[ramzsys]

Happened to travel in a battered TNSTC-Salem division airbus, from Salem to Bangalore. It is a bye-pass rider, seats full, so traveled in the cabin with all the heat. With the slightest incline, the bus seem to struggle. It took 4 hours, with a 20 minute break before Hosur.

I dont know where the extra money from the recent price hike of tickets go, but the conductor said that they are going to overhaul the diesel pump by themselves. Even the headlights were purchased at his own cost.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Happened to travel in a battered TNSTC-Salem division airbus, from Salem to Bangalore. It is a bye-pass rider, seats full, so traveled in the cabin with all the heat. With the slightest incline, the bus seem to struggle. It took 4 hours, with a 20 minute break before Hosur.

4 hours is quite a decent speed. They officially quote 4.5 hours for Salem to Bangalore.

[gold class]

New Multi Axle Services to kerala
Bharati restarts it TVM(Via-nagerkovil)service tomorrow by Volvo Multi Axle.
Viji Yatra starts the same route with B9R on friday.

Viji yatra to start Kotarakara -Bangalore Multi Axle and Trivandrum-Bangalore (Via Alleppy)from next month. The Trivandrum service will be MB Multi axle.

Also got information from sources that Neeta will be receiving the first I-Shift multi axle volvo followed by Sharma and National.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

One of the earliest "terminals" was actually a multi operator one set up at Jos Junction for buses handled by Ensign Agencies including those of Shama , Conti (when they were operating), Supaa etc. Very professional set up.

IF anybody is interested in history, the adjacent plot - the building housing some restaurant, "haji ali" (whatever that is), Vithayathil opticals, etc once upon a time, long long ago, used to be a bus stand for PSN's buses in those days when they used to operate in Ernakulam. The never operated anything except fargo buses in Ernakulam. They continued city operations .in Trichur long after stopping ernakulam operations.

Originally Posted by binaiks

Omni buses are not permitted on MG Road during day hours.

You mean the inter city / inter state operators, right? This is more because parking on MG road in these areas is not allowed nowadays. The KeSRTC and city buses do ply on MG road.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

It took 4 hours, with a 20 minute break before Hosur.
.

4 hours, that too with a 20 minute break is really amazing, going by the description of the bus! Which part of Bangalore did you get down?
The fastest I have traveled was in 3 hours 45 minutes, with 15 minute break at A2b near krishnagiri. this was in a KPN multi-axle volvo B9R.
A snap taken at A2b attached below. Note the reg number: 9919 as ashley had pointed out earlier!

[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

4 hours, that too with a 20 minute break is really amazing, going by the description of the bus! Which part of Bangalore did you get down?

I got down at Bommanahalli. It was sunday evening, the bus driver had a Smart card for the toll booths, and it was a bye-pass rider.

KPN travels, though late in its departures, reaches the destination at the right time(or even before).

A 10.30 departure B9R from Bangalore to Coimbatore, started at 11.45pm, but reached at 6.10 am.

10.15 pm departure AL12M, reached Bangalore by 5 am sharp. This with a 10 minute stop at Annur to load something.

The worst(or dreadful)travel till date is on a SRS travel AL12M from Pollachi to Bangalore via Tirupur. Bus was late by about an hour(10 pm) and it reached Kalasipalayam at 5.45 am. This including loading some cargo from Tiruppur.

(By Bangalore i mean Bommanahalli)

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by gold class

Bharati restarts it TVM(Via-nagerkovil)service tomorrow by Volvo Multi Axle.
Viji Yatra starts the same route with B9R on friday.

Any idea if Bharathi would be sending in new buses? Weren't their old Multis running for Sangita (on the Chennai Route)? I recently had checked their parking in Bangalore - it was just empty! They had just one B9R and one Multi-axle Merc lying around.

The Bangalore-Nagercoil-TVM route is now getting very crowded. SRM (1 B9R), KPN (3 B9R), Kallada (1 B9R currently, 1 Day service coming shortly), SRS (1 B9R) are the names coming to my mind immediately. I hope VRL jumps into the fray soon.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by binaiks

....

The Bangalore-Nagercoil-TVM route is now getting very crowded. SRM (1 B9R), KPN (3 B9R), Kallada (1 B9R currently, 1 Day service coming shortly), SRS (1 B9R) are the names coming to my mind immediately. I hope VRL jumps into the fray soon.

Apart from this KPN has one more AC sleeper and Non Ac Seater - 12M's.

[dhandapanik]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

I got down at Bommanahalli. It was sunday evening, the bus driver had a Smart card for the toll booths, and it was a bye-pass rider.

KPN travels, though late in its departures, reaches the destination at the right time(or even before).

A 10.30 departure B9R from Bangalore to Coimbatore, started at 11.45pm, but reached at 6.10 am.

10.15 pm departure AL12M, reached Bangalore by 5 am sharp. This with a 10 minute stop at Annur to load something.

The worst(or dreadful)travel till date is on a SRS travel AL12M from Pollachi to Bangalore via Tirupur. Bus was late by about an hour(10 pm) and it reached Kalasipalayam at 5.45 am. This including loading some cargo from Tiruppur.

(By Bangalore i mean Bommanahalli)

Till date my best experience is with KPN Multi axle volvo. It took 6.5 hrs to reach Madurai from Bangalore. Once the same bus took just 4.5 hours to reach karur from Bangalore.

For Pollachi-Bangalore IMO the best option is ABT. You can also try KaSRTC's Munnar-Bangalore service.

KPN started one multi axle service in Pollachi-Chennai route via Tirupur, Erode. Saw their multi axle parked in NM&Co parking yard in Coimbatore road.

[P4life]

Viji Yathra got their 2 B9R's today

[aroonanand]

The reg numbers are not only with 9199 but with all the combi's of three 9's and one 1.
9199,1999,9991.

Infact many of the mobile numbers of KPN manager's ends with these numbers.

Not just combinations of three 9's and one 1, many of their buses had the registration number "1". Looks like numbers played a very important role ! Not sure if their entire current fleet has similar numbers.

[Ashley2]

Not just combinations of three 9's and one 1, many of their buses had the registration number "1". Looks like numbers played a very important role ! Not sure if their entire current fleet has similar numbers.

The early B7R's and B9R's were having 1's.
Infact getting the number 1 is not that easy. You need to have real muscle power to get those numbers continuously. Many of the KA reg are with 1.

But now they are looking into this and get settled with some sort of fancy number or even without that.

[coolclouds]

Any reviews on "Shama Sardar (GEE PEE AHMED ) sleeper bus" from Bangalore to Chennai? Any other good services than VRL & SRM for a Monday night travel?

Edit: Looking for a/c or non a/c sleeper only

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Any reviews on "Shama Sardar (GEE PEE AHMED ) sleeper bus" from Bangalore to Chennai? Any other good services than VRL & SRM for a Monday night travel?

Edit: Looking for a/c or non a/c sleeper only

There's a Sharma Transports' Non-AC Sleeper at 23:00hrs from Central, a KPN AC Sleeper at 22:45hrs from Central (or Guindy), Cauvery travels AC sleeper at 22:30hrs from CMBT, SPS travels at 22:45hrs (IIRC) from CMBT.

I've travelled in the Sharma non-AC sleeper and KPN's sleeper services. The other two, I've seen in CMBT. KPN's bus never comes on time. So, if they tell you 22:45hrs, expect the bus to pick you up only after 23:15hrs. And avoid boarding from Guindy. Their office is a shanty place, with not enough ventilation, and bang on the roadside.

These are the options I can think of. VRL and SRM are reliable and get filled fast. VRL's buses are kind of old, but comfortable nevertheless. SRM's buses look new, but they have air suspension only at the rear.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by silversteed

There's a Sharma Transports' Non-AC Sleeper at 23:00hrs from Central, a KPN AC Sleeper at 22:45hrs from Central (or Guindy), Cauvery travels AC sleeper at 22:30hrs from CMBT, SPS travels at 22:45hrs (IIRC) from CMBT.

Thanks Pramod.
Any idea on a reliable morning service from Bangalore to Chennai which will reach Koyambedu before 1pm?