Thanks for the contribution and great thoughts everyone. Very happy to see your insights coming through - much appreciated.
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Originally Posted by freak Both your options shortlisted are decent but people do prefer force don't get overwhelmed by 1000 seat configurations that is from marketing view point. |
In terms of make, manufacturer etc nothing beats Force, and I concur with your thoughts.
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Originally Posted by freak You have following companies -
SML
Eicher
Force
Tata
Mahindra |
Thanks so much for this 'freak'.
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Originally Posted by freak You also have non yellow colour, but in my opinion even if you have a non affiliated school you can use yellow bus for Pre Primary. |
I see. This was not my understanding - none of the dealers told me about this as yet. Let me check - as a matter of fact, there are no clear RTO guidelines on this case.
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Originally Posted by freak I think you pay higher for insurance per seat when it is yellow bus. |
But we pay about 535 per seat every three months for the contract carriage ones for the permit.
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Originally Posted by freak Call out for representatives from each companies to get more information and update on this thread. |
Shall do that duly sir. Just visited Poomkudy Force today. Headed to Tata / Mahindra - tomorrow. Might also have to look at Force for the Trax again.
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Originally Posted by benu9714 At our NGO we have vehicles to transport small children to and from hospitals in various cities. We had a Winger and a Maruti Eeco in our Kolkata centers. Both vehicles hardly ran 600 KM in a month, yet both were high on maintenance, especially the Winger - recurrent suspension problems, doors and windows, steering breakages etc. We were fed up. Finally, after the stipulated 7 years we have sold both vehicles and bought a Traveller 26 seater bus and a Force Trax. Hopefully they will serve us better. |
Thanks for this Benu. This is a pure case study for us. Shall keep this in mind - and anxiously looking forward to your update on the Force Trax
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Originally Posted by benu9714 Elsewhere in India Eicher and Ashok Leyland vehicles are doing well. |
I have seen many, but they are too boxy, some are really tall - nothing imbibes confidence. Especially for the number of seats I am looking at.
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Originally Posted by benu9714 I suggest you to avoid any van with sliding doors, say the Tata Winger, because what I have seen is that kids tend to insert their fingers in between the doors, and would get injured while closing the door, and hence parents dislike the Omni and the Winger for the same reason. |
True. The Eeco also comes with sliding doors, thank fully nothing has happened as yet except for one instance last year. (touchwood)
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Originally Posted by Aditya_Bhp The Traveller is an ideal pre school van, you may configure it as per your wish as well, and because it only has a single door in the front, instead of 2 or 3, it can be monitored by the staff also, and prevent children from opening it. |
Right, now the challenge would be to find the right package. 13 seater, 15 seater, 17 seater
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Originally Posted by Aditya_Bhp The traveller is the preferred mass transport vehicle by nearly everyone and I am sure it will be ideal for your pre school. |
Thanks for your suggestion Aditya, as a matter of fact it is a yes. But we are slotting another challenge for a operational cost for shorter trips with lesser number of kids as we typically have 4 trips a day - while one of the trips we just have about 3 kids in about 9 Km radius. This is one debate asking us to think for something smaller than or in less than 13 seat one.
That's another headache to be sorted. I always wanted to have the Eeco and another car as for short trips or may be with less number of kids - nothing beats its easy operability.
I shall keep updating on the progress of the pursuit.
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Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR Ah. So you have hit an empty space in the Indian market. I think police in Kerala insists on yellow colour for vehicles owned / operated by educational institutions. (That is, non- taxi). |
That's the biggest challenge here. Its the RTO who designs the guidelines - and walking into the RTO office most of them are clueless. The rules at the RTO near my school does need us to go for yellow coloured ones. Now need to check with Police guidelines.
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Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR Apart from the Traveller, is there a real choice in the Indian market? (Plonking a match box onto a ladder does not count). Especially if anybody taller than 4ft needs to stand?
Also, "seat configuration" does not alter length and breadth of the vehicle. So, you really don't have a choice outside of the Traveller. Other vehicles listed by freak above are, IMHO, either too small, or big or ugly. Even the traveller is a tad too big, but looks make up for it. |
How we wish we had cars like Hiace
The winger would have been ideal for my case - but the feedback from operators and just look at the maintenance issues people have posted in this thread itself.
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Originally Posted by blackasta Winger has sliding door and folding seats - places where even adults get into accidents.
So I would strongly advise against winger and anything that had sliding doors & folding seats.
Also , where would the attendant (if there is one) sit in a winger? front? then the rear sliding door is unmonitored. Rear by the sliding door? then obviously pres school kids have to sit in the front which is not advisable. |
Thanks for pointing this out, I shall keep this in mind while I check out winger tomorrow. Appreciate it.
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Originally Posted by comfortablynumb |
Yes. Never seen one in skin - looks good and might suit our purpose precisely. However the dealer here never had this and he was not keen on providing info - I might have to look at other force dealers to figure this out. I have seen a lot of Trax coming out on the road near Malapuram, Calicut area in Kerala - but no school van configured ones as yet.
Thanks for this.
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Originally Posted by freak Traveller also has 2 doors in the back, that can be used for emergency exit. They have option to add GPS module & CCTV club it up with a data sim and you get live feed. These are all safety add ons which are now pocket friendly. It does depend on what services vs fees are you providing. |
Yes, they have the mandatory - Speed Governor, FastTag, GPS of the showroom.
True the ROI would be totally around the Services and Fees - we may have to look at how the repayment of the loan would be funded.
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Originally Posted by silverado If you like EECO so much, why not go ahead and buy another.
It has AC, airbag and ABS now, the only extra cost for you would be that of extra driver for 2nd van.
But woudnt that save you lot of money upfront?
It will also give you lot of flexibility IMO and faster pickups for all kids. |
This has been there in my mind for sometime - operationally nothing beats this thought.
Operationally, its whatever the current cost X 2. And the fuel costs may not be right double as it would be a marginal increase.
Great one Silverado - might have to go back to the drawing boards and relook at the total search as such. But shall still pursue the research and gain more clarity on what is in the market.