[raj_5004]

thanks to all for helping me out with the purchase of the buses.

this is what we plan to purchase-
1) ashok leyland 4/89 chassis with radial tyres & air suspension as optional fitments - Rs. 11,50,000
2) bus body built by prakash in bangalore - approx Rs. 10,00,000
3) force traveller 17 seater - Rs. 8,00,000 approx
4) Interior & exterior customization - Rs. 1,50,000 approx

[Transsenger]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

thanks to all for helping me out with the purchase of the buses.

this is what we plan to purchase-
1) ashok leyland 4/89 chassis with radial tyres & air suspension as optional fitments - Rs. 11,50,000
2) bus body built by prakash in bangalore - approx Rs. 10,00,000
3) force traveller 17 seater - Rs. 8,00,000 approx
4) Interior & exterior customization - Rs. 1,50,000 approx

I believe its an Ashok Leyland Viking 222"wheelbase chassis fitted with Hino 114PS BS2 engine. Hope its not for the a/c bus! Because you will need an additional engine to support the a/c in this case.
You may also check "Veera Vahana, Bangalore" as they have better designs of the body style (front & rear). The built quality of both Prakash & Veera is good.

Are you going to convert the Traveller into an a/c version?

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by Transsenger

I believe its an Ashok Leyland Viking 222"wheelbase chassis fitted with Hino 114PS BS2 engine. Hope its not for the a/c bus! Because you will need an additional engine to support the a/c in this case.
You may also check "Veera Vahana, Bangalore" as they have better designs of the body style (front & rear). The built quality of both Prakash & Veera is good.

Are you going to convert the Traveller into an a/c version?

yes buddy, its the AL viking 222" chassis, whats your review on it?

No A/C for now as there seems to be no demand for AC buses in kerela, i heard people prefer ACs only in travellers. i am aware that ACs need additional engines & i will keep that in mind for future. i will want to have atleast one AC bus in our fleet!

i did notice the veera buses, looked very good to me. but the thing was, wherever i went, i got good opinions only about prakash. each & every person (the AL sales manager, AL godown staff, my own relatives, drivers in kerela, a tour operator owner in kerela), everybody advised me to go to prakash.

yes, the traveller would have a rebuilt interior & that includes an AC. any opinions on that? does it need an additional engine for the AC?

some pics from amsterdam....look athe bus grills esp the the one in white the 3rd from right so much indian isnt it....trams r really good there well maintained and good frequency

the conductor sits behind and collects tickets its a something very diff

[Transsenger]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

yes buddy, its the AL viking 222" chassis, whats your review on it?
No A/C for now as there seems to be no demand for AC buses in kerela, i heard people prefer ACs only in travellers. i am aware that ACs need additional engines & i will keep that in mind for future. i will want to have atleast one AC bus in our fleet!
i did notice the veera buses, looked very good to me. but the thing was, wherever i went, i got good opinions only about prakash. each & every person (the AL sales manager, AL godown staff, my own relatives, drivers in kerela, a tour operator owner in kerela), everybody advised me to go to prakash.yes, the traveller would have a rebuilt interior & that includes an AC. any opinions on that? does it need an additional engine for the AC?

In kerala??? So you are starting it here. whats your travels name? & where?

Well, (AL V222") is the most established model for tour operators in kerala. There are a few Eicher 20.15 and Tata 1512 in this segment here. FYI "Pavizham Travels" Kochi, did launch an tourist bus built on Tata1613 Supermilo chassis built by VEERA 7-8 months ago (not sure about its performance).
Veera is relatively new company when compared to Prakash, which is already the market leader in this segment in kerala. Try to get latest front end designs from prakash.
Hope you met the person from TVS not AL. Anyway please note, Veera is one of the OE suppiler to AL for its fullybuilt buses (eg. Lynx). Also Veera is developing new airport tarmac coach body for AL. The Jnnurm lowfloor AL buses for Cochin & trivandrum are also built by Veera.

Additional engine for a/c can be avoided if we go for a AL 12M or Tata 1618 etc. I believe Traveller also does not need any additional engine. And modified traveller is widely successful here.
Try to get the option to select the chassis from the ALRSO or TVS yard. Try to get the latest chassis.

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by Transsenger

In kerala??? So you are starting it here. whats your travels name? & where?

I am from allepey & office is in ernakulam. travels name would be 'Aishwarya Business Corp'.

Veera is relatively new company when compared to Prakash, which is already the market leader in this segment in kerala. Try to get latest front end designs from prakash.

yes, i would be going to bangalore to prakash's office & would select the best option.

Hope you met the person from TVS not AL.

yes, i met Mr. santosh in TVS.

Anyway please note, Veera is one of the OE suppiler to AL for its fullybuilt buses (eg. Lynx). Also Veera is developing new airport tarmac coach body for AL. The Jnnurm lowfloor AL buses for Cochin & trivandrum are also built by Veera.

Ok, so do you recommend veera over prakash?

Additional engine for a/c can be avoided if we go for a AL 12M or Tata 1618 etc.

sorry for my ignorance, but are you talking about the engine here or the chassis?

I believe Traveller also does not need any additional engine. And modified traveller is widely successful here.

good to hear that.

Try to get the option to select the chassis from the ALRSO or TVS yard. Try to get the latest chassis.

yes, we will visit the TVS yard & select the chassis ourselves.

[amit V8]

saw the WINNER by HM. it is big, it is good looking but it has a bad heart. the amby motor is fitted in and i don't think it is as good as the TATA 207 motor. but apart from the mechanicals the entire truck looks damn good.

no pictures, only this-

[14000rpm]

Originally Posted by santoshnair

some pics from amsterdam....look athe bus grills esp the the one in white the 3rd from right so much indian isnt it....

if not for your mention of amsterdam, I'd have thought this picture to be of a coimbatore bus stand. !! weird bus builder exist world wide eh

[undead]

I spotted this WINNER in Chennai - Krishnagiri Highways. It was bigger than Tata ACE . But it didnt have the HM logo on it that time and it was like a test vehicle.

[hanmust]

Spotted this MAN Trailer at NH-bye pass near Maradu Jn. I was parked in the stretch were the road tarring is being carried out. I guess it has transported the big tarring machine.

[deepclutch]

@hanmust: I almost daily see Few MAN Trucks(Tipper/Taurus?) carrying stone/soil to Ernakulam/coastal areas from Thodupuzha areas.I believe there is another brand "AMW" also does the service.
@raj_5004:the two Bus body builders I noticed here in Kerala is OJES Kothamangalam and Sisira,Kalady.

[greatmana2000]

Originally Posted by teamveevee

Apparently No body in Chennai knows about this service [Including the ones in Koyemmedu Busstand]. I enquired at least 3/4 agents for an A/c bus to Cochin, before boarding the Ashirwad's GreyHound.

The service is still there . Dont ask for cochin .. many dont know tat cochin and ernakulam are the same .. LOL

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by greatmana2000

The service is still there . Dont ask for cochin .. many dont know tat cochin and ernakulam are the same .. LOL

Following are the timings:
The bus leaves from EKM at 1630. Its at 1745 from Chennai.

The service is via CBE, Pondicherry. The end-to-end fare is Rs. 950. They operate a B7R (With 9400 body) with Semi-Sleeper seats.

About Cochin and Ernakulam - once, a lady at a bank counter shouted at me for writing Cochin instead of Ernakulam in a DD request form - the reason she shouted was that "Ernakulam was 100kms away from Cochin".

[hanmust]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

@hanmust: I almost daily see Few MAN Trucks(Tipper/Taurus?) carrying stone/soil to Ernakulam/coastal areas from Thodupuzha areas.I believe there is another brand "AMW" also does the service.
.

Ya, I too have seen quite a few on my last trip, but could snap only that trailer.

Ya, AMW - Asia Motor Work - is being in the market for atleast 3 years & it was in Kerala mcuh before the MAN. AMW is manufactured from Gujarat. You can also see AMW trailers on Cochin Roads!

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

@raj_5004 - I consider build quality over looks for heavy vehicles. (not that looks are not important) Did you consider Sundaram Industries, Madurai for the body work?

This is NOT a recommendation - just consider them. IMHO kerala body buiders' build quality is very poor.

Edit - I am not saying Prakash is poor in quality.