[sdp1975]

What's the BMTC fare structure for children ? Is there a cutoff age for full/half fare ?

[MadiMaama]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle6960868.ece

A very welcome move by BMTC. Today, i happened to see the new color scheme with the Samartha buses. These are the BIG10 buses I guess

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by MadiMaama

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle6960868.ece

A very welcome move by BMTC. Today, i happened to see the new color scheme with the Samartha buses. These are the BIG10 buses I guess

Nope. Erstwhile Big10 becomes "Nere Sarige" now. Samartha is the new name for the BS-IV buses that BMTC had added to their fleet over the past 4 years or so. The buses older than that would become Suvarnas.

[ashwin.terminat]

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/15042...trike-april-30

Looks like buses and autos will be off the roads on April 30th protesting against the proposed Road Transport and Safety Bill.

Will this apply to BMTC as well?

[MadiMaama]

Just thought I'd share this experience.
Yesterday, I boarded 222A bus at Kengeri Satellite Town to Majestic (KA 01 FA 256) attached to ddepot 12. The bus started experiencing clutch issues near the Gali Anjaneya temple. Though the problem was big and movement very slow, the crew managed to drop us at Majestic bus station without transferring us to another bus. Hats off to the crew of the bus.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by ashwin.terminat

Looks like buses and autos will be off the roads on April 30th protesting against the proposed Road Transport and Safety Bill.
Will this apply to BMTC as well?

Off course yes !! Don't expect BMTC to ply on April 30th (Thursday). Public transport in KL also would be effected. They want some schedule in existing MV Act to be retained (in the new RTS Bill as well). Need to figure out what it is all about.

But one thing; two southern states KA and KL have joined arms and demanded the state's right to levy taxes have to be retained. Yet to hear the stand of TN, TS & AP.

News media in KL, has also started mentioning about "corportisation/privatisation" of many of the RTO tasks, retests before renewing DL, and hefty fines for traffic violation. While the first part is debatable, the second two points are actually good for the country. It brings in more road discipline. But looks like KL does not want it.

[sbalagru6]

Not sure whether this was posted here before somewhere.. I couldn't find it.
BMTC introduced country's first electric bus

http://www.newindianexpress.com/citi...cle2082039.ece

Anybody seen or traveled in it?!

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by sbalagru6

Not sure whether this was posted here before somewhere.. I couldn't find it.

Post #44 (Page 3) of this thread has the details

[prashanthyr]

BMTC has a fairly decent website which includes a Trip planner as well. I tried a quick search from home (JP Nagar) to KBS and it does work - not sure of all features, but I got the info one would need - route number, distance, fare. Good start from BMTC.

https://www.mybmtc.com

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by prashanthyr

BMTC has a fairly decent website which includes a Trip planner as well. I tried a quick search from home (JP Nagar) to KBS and it does work - not sure of all features, but I got the info one would need - route number, distance, fare. Good start from BMTC.

It has a mobile version as well, found to be working pretty okay as well. I am using BMTC for regular commute for the past one and a half months. Had used this web site to figure out the bus routes which crosses my daily commute path. It even gives an approximate time taken from bus starting point to the stop I checked for. Then some simple excel sheet work, to calculate the approximate time at which a bus may land up at the bus stop.

In my commute path, most of the buses are the new Leyland buses (blue coloured). Most of them now have the electronic route display system, which even gives the "Next stop" information. Any idea on how that system works? Is it GPS based? I don't know how the situation is on other big cities. At least in Kerala, I have not seen buses with the "Next stop" information etc. displayed. Some private buses (and the JNURRM low-floor buses) seems to have started with electronic display boards.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

It has a mobile version as well, found to be working pretty okay as well

The trip planner is based on a standard package used by many Public Transport entities. My experience with the trip planner hasn't gone too well, but I agree that it works on some routes.

Most of them now have the electronic route display system, which even gives the "Next stop" information. Any idea on how that system works? Is it GPS based?

Yes, it's GPS based. And it's a boon for anyone boarding the bus. Such bus-stop/station announcement systems based on GPS were/are hot favourites for academic projects in Engineering colleges.

Some private buses (and the JNURRM low-floor buses) seems to have started with electronic display boards.

JnNURM scheme mandates conformance to UBS-2 specs, which includes electronic display boards. However, I'm a fan of the plane old painted/stickered/static display boards. Those scrolling LED destination boards are a PITA for those not familiar with a place - by the time the location you need scrolls on the display, the bus has already started off from the bus stop. IMO, such scrolling LED displays simply add to the cost, without having any particular benefit to the passengers or the bus operator, except the novelty factor.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by silversteed

IMO, such scrolling LED displays simply add to the cost, without having any particular benefit to the passengers or the bus operator, except the novelty factor.

I beg to disagree . The LED boards have the route number displayed permanently. It is the bus stops etc. which kind of scroll around. I agree that it makes reading a bit tough. But what is the other option? The bus operator can work the easy way out, put up the route information also permanently - but only in the local language*. There would not be space left to show the same information in multiple languages. LED display allows showing the route information in multiple languages. Also LED displays are far more easier to read from a distance, or during night.

* preference for local language, with a reason that many people who board the buses are locals. For the other folks, they would say there is a route number.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

I beg to disagree . The LED boards have the route number displayed permanently. It is the bus stops etc. which kind of scroll around. I agree that it makes reading a bit tough. But what is the other option? The bus operator can work the easy way out, put up the route information also permanently - but only in the local language*. There would not be space left to show the same information in multiple languages. LED display allows showing the route information in multiple languages. Also LED displays are far more easier to read from a distance, or during night.

* preference for local language, with a reason that many people who board the buses are locals. For the other folks, they would say there is a route number.

If you see the erstwhile BTS buses (black board and red board buses), the display boards had the source and destination names written in English and Kannada. This was very much adequate as outsiders could read English and the locals who did not know English could read the names in Kannada.
The LED boards make reading difficult during day time . Change is always welcome but i would stick to the former.

[Prash22]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Those scrolling LED destination boards

Originally Posted by sachinpk

I beg to disagree . The LED boards have the route number displayed permanently.

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

If you see the erstwhile BTS buses (black board and red board buses), the display boards had the source and destination names written in English and Kannada.

In the good old days the bus stops had a large board detailing the bus number along with the route of each of the buses which was convenient to the commuters. I think Majestic still has it but bus stops dont have it any more.
A centrally managed LED display boards in bus stops which is solar powered might be useful.

[girishglg]

Seems like BMTC is on yet another spree of expanding its fleet of buses. However its is not clear as to what type of buses would be purchased and if new Volvo (type air conditioned) buses would be in this purchase list.

That said the current fleet seems to be ageing fast mainly the Volvos with no new additions for quite a while now.

BMTC seeks 3,500 new buses

“According to our assessment, the demand for buses is high from the south and east areas of the City. The new buses will mainly cater to these two regions, though the north and west will not be ignored. The general feeling is that the demand for buses in Bengaluru is fractured - some regions want more compared to others. We have placed a request for new buses taking into account the population growth over the next two years and the need to weed out old buses. We are waiting for the State government’s response,” B C Renukeshwar, Chief Traffic Manager (Operations) told Deccan Herald.

Source - courtesy Deccan Herald

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/...500-buses.html