme.

They've recently started procuring more support trucks from Tata, all are diesel and are BSIV.

[PPS]

Does anyone here have the email addresses of the higher ups at BEST?
I wonder if they even check their emails!
There is a terribly low frequency of buses at Malad Station & the buses or the drivers are not to be blamed for this , its all due to lots of traffic on Marve rd. There are only 3 buses on this route. 2 of them are mini-buses which barely fit enough people. Yesterday i reached Malad from Churchgate in less than 50mins by train. There was a km long line at the bus stop & the bus finally arrived after 45mins. Waiting in queue for 30mins has become a habit for me now. Earlier there used to be a 20min interval between buses, but its got worse now!
Finding an auto rickshaw is next to impossible at the station.

[Dieseltuned]

Originally Posted by PPS

Does anyone here have the email addresses of the higher ups at BEST?
I wonder if they even check their emails!
There is a terribly low frequency of buses at Malad Station & the buses or the drivers are not to be blamed for this , its all due to lots of traffic on Marve rd. There are only 3 buses on this route. 2 of them are mini-buses which barely fit enough people. Yesterday i reached Malad from Churchgate in less than 50mins by train. There was a km long line at the bus stop & the bus finally arrived after 45mins. Waiting in queue for 30mins has become a habit for me now. Earlier there used to be a 20min interval between buses, but its got worse now!
Finding an auto rickshaw is next to impossible at the station.

hi PPS,

There was one BEST Complain number...You can try this out :: 1800227550

Else, find out which depot these buses belong to, I am guessing they might belong to Malvani or Goregaon depots, (Depot names in acronyms are printed on the back of the buses) and try directly talking to the Depot managers

I have a feeling that the political hinderance is causing the BEST to loose many of its routes to the mafias who operate the "share - a - rick" thing.


The below link would give you the contact numbers of most of the Depots

http://www.bestundertaking.com/trans...ey_persons.asp

OR try the email addresses and phone numbers in the below link

http://www.bestundertaking.com/transport/contact.asp

Regards
Dieseltuned

[PPS]

Originally Posted by Dieseltuned

OR try the email addresses and phone numbers in the below link

Thanks. As soon as i posted i checked out their BEST site & have emailed them. I wonder if they even check their mails forget replying.
And today the same thing happened as soon as i reached the bus stop. There was half a km queue! Went to the main road & tried my luck in a private bus which dropped me close to my house in flat 15mins for the same amount of money!