[fx45]

The main objective of the Starbus low floor never was achieved. as the ramp which is supposed to be coming out to occouply wheelchair passengers cannot be placed properly on the road as the road surface is uneven and the height is different everywhere.

[Mpower]

Does BEST still operate double decker buses.

Originally Posted by fx45

The main objective of the Starbus low floor never was achieved. as the ramp which is supposed to be coming out to occouply wheelchair passengers cannot be placed properly on the road as the road surface is uneven and the height is different everywhere.

How about the normal public. Low floor is really easy to get in and out especially the old people and children.

Originally Posted by Trapezio

Even if they do not launch it in India, it does not make it any less their product. It is still their product in the same way as i10 is Hyundai India's product.

MESL (Mahindra Engineering services) is a company like TCS and Satyam that does CAD work for overseas clients like John Deere etc. M&M automobile division did not participate in the design.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Mpower

Does BEST still operate double decker buses.

BEST has decided to operate 200 double-deckers, despite their views that they are fuel-guzzlers - more as a heritage to the old Bombay. The new double-deckers are BS3.

[AkMar]

Originally Posted by Mpower

Does BEST still operate double decker buses..

Yes. They have around 150-175 buses in their fleet. The newer ones bought in the last two to three months are BS-3 buses. I have attached some pics of the new buses.

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

BEST has decided to operate 200 double-deckers, despite their views that they are fuel-guzzlers - more as a heritage to the old Bombay. The new double-deckers are BS3.

Originally Posted by AkMar

Yes. They have around 150-175 buses in their fleet. The newer ones bought in the last two to three months are BS-3 buses. I have attached some pics of the new buses.

Sweet! Thanks for the great pics. I think the double deckers are a great idea when it comes to cramming a lot of people with a small footprint. It may guzzle fuel but it also carries more people. If Jumbo Jets make sense, then why not Jumbo Buses?

I would love to see one of these in Bangalore except for the too many low hanging tree branches.

[Glifford]

Originally Posted by Mpower

I would love to see one of these in Bangalore except for the too many low hanging tree branches.

Bangalore does have its version of double deckers. Ok ok 1.5x deckers maybe

Dark blue/violet colour buses that have an open upper deck. Run by KSRTC/BMTC, some even do numbered routes. I am not sure what they are 'coz I can't read Kannada (yet, donno when I will learn).

Actually there were these red tourist buses that used to do rounds of Yelahanka air strip during the last air show here. They too were open top.

I am sure it must be fun to sit on top. Bangalore is not to hot and sunny anyway, most times of the year. Yes, but I did hear that branches can be scary on the upper deck in this Garden city!

[condor]

Hard to think of BEST and not think of the double-deckers. Good that BEST has got new ones.

Mpower : I would love to see one of these in Bangalore except for the too many low hanging tree branches.
Glifford : Bangalore does have its version of double deckers. Ok ok 1.5x deckers maybe

Bangalore used to have double-deckers, but mostly the tractor-trailer type. BTS / BMTC has now switched to vestibule buses to help navigate under the numerous under-passes and also through the traffic we have here.

[AkMar]

Originally Posted by condor

Hard to think of BEST and not think of the double-deckers....

True. There was a huge public outcry when BEST decided to scrap the double deckers. This forced them to change their minds. Since then, nearly 140-150 new buses bave been purchased, 50 of them BS-3, and the rest BS-2.

[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by Glifford

Bangalore does have its version of double deckers. Ok ok 1.5x deckers maybe

Dark blue/violet colour buses that have an open upper deck. Run by KSRTC/BMTC, some even do numbered routes. I am not sure what they are 'coz I can't read Kannada (yet, donno when I will learn).

Actually there were these red tourist buses that used to do rounds of Yelahanka air strip during the last air show here. They too were open top.

I am sure it must be fun to sit on top. Bangalore is not to hot and sunny anyway, most times of the year. Yes, but I did hear that branches can be scary on the upper deck in this Garden city!

I think these buses are used by a tour operator for city tour. forgot their name

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by Glifford

Bangalore does have its version of double deckers. Ok ok 1.5x deckers maybe

Dark blue/violet colour buses that have an open upper deck. Run by KSRTC/BMTC, some even do numbered routes. I am not sure what they are 'coz I can't read Kannada (yet, donno when I will learn).

Are you talking about those buses with seats on its 'roof'? The bottom portion is empty and is fully covered. If that is one you are referring to, then it is called "Kaveri" by BMTC. It does "Bangalore Darshan" rounds. Although I've seen them many times, never been able to catch them while I had a camera

@Glifford, Learning to read kannada is pretty easy. I came to Bangalore only in May, and I am not a kannadiga. Thanks to BMTC, I had to learn, how to read the language, first! Now, I can confidently read the destination boards and jump into the bus ;-)

[binaiks]

Is Eicher still manufacturing buses? Their 20.15 chassis is used by BMTC for city operations. However, the last lot of these were brought in 2007.

Those buses are smooth and the Vibration level is far lesser than TATA. The performance also was good...

Here is a pic of its "Dashboard"

[raj_5004]

hey, why are the dials blacked out? or is it the photo angle?

[fx45]

would love to see these BMTC Eicher buses full pictures. SOmething different and rare in Mumbai.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

hey, why are the dials blacked out? or is it the photo angle?

It is the photo angle. I took it late in the evening, and there were bad reflections. Will try to get clearer images next time :-)

Originally Posted by fx45

would love to see these BMTC Eicher buses full pictures. SOmething different and rare in Mumbai.

The exteriors of this bus is like any other BMTC bus (parisara vahini)... The engine 'compartment' is a bit lower than Leylands... two pictures attached below...

[dkamath]

Nice pics of the interiors, binaiks!
If i'm not mistaken, the pedals look like they are of the suspended type (unlike the ones that pop out from the floor like in Tata and AL), which is a nice thing to do.