[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

One more point is they have excellent team for vehicle maintenance.

Simplicity is what differentiates them from the crowd. I have great respect for these guys and their behaviour towards travellers. They get pounded with 100 questions but they have their cool and respond to all of it.

Worst is none of the travellers 'Thank' the driver + helper after the journey is completed rather scold them if the bus is late or if they are not dropped at dropping points of their wish.

Originally Posted by Ashley2

There maybe a case of inverter breakdown, Or driver may have switched it off.

Has anyone here asked any time about the non-functionality of these charging points? I felt like asking but I remembered I was in Kesineni Travels which have one of the rudest + least bothered staff in business.

Anurag.

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

I am falling more in love with VRL and it's systems. They always keep things simple.

Anurag.

I have a different experience to share on the Bangalore - Mangalore route. Have travelled 3 times and on all 3 ocassions , the drivers would claim to be new in mangalore / bangalore and would skip a few drop off points.

The front left seating is also a pain with the window seat being used as the spare drivers bed ! It's just not comfortable to sit on the front left aisle.

Lastly , their ticket prices which are normally higher than other operators , just shoot up during festivals. This week having a 3 day weekend for Ganesh Chaturthi , I could see VRL tickets at 1200 INR for a 380 kms ( bangalore - Mangalore ) trip , while other operators were charging close to 950 per seat !

I would use VRL and Seabird as my last options on the Bangalore - Mangalore route

[TKMCE]

Well VRL is now selling at Rs 1300 on one departure today for Mangalore Bangalore. And shows 3 seats available,. All I would say is a job very well done.


The days of "one price fits all" is long since gone and it is highly amusing to see some people protesting about this elementary revenue management practice for bus travel when they dont have any problems in dealing with the same variable pricing for air fares. Today , 9 September, Monday due to the long week end, for instance Spice Jet is selling Chennai Bangalore one departure at 9736 and Cochin Chennai both evening departures at 11760 but when a bus operator sells bus tickets at 1000 or 1500 on the respective routes for the same peak departure many people have difficutly in accepting the same. All I can say is if one wants to exercise his/her right to travel at rock bottom fares on even the utra peak departures , well to the best of my knowledge Indian Railways on 99.9% of their trains do not have any capacity restriction in selling seats on Second Class unreserved and one can always travel on the cheap even at the last minute.

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

Well VRL is now selling at Rs 1300 on one departure today for Mangalore Bangalore. And shows 3 seats available,. All I would say is a job very well done.

The days of "one price fits all" is long since gone and it is highly amusing to see some people protesting about this elementary revenue management practice for bus travel when they dont have any problems in dealing with the same variable pricing for air fares. Today , 9 September, Monday due to the long week end, for instance Spice Jet is selling Chennai Bangalore one departure at 9736 and Cochin Chennai both evening departures at 11760 but when a bus operator sells bus tickets at 1000 or 1500 on the respective routes for the same peak departure many people have difficutly in accepting the same. All I can say is if one wants to exercise his/her right to travel at rock bottom fares on even the utra peak departures , well to the best of my knowledge Indian Railways on 99.9% of their trains do not have any capacity restriction in selling seats on Second Class unreserved and one can always travel on the cheap even at the last minute.

I work into Analytics and help operators on pricing solutions So contextual pricing isn't something new to me.

I haven't seen any air ticket priced at 50% higher than normal fares about 3 weeks in advance. It's only the last minute tickets that are priced higher.

In this case of VRL selling tickets at 1300 INR , the website always mentioned these rates for this 3 day weekend no matter how much in advance you try to book. While other operators are also trying to cash in on the festive season , they have priced their tickets only about 20-25 % higher than usual. VRL is charging more than 50 % !!

Other operators don't have any seats available , the fact that you still see 3 vacant seats is only because of their superb pricing. People who opt for these as the last resort when they don't have anything available elsewhere.

If you read the news , Spice Jet and almost all other private airlines have increased ticket prices by 25 %. So a ticket that otherwise sells for 5K , 2 days before the travel date would now sell for 6.25 K. Add another 50% to cash in on festive season demand , that comes to 9.75K only for tickets booked at the last minute !

So there is no point of advance planning here , hence you just cannot compare variable price strategies used in airlines with these greedy bus operators

[TKMCE]

Originally Posted by speedsatya

I work into Analytics and help operators on pricing solutions So contextual pricing isn't something new to me.

I haven't seen any air ticket priced at 50% higher than normal fares about 3 weeks in advance. It's only the last minute tickets that are priced higher.

Please allow me to help you.

Spice Jet - (Spice Jet is just an example by the way, others also do likewise on peak departures)

Saturday 12 October 2013 and Sunday 13 October 2013 - Chennai to Port Blair - Spice air fare is a mere 23,684 per person on their website as of today 1.30 PM. Exactly two weeks LATER Saturday 26 October and Sunday 27 October, fare is only 7555.

And for Chennai Port Blair, even Indian Railways is not there to help you out.


I rest my case.

[TKMCE]

http://http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/air-fares-take-off-passenger-holiday-plans-hit-415003

The article on NDTV.com is very true. Here are some Low Cost Airline Fares for instance on 01 November (Friday before Diwali) from Bangalore to Delhi. Fares are One Way All inclusive taken in Indian Rupees on the respective websites today 2.30 PM IST

Spice Jet - 4 flights -18004/26400/12757/11602
Indigo - 8 non stop flights -15276/15276/13387/13387/10763/10763/10176/10176
Go Air - 2 Flights - 13965/12128

Full service airlines are equally expensive but are actually a better deal at the moment

Air India (only 3 flights have seats left) - 13009/11540/11540
Jet Airways (6 flights) - 12758/12758/12800/12800/10753/10438

The way things are going it is only a matter of time before SRS or VRL or someone else start a Bangalore Delhi bus service. Already there are Bangalore Jodhpur and Bangalore Rajkot services.

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

Already there are Bangalore Jodhpur and Bangalore Rajkot services.

How much time do these buses take ? I know there was a Bangalore - Ahmedabad service by VRL . Do these buses enter Mumbai city ?

[TKMCE]

Bangalore Jodhpur is by VRL and is via Pune, Thane, Surat, Ahmedabad and Abu Road as per their website. Journey time is approxmiately 38 hours. I dont think this bus enters Mumbai city.

Bangalore Rajkot is by SRS. Journey time is 28 hours as per their website and apparently this bus enters BOM city.

SRS also has a Bangalore Jalore (Rajasthan) service which is supposed to be the longest route right now in India and takes approximately 44 hours.

The Kesineni Chennai Bhubaneshwar service has apparently been terminated although the Bangalore Bhubaneshwar Cuttack service is still running. This is I think and extension of their Vizag service.

[JoseVijay]

Originally Posted by binaiks

Here is one for you:
Attachment 1135074

They have some 12-14 such buses, and all of them are iShifts.

. I have traveled to Chennai last week by VRL travels. It was a smooth journey. Did not sleep for the whole night not because it was uncomfortable but just wanted to enjoy the smoothness of the ride. I have a serious doubt about the diesel tank capacity of their buses. Before I got down from the bus I looked at the fuel indicator. It was just 1/4 empty or 3/4 full. They have not stopped at any petrol bunk to fill up.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by JoseVijay

I have a serious doubt about the diesel tank capacity of their buses. They have not stopped at any petrol bunk to fill up.

The bus has a 600 litre fuel tank. It's divided actually i.e. 300 + (150+150). The 300L tank is placed in between the chassis and the smaller 150 L tracks are placed on either sides for better weight distribution and stability of the bus. The engine is pretty frugal for that size. A 340hp @1900 rpm power rating and 1600Nm @1100-1500 rpm.

In my recent trip when I was returning to Hyderabad by a Kesineni Travels 9400 multi axle bus, on boarding the fuel was near to empty so they filled 140 litres fuel (translates to Rs. 8000) at Koyembedu and continued the journey. No stoppages later for fuel and while getting down at Hyderabad the fuel gauge still had 1/4th left to Empty.

Hats of to these guys for the driving and Volvo for such a beautiful masterpiece.

Anurag.

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

The bus has a 600 litre fuel tank. ... on boarding the fuel was near to empty so they filled 140 litres fuel (translates to Rs. 8000) at Koyembedu and continued the journey. No stoppages later for fuel and while getting down at Hyderabad the fuel gauge still had 1/4th left to Empty.
Anurag.

Er.. near empty + filling 140L => may be a little over 1/4 in tank; and still 1/4 left after the journey ? confused

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

Er.. near empty + filling 140L => may be a little over 1/4 in tank; and still 1/4 left after the journey ? confused

Pre filling the gauge was near to empty so after filing, I was sitting at Co-drivers seat so the minute he switched ON the ignition the needle went up till half Mark.

Anurag.

[n.arun01]

Yesterday came from Chennai to Bangalore by Airavat Club class Volvo with family. It started raining quite heavily at around 12 midnight. And the bus started leaking. Water was pouring from the roof on to the luggage rack and on our heads. The conductor tried placing spare blankets etc to stop the leak but couldnt do a thing. We were dripping wet and the leak stopped only after the rains eased at around 2am. Worst part was I was with my small kids aged 5 and 7. Will never ever climb into a Airavat again. All this for a whopping 894 per tkt.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by n.arun01

Will never ever climb into a Airavat again. All this for a whopping 894 per tkt.

Why don't you write to guys at KSRTC? I know there would be no action but still

Try and send with pictures of the leakage and the registration number if you have.

Anurag.

[n.arun01]

I have written to them on their website with the regn number of the bus. Unfortunately do not have photos. Lets see what comes of it.