[motorhead123]

Originally Posted by RGK

This is the first time I have seen a thorough review of TNSTC in tbhp. I'm grateful for that.

Here are some thoughts I have about TNSTC services.

1. In the 1980s, TN had the best public transportation system and serviced every part of the state with high quality buses. the only state in India has buses running directly from each of its Taluk Headquarters to Chennai. Each bus corporation sought to outperform the others in terms of quality and customer service. Unfortunately, that isn't the case right now (All bus corporations running in loss today). In general, the branch manager of the specific depot's interest determines how neatly the bus is kept.

Bro,

In total agreement with your points and thanks for taking me back to my childhood.

I am a 70s child and I grew up in a place alongside the highway NH-68 (Salem-Ulundurpet highway). Our house located exactly at the intersection of Salem and Kallakurichi districts. This was a district road back then, then became state highway and now a national highway. Back in those days, there was a serious competition for quality and timely arrivals between ATC-Anna Transport Corporation (Salem) and TPTC-Thanthai Periyar Transport Corporation (Villupuram). While Anna excelled in style and comfort, Periyar excelled in on-time departures and arrivals. Periyar provided non-stop services to many cities like Chennai, Salem, Erode etc. Those were the golden days of public transportation. I think the quality deteriorated after merging of corporations and leaders name removed from them. Periyar, Anna, Cholan, Dheeran, Jeeva etc. are some iconic names in the history of TN.

[asmr]

Originally Posted by motorhead123

Bro,

In total agreement with your points and thanks for taking me back to my childhood.

I am a 70s child and I grew up in a place alongside the highway NH-68 (Salem-Ulundurpet highway)... Periyar, Anna, Cholan, Dheeran, Jeeva etc. are some iconic names in the history of TN.

Early 80s kid here... and I can completely resonate with motorhead123's post. We used to live in North Arcot district, with almost monthly rides on PATC (Pattukottai Azhagiri Transport corporation) buses or the erstwhile Thiruvalluvar TC buses (which went through a few renamings and then settled in State Express TC, SETC) to Chennai.

At school, we used to have mock fights between friends from other districts on which TC buses were better, faster & even the types of buses, since almost all were Ashok Leyland machines but each TC had its unique color scheme, seating setup etc. It might be interesting to note that very few of TN buses at that time were TATA machines. I remember remarking to my father about this who said TATA buses were more common in neighboring AP (at that time I had seen them only in Tirupathi routes).

Trips to Coimbatore and surrounding areas meant travel in "swanky designer" private buses and of course, the buses from Cheran TC. College allowed for travel in Chozhan, Dheeran Chinnamalai, Pandiyan TCs. We used to wait for certain buses just to travel in them! And I tell you, the government run long distance (Tiruchi-Chennai ones esp.) used to be very well maintained, even better than SETC ones. I have seen driver/conductor duos that take care of the bus like it was their own!

And who could forget the Pallavan TC buses that served as the first indication for us that we had reached the outskirts of Madras! The unique color scheme of greens then got changed to a mix of maroonish brown and beige (I used to like that combo better) before and has gone through several iterations before ending up with the variety we have now. They even had double deckers for a while!

[WasherNut0402]

Thanks for such a post! Pl keep them coming.
Would love to see such content since shared mobility is a major contributor for commute in the future!!

[Narendranath]

Originally Posted by vshankarhere

Vanakkam RRA_Blogger! Nice to see a review of our namma ooru vandi which we normally do not even look at twice. While it has been some time since I had travelled in a bus, bus and train journeys have their own charm which you have narrated well. Hoping to see more of these.

Meanwhile, I can see a lot of abbreviations which you have used, like CRC, BBU, DCTC etc. Would like to get the expanded words for these for better understanding of less informed readers like me.

Thanks!

Romba vanakkam RRA_Blogger,your attention to detail is stupendous.Your enthusiasm for buses and trains is sure to rub off on many of us.It would be delightful to have you describe in minute detail the kinds of public transport in Eindhoven as well.

[RRA_Blogger]

Originally Posted by motorhead123

Bro,

In total agreement with your points and thanks for taking me back to my childhood.

I am a 70s child and I grew up in a place alongside the highway NH-68 (Salem-Ulundurpet highway). Our house located exactly at the intersection of Salem and Kallakurichi districts. This was a district road back then, then became state highway and now a national highway. Back in those days, there was a serious competition for quality and timely arrivals between ATC-Anna Transport Corporation (Salem) and TPTC-Thanthai Periyar Transport Corporation (Villupuram). While Anna excelled in style and comfort, Periyar excelled in on-time departures and arrivals. Periyar provided non-stop services to many cities like Chennai, Salem, Erode etc. Those were the golden days of public transportation. I think the quality deteriorated after merging of corporations and leaders name removed from them. Periyar, Anna, Cholan, Dheeran, Jeeva etc. are some iconic names in the history of TN.

Originally Posted by asmr

Early 80s kid here... and I can completely resonate with motorhead123's post. We used to live in North Arcot district, with almost monthly rides on PATC (Pattukottai Azhagiri Transport corporation) buses or the erstwhile Thiruvalluvar TC buses (which went through a few renamings and then settled in State Express TC, SETC) to Chennai.

At school, we used to have mock fights between friends from other districts on which TC buses were better, faster & even the types of buses, since almost all were Ashok Leyland machines but each TC had its unique color scheme, seating setup etc. It might be interesting to note that very few of TN buses at that time were TATA machines. I remember remarking to my father about this who said TATA buses were more common in neighboring AP (at that time I had seen them only in Tirupathi routes).

Trips to Coimbatore and surrounding areas meant travel in "swanky designer" private buses and of course, the buses from Cheran TC. College allowed for travel in Chozhan, Dheeran Chinnamalai, Pandiyan TCs. We used to wait for certain buses just to travel in them! And I tell you, the government run long distance (Tiruchi-Chennai ones esp.) used to be very well maintained, even better than SETC ones. I have seen driver/conductor duos that take care of the bus like it was their own!

And who could forget the Pallavan TC buses that served as the first indication for us that we had reached the outskirts of Madras! The unique color scheme of greens then got changed to a mix of maroonish brown and beige (I used to like that combo better) before and has gone through several iterations before ending up with the variety we have now. They even had double deckers for a while!

A lot of valuable memories in here!

Originally Posted by WasherNut0402

Thanks for such a post! Pl keep them coming.
Would love to see such content since shared mobility is a major contributor for commute in the future!!

Sure thing, and thank you very much!

Originally Posted by Narendranath

Romba vanakkam RRA_Blogger,your attention to detail is stupendous.Your enthusiasm for buses and trains is sure to rub off on many of us.It would be delightful to have you describe in minute detail the kinds of public transport in Eindhoven as well.

Sure, Thanks! I'll try to make a separate thread on that someday and elucidate about it, when I gather sufficient knowledge.

Cheers,
Akshay Arvind.

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by RRA_Blogger

For instance, you would know that TTC, KTC (Kattabomman Transport Corporation - TN 72) (Ranithottam was a part of it while constructing for KeSRTC) have constructed fast passenger, super express buses for KeSRTC.

No I did not. My memory is that dad told me that KeSRTC body building was done entirely in house - and a few trials with outside agencies (eg Allwyn) did not end well as KeSRTC preferred a wood + steel construction which was not offered by others.
Let me ask him this.