[silversteed]

Originally Posted by audioholic

Are these non AC from factory or the AC was stripped out of the AC bus?

The RE Marcopolo non-AC buses in the BMTC were AC buses earlier. The workshops have done a good job by knocking out the AC and converting the fixed glasses to sliding ones.

I've seen non-AC RE Marcopolos with APSRTC Hyderabad

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by silversteed

The RE Marcopolo non-AC buses in the BMTC were AC buses earlier. The workshops have done a good job by knocking out the AC and converting the fixed glasses to sliding ones.

Are you serious? I was joking when I said that the non AC buses were modified buses. I did not know they were AC buses earlier. Thanks for the info. Since I had seen similar buses in mysore, ie Non AC MP I thought BMTC also brought a few of them. I wonder what great load the AC compressor will put on the bus. At the most 20hp? Does that 20HP load make the bus so sluggish? The marcopolo AC wasnt so chilling either.

[createrkid]

Originally Posted by audioholic

I wonder what great load the AC compressor will put on the bus. At the most 20hp? Does that 20HP load make the bus so sluggish? The marcopolo AC wasnt so chilling either.

Yeah, the Marcos just cools for the kicks of it!, might as well leave the door open
From my experience in traveling in Marcos, the compressor rarely kicks in, it just blows in the same outside warm air. Can you imagine traveling in one when the outside temperature itself is almost similar to temperature in the bus.

[condor]

MP is just the body. The engine is still a Tata - which has way less power compared to the Volvo's. Even Leyland RE buses havent been great.

[girishglg]

Lately have seen some Marcopolos running without belching smoke all over, seems like BMTC have tweaked the engines or something, but they still remain slow and unreliable as ever.

Coming to the Coronas wonder which chassis and powerplant is used by the coach builder. They seem to do a better job of running and in the reliability front though a bit noisy.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by audioholic

Are you serious? I was joking when I said that the non AC buses were modified buses. I did not know they were AC buses earlier. Thanks for the info. Since I had seen similar buses in mysore, ie Non AC MP I thought BMTC also brought a few of them. I wonder what great load the AC compressor will put on the bus. At the most 20hp? Does that 20HP load make the bus so sluggish? The marcopolo AC wasnt so chilling either.

Only the Rear-engined Marcopolo buses running in Bangalore were once AC buses, they were running as the Suvarna brand. More than the AC, I suspect the transmission/drivetrain for their pathetic performance (or lack of it).

KaSRTC Mysore has a few non-AC RE Marcopolo buses, AFAIK. Binaiks might have some photos and more information.

Originally Posted by condor

MP is just the body. The engine is still a Tata - which has way less power compared to the Volvo's. Even Leyland RE buses havent been great.

Technically, the engine is Cummins - a 5.9L BT series.

Originally Posted by girishglg

Coming to the Coronas wonder which chassis and powerplant is used by the coach builder. They seem to do a better job of running and in the reliability front though a bit noisy.

Corona is the bus maker. The model is called Skypak. It uses the same Cummins 160hp engine used in the TM buses. Corona claims to be using a monocoque body and independent suspension in the front.

[girishglg]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Corona is the bus maker. The model is called Skypak. It uses the same Cummins 160hp engine used in the TM buses. Corona claims to be using a monocoque body and independent suspension in the front.

Thats interesting to know that this is the same motor powering those Macropolo disasters. It does not look sluggish or unreliable at all in those Coronas.

In fact the engine note seemed like a AL motor than a Cummins one. Will try to hear it again closely next time though nowadays we cannot make out which is what unlike earlier days when a TML and AL vehicle note was distinct.

However it looks like after the initial batch of purchases the Coronas have not been re-ordered. Not sure if there is an issue there or just that BMTC is focussed only on the Volvos.

[audioholic]

If the drivers union of BMTC or KaSRTC wrote a suggestion letter to VOLVO, here is how it might be:

We, the members of the drivers union write this letter in appreciation of your product, which some of us have been thoroughly enjoying from the past few years. The buses are really what people call as beasts. The comfort too is so amazing that we can drive the bus with just one foot, with the other foot in squatting position. Not to forget the ability to read a newspaper and drink a cup of tea while in the middle of the traffic.

The pickup of the bus is really amazing. However, there is an associated problem. The roads are not clear ahead of us. The horns you provided dont seem to be adequate. We did add our own horns and lights, but that doesnt seem to work. Based on this, we request you to add a forklift in the front of the bus which will help us a lot. By this, we can either push two wheelers off the road amd if required carry the vehicle in front of us for some distance until they freak out and jump out of the car.

Regards,
BMTC DU

PS.: We guess you are getting complaints from our management regarding low mileage returned by the buses. Dont take them seriously. Please dont reduce performance to gain better FE. Else we will have to call a strike to demand better powered buses. Afterall, whatever you try to improve FE, we're the ones who floor the buses and ruin them. So keep such plans aside.

Just my thoughts which needs to be taken on a light note. Felt that was apt for the drivers who drive those buses like there's no tomorrow.

[girishglg]

Originally Posted by silversteed

And for your other query regarding Merc city buses - the BMTC (and many other STUs) were not happy with the performance of those buses, and did not place an order. Some knowledgeable commuters also shared the same feedback.

Talking about feedback wondering if the latest batch of new buses brought in by BMTC in the Big Trunk livery and the ones with light purple colour seems to be a tad shorter in length compared to the longer red buses launched over a year ago.

This makes one wonder if these were built off a different chassis as a result of feedback or because of manufacturer (read Tata vs AL) compared those red buses that have been battered on the roads especially at the rear due to difficulty to maneuver when faced with tight turning and small roads.

Latest batch of Big Trunk buses (pics courtsey internet)


Older batch of red buses (pics courtsey internet)

[v1kram]

Originally Posted by girishglg

Talking about feedback wondering if the latest batch of new buses brought in by BMTC in the Big Trunk livery and the ones with light purple colour seems to be a tad shorter in length compared to the longer red buses launched over a year ago.

This makes one wonder if these were built off a different chassis as a result of feedback or because of manufacturer (read Tata vs AL) compared those red buses that have been battered on the roads especially at the rear due to difficulty to maneuver when faced with tight turning and small roads.

The red buses (BS4, TATA) are of 12m length and the light purple color buses launched recently, pictured big trunk buses, etc (BS4, Leyland) are approximately 11m in length.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by girishglg

if the latest batch of new buses brought in by BMTC in the Big Trunk livery and the ones with light purple colour seems to be a tad shorter in length compared to the longer red buses launched over a year ago.

This makes one wonder if these were built off a different chassis as a result of feedback or because of manufacturer (read Tata vs AL) compared those red buses

The red buses are built on Tata Motors LPO1616c chassis, which is a 12m long while the Big Trunk buses are built on 10.8m long AL Viking SLF chassis.

[srishiva]

Over the weekend hopped into a BMTC bus and found that there were two cameras that were recording to a unit kept behind and above the driver. Not sure what they do with the footage and if most buses have these.

[girishglg]

Originally Posted by srishiva

Over the weekend hopped into a BMTC bus and found that there were two cameras that were recording to a unit kept behind and above the driver. Not sure what they do with the footage and if most buses have these.

Yes BMTC has introduced cameras in its buses for safety of passengers and as you pointed out it will be recorded for later check.

Read more from the Hindu report -

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle5584695.ece

To ensure safety to its passengers, the corporation had planned to install CCTV cameras in 500 buses. “So far, we have installed CCTV cameras in 387 buses and the project would be completed by January-end.

The footages from the CCTV cameras are stored in a digital video recorder (DVR) that can retain the recording for 15 days. Mr. Anand said that the BMTC has set up a watch committee to go through the footages when a complaint is received.

“The DVR is locked and no unauthorised opening in permitted. Only the depot manager is authorised to check the functioning of the recorder,” he added.

On another note BMTC has introduced smaller buses in the branding of Samparka Sarige -

Courtsey Hindu-

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle5572024.ece

[coolclouds]

BMTC launches India's first electric bus today.

BMTC goes greener by the introduction of an Electric Bus. It will be a trial run for 3 months, playing along several different routes in Bangalore. This may be followed by the introduction of a larger fleet of these environmentally clean, mass public transport vehicles. The logical next step towards tomorrow's transportation.

Features:
100% electric, zero emission vehicle
Environmentally friendly, non toxic and almost silent
Covers 250 km per 6 hour charge
In bus voice announcement system
CCTC cameras
LED destination display boards in both English and Kannada.


Source

[speed kills]

Here are a few pics from the Economic Times