Team-BHP
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https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)
Quote:
Originally Posted by amitabhnanda
(Post 4934766)
Forgive the segue - but does anyone know we can push back against the recent introduction of the notorious ST [state transport] buses into the BEST fleet?
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There is no other option. With local trains not open for all, BEST fleet is woefully short for catering to the demand. That is why the ST buses are pressed into service. It is a temporary arrangement for a few months. They are helping to reduce crowd for sure.
BEST should look at renewing this fleet with electric buses. The savings on fuel will be huge. Those old Leyland double deck buses were so slow you could almost walk with them. Overnight charging can be handled at the depot. Over head rapid chargers can be installed at start and end points of the route.
This thread brings some really nice memories. Mumbai is really fortunate to still have the double decker buses. We used to have double decker buses in benguluru upto 1997. I used to love sitting in the first seat of the upper deck. It used to be race amongst the kids to get that coveted spot. The experience of passing through avenues with beautiful trees was breathtaking along with the best views in town. Sadly they removed the buses due to some issues There were some discussions around reviving double decker buses, sadly that was dropped due to lack of routes. Posting a picture (picked up from Google, copyright of the holder) of one of the double decker bus that uses to ply in bengaluru. Mods, pls remove if not appropriate
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cessna182
(Post 4934327)
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As someone who got his HMV license through BEST, I can vouch for this, the gear-lever placement is awkward (you have to raise your elbow to change gear), it vibrates a lot and they have placed the 1st besides the reverse(like Euro cars) and 3rd. So while learning you either stalled or went reverse(this has happened to a student in peak traffic).
Also the real reason to scrap these double-deckers is that they have come to their end of life cycle i.e. 15 years.(I checked on the RTO app most are 14 years old)
Quote:
Originally Posted by sandeepmohan
(Post 4935285)
BEST should look at renewing this fleet with electric buses. The savings on fuel will be huge. Those old Leyland double deck buses were so slow you could almost walk with them. Overnight charging can be handled at the depot. Over head rapid chargers can be installed at start and end points of the route.
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The double deckers were slow because they installed a slighty powerful (or same?) Hino engine(used in single deckers.)in them. A fellow student, whose dad drove the double deckers in BEST told me that they were literally a punishment to drive and couldn't climb flyovers or steep inclines when fully loaded.
They have recently introduced the Olectra-BYD Electric mini buses which have a range of 200kms and the Tata Starbus Hybrid electric buses. So I hope BEST introduces a hybrid if not fully electric double decker buses
The electric charging station at Dharavi Depot and buses in background
the doubledeckers also at Dharavi depot
Quote:
Originally Posted by amey910
(Post 4935773)
As someone who got his HMV license through BEST, I can vouch for this, the gear-lever placement is awkward (you have to raise your elbow to change gear), it vibrates a lot and they have placed the 1st besides the reverse(like Euro cars) and 3rd. So while learning you either stalled or went reverse(this has happened to a student in peak traffic).
The double deckers were slow because they installed a slighty powerful (or same?) Hino engine(used in single deckers.)in them. A fellow student, whose dad drove the double deckers in BEST told me that they were literally a punishment to drive and couldn't climb flyovers or steep inclines when fully loaded.
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This might be true for older buses. But the last lot of 50 buses introduced around 2009-2010 has 170 HP BS-3 engines (same as MUTP buses) which have sufficient power.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AkMar
(Post 4935925)
The electric charging station at Dharavi Depot and buses in background
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Considering a charging network does exist, they might as well go all electric. It is perfect for Mumbai's chock a block traffic conditions. Next to no emissions and quiet, comfortable travel for everyone.
Here are some pictures of battery electric buses from Wellington's public transport service. I believe they are from a Chinese manufacturer with the body built in New Zealand. They move off the line faster than any fossil fuel powered bus, tackle hilly terrain with ease and make next to no noise.
BEST Double Decker buses making a comeback in the form of EVs.
900 Electric Double Decker buses to ply on roads soon, as BEST approves the plan.
Link
This makes the child in me happy!
Instantly recollected the breezy memories of that front seat on the upper deck!
Cutting down to the current scenario, I hope BMC goes with the Volvo bus as shown in the image and does not turn up the those horrible chinese copies, Kinglong (remember those purple buses which turned fuel into noise and hardly moved?!). They were a huge failure and caused huge loss to BEST(not getting into who made money).
Quote:
Originally Posted by iamahunter
(Post 5245294)
Cutting down to the current scenario, I hope BMC goes with the Volvo bus as shown in the image and does not turn up the those horrible chinese copies, Kinglong (remember those purple buses which turned fuel into noise and hardly moved?!). They were a huge failure and caused huge loss to BEST(not getting into who made money).
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THey aren't getting Volvos. They are getting buses from Switch Mobility (A subsidiary of Ashok Leyland) and another supplier (unable to recollect the name - but its a new player)
Quote:
Originally Posted by CEF_Beasts
(Post 5245287)
BEST Double Decker buses making a comeback in the form of EVs.
900 Electric Double Decker buses to ply on roads soon, as BEST approves the plan. Attachment 2265719 Link
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I'm quite sure this is a sham, as utopian as Vilasrao Deshmukh's plans circa 2006 to
convert Mumbai into Shanghai, and we know how those plans went :-)
London itself has an overwhelming majority as diesel Volvo buses (and of much higher power than what we need), and is just now starting to slowly go EV. I seriously doubt if we can afford those kind of Volvo DD EVs buses of that many number.
Besides, the London buses are ultra low floor buses. With Mumbai's (any Indian city for that matter) crappy roads and not to mention the annual flooding ritual in Mumbai, where are they going to run ultra low floor buses?
Even the Blore SD Volvos, are lifted (power lift) to ply on Blore roads. I'm not sure if DDs will have lift capability.
I'll be happy if they can bring back the zillions of Ashok Leyland non-AC DD buses!
See:
https://electrek.co/2021/09/20/londo...sions-by-2034/
This is dated Sep 2021. So looks like London itself is just
starting to procure EV DDs. Might be very few till now. The whole battery technology is in a state of churn, I doubt if
serious transit authorities (like London) will go full fledged into it. They'll take it slow I'd think, else it may be a wasted investment.
It would be stupid for BEST to buy 700 or 900 DD AC EV buses. Just go normal Ashok Leyland non-AC diesel buses, that'll save tons of money and be very useful too.
Can go for 70-100 EV SD buses just to be involved in the revolution, that'd make more sense.
Besides, this
wet lease business hasn't fared well in earlier experiments of BEST in the last 15 years, if i recall right.
The first of the all new AC Electric double decker BEST buses en route to Mumbai. These buses are manufactured by Ashok Leyland.
Rumors are they will be unveiled tomorrow at Backbay Depot, Colada.
More details to follow.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RM Motorsports
(Post 5381621)
The first of the all new AC Electric double decker BEST buses en route to Mumbai. These buses are manufactured by Ashok Leyland.
Rumors are they will be unveiled tomorrow at Backbay Depot, Colada.
More details to follow.
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And they are going to be allowed to have black glasses like these? Or there is some sort of tint added to hide the interiors till the unveil? That black looks quite permanent to me for now.
One thing for sure - I'm glad that the bus is not horribly rounded one like the current latest spec London buses. Has a more angular, cuboid shape. Thank god. (Looks more like the Arriva rather than the New RouteMaster.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by RM Motorsports
(Post 5381621)
The first of the all new AC Electric double decker BEST buses en route to Mumbai. These buses are manufactured by Ashok Leyland.
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I hope the height is not a problem, the sign board and the bus’ height look eerily close to each other, unless of course it’s the camera angle.
Any idea from where are they coming ? Pune ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reinhard
(Post 5381956)
And they are going to be allowed to have black glasses like these? Or there is some sort of tint added to hide the interiors till the unveil? That black looks quite permanent to me for now.
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Possibly a black film on the inside ? Even A/C buses have mild tint. There is no reason for a full dark tint, that too for city buses.
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