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Old 8th June 2011, 07:00   #901
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

Just saw on the news as A/c sleeper bus to Pollachi from Chennai met with an accident near Kaveripakkam. 22 passengers burnt alive with only two survivors, one being the driver. The bus fell into ditch while being steered to the left to avoid two lorries involved in an accident in the front. Under the impact the diesel tank caught fire apparently. Feel horrible for the souls who lost their lives in possibly the worst way to lose life. On a busy highway no rescue was attempted until the bus was fully gutted. Deccan Chronicle says the bus involved is KPN Travels. Another example of how dangerous our highways are. May the souls rest in peace.
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Old 8th June 2011, 12:25   #902
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

Yesterday I saw this bus in omni bus stand, before boarding into my bus (ARC) as I was coming home. I was shocked and deeply saddened,to hear this news today morning when I reached home. In a matter of few hours everything has turned around.
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Old 9th June 2011, 21:01   #903
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

Quote:
Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth View Post
Just saw on the news as A/c sleeper bus to Pollachi from Chennai met with an accident near Kaveripakkam. 22 passengers burnt alive with only two survivors, one being the driver. The bus fell into ditch while being steered to the left to avoid two lorries involved in an accident in the front. Under the impact the diesel tank caught fire apparently. Feel horrible for the souls who lost their lives in possibly the worst way to lose life. On a busy highway no rescue was attempted until the bus was fully gutted. Deccan Chronicle says the bus involved is KPN Travels. Another example of how dangerous our highways are. May the souls rest in peace.
Here is the complete report about the accident along with pictures.

Latest: KPN bus accident Photos, Vellore Bus accident photos, Bodies of People in Bus
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Old 10th June 2011, 21:16   #904
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

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Originally Posted by ranjithrnath View Post
Here is the complete report about the accident along with pictures.

Latest: KPN bus accident Photos, Vellore Bus accident photos, Bodies of People in Bus
Those pics are completely heart-breaking to say the least. I am not able to hold off my tears on seeing those charred bodies. Will these private operators ever learn? How many more innocent lives are these people going to claim for earning some more pennies?

Even in my last drive from Trichy to Chennai, a KPN Volvo B9R was doing speeds in excess of 125 kph, changing lanes at will and braking suddenly umpteen number of times. Though I was driving in the Civic, seeing such rash driving from the bus driver, I decided not to overtake the KPN and followed the bus for a good 10 km or so before overtaking it. These morons should be punished.
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Old 10th June 2011, 22:09   #905
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

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Originally Posted by arvi86 View Post
Even in my last drive from Trichy to Chennai, a KPN Volvo B9R was doing speeds in excess of 125 kph, changing lanes at will and braking suddenly umpteen number of times.
I have begun to admire KSRTC drivers of late. For whatever reasons (adherence to FE requirements, speed limit imposations), you will not find the Airavat cruising at more than 90-100 km/hr on a road as speed-friendly as NH4.

A year ago, I did B'lore - Pune and the speedometer running past 130 km/hr scared the hell out of me. But on more recent trips, the driver was hesitating to cross 90 km/hr.

The same with MSRTC Volvo drivers.

I hope this incident makes private players impose strict restrictions on speed.
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Old 10th June 2011, 22:11   #906
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

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Originally Posted by arvi86 View Post
Will these private operators ever learn? How many more innocent lives are these people going to claim for earning some more pennies?
.
During the past 5 years, the number of these kind of buses (how do we classify, Omni, Tourist, Contract Carriage?) has increased considerably. They are doing an excellent job connecting the inner cities with metros. But time has come to regulate these services and most of these are interstatate, form a regulatory body under goverment of India.

1)Get approval for Routes and Timings.
2)Training for Drivers. Drivers need certification to drive these vehicles. (Volvo, TM, AL driving schools or any accedited schools could issue the certificate.
But the certificate need to be renewed after 5 years subject to a refresher course and medical (vision) exam.
3)Enforce bus code (standard) for the buses to be used in each class (Sleeper, AC, Semi Sleeper). Need for the emergency exist, width of the door etc.
4)Authority to oversee the services. Black box to record the vehicle movement. (Average Speed, Max speed etc). Governement agency should be able to download the info and take actions for violaters.
5)No goods should allowed on roof top (raises center of gravity and increases the chance of loosing control), Only passengers luggage should be allowed and should be kept in the underbelly of the bus.

....Much much more....
These may increase the ticket fare, but i guess it is worth, otherwise lot more lives will be lost in this manner. Better act now before it is too late.

About this accident, (Ashley since you have seen the bus prior to the accident,) Does this bus had heavy load on top of it? Is that the reason the bus toppled? Also might have added fuel to the fire. There were many bus fires in the past, but not this many casualities, so defenitely some thing wrong with the way the bus was constructed. Who was the body builder?
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Old 10th June 2011, 22:48   #907
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

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Originally Posted by teamveevee View Post
About this accident, (Ashley since you have seen the bus prior to the accident,) Does this bus had heavy load on top of it? Is that the reason the bus toppled? Also might have added fuel to the fire. There were many bus fires in the past, but not this many casualities, so defenitely some thing wrong with the way the bus was constructed. Who was the body builder?
The bus was not with load the body builder to my knowledge was SMK only( as I have seen this from distance).
Here the main reason is there is no emergency exit ( or was not able to use this).
It becomes more difficult for people to get out from sleeping posture rather than a sitting posture.
The door in the front is pneumatically operated and hence no means to open when there is no driver.
To top it all it caught fire!

My sincere request to Govt is to implement the Bus body Code immediately taking due consideration of all these cases.
Apart from EMergency exits the bus should also be built with fire proof materials. Hope this does not happen again
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Old 11th June 2011, 00:11   #908
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

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Originally Posted by Ashley2 View Post
The door in the front is pneumatically operated and hence no means to open when there is no driver.
But then, this is true for the left door only. Moreover, the huge windshield would have shattered giving a large exit point to the passengers. Again, it was a matter of seconds, people would have been in a state of shock as they were all sleeping.
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Old 11th June 2011, 01:18   #909
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

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Originally Posted by arvi86 View Post
Even in my last drive from Trichy to Chennai, a KPN Volvo B9R was doing speeds in excess of 125 kph, changing lanes at will and braking suddenly umpteen number of times. Though I was driving in the Civic, seeing such rash driving from the bus driver, I decided not to overtake the KPN and followed the bus for a good 10 km or so before overtaking it. These morons should be punished.
I'm pretty sure this is not a Volvo. This is the AL sleeper AC with berths. Also, KPN don't run B9Rs to small towns like Pollachi. This particular accident is more to do with careless lane changing by the truck driver and misjudgement of timing by the KPN bus driver.
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Old 11th June 2011, 07:00   #910
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

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Originally Posted by libranof1987 View Post
I have begun to admire KSRTC drivers of late. For whatever reasons (adherence to FE requirements, speed limit imposations), you will not find the Airavat cruising at more than 90-100 km/hr on a road as speed-friendly as NH4
Agreed. I have personally experienced the sedate driving style of KSRTC buses a lot of times, both as a passenger and a co road-user.

Quote:
Originally Posted by teamveevee View Post
1)Get approval for Routes and Timings.
2)Training for Drivers. Drivers need certification to drive these vehicles. (Volvo, TM, AL driving schools or any accedited schools could issue the certificate.
But the certificate need to be renewed after 5 years subject to a refresher course and medical (vision) exam.
3)Enforce bus code (standard) for the buses to be used in each class (Sleeper, AC, Semi Sleeper). Need for the emergency exist, width of the door etc.
4)Authority to oversee the services. Black box to record the vehicle movement. (Average Speed, Max speed etc). Governement agency should be able to download the info and take actions for violaters.
5)No goods should allowed on roof top (raises center of gravity and increases the chance of loosing control), Only passengers luggage should be allowed and should be kept in the underbelly of the bus.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ashley2 View Post
My sincere request to Govt is to implement the Bus body Code immediately taking due consideration of all these cases.
Apart from EMergency exits the bus should also be built with fire proof materials. Hope this does not happen again
Rightly said. Its high time that the Transportation Sector gets some fillip with new rules and regulations that are enforced strictly to both Govt and Pvt operators.

Quote:
Originally Posted by swiftdiesel View Post
I'm pretty sure this is not a Volvo. This is the AL sleeper AC with berths. Also, KPN don't run B9Rs to small towns like Pollachi. This particular accident is more to do with careless lane changing by the truck driver and misjudgement of timing by the KPN bus driver.
I know that the bus that met with the accident was not a Volvo. I was telling about a separate simlar incident when a B9R Volvo was literally flying dangerously in Trichy-Chennai Highway.
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Old 11th June 2011, 09:58   #911
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

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Originally Posted by Ashley2 View Post
The bus was not with load the body builder to my knowledge was SMK only( as I have seen this from distance).
This was an AC bus - with the AC blower sitting on the top, there are very little chances of there being any luggage on top.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ashley2 View Post
It becomes more difficult for people to get out from sleeping posture rather than a sitting posture.
The door in the front is pneumatically operated and hence no means to open when there is no driver.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DRIV3R View Post
But then, this is true for the left door only. Moreover, the huge windshield would have shattered giving a large exit point to the passengers. Again, it was a matter of seconds, people would have been in a state of shock as they were all sleeping.
As DRIV3R said, the huge windshield shattered, and passengers got a bigger exit. But the stumbling block is the layout of these buses. Sleeper buses usually have the stair running right at the centre of the berth. Therefore, even if the bus topples, you don't fall out of the berth.

So, on the double berths, the two people would've piled on each other. To add to their woes, there is a door on the partition between the passengers and the driver - it is a sliding door in many buses. Passengers had to battle fumes and reach this door in absolute darkness and open it.

Sleeper buses usually have small windows, which make it impossible for passengers to use them as emergency exit as well.

Its high time the government enforces strict standards for bus body building, and also have a control on these operators.

Here is a pic of the interiors of a Sleeper bus (Pic Credits: yeshwant)
Attached Thumbnails
Intercity Bus travel reviews-yk_1239.jpg  


Last edited by binaiks : 11th June 2011 at 10:02.
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Old 11th June 2011, 10:50   #912
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

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Originally Posted by arvi86 View Post
Even in my last drive from Trichy to Chennai, a KPN Volvo B9R was doing speeds in excess of 125 kph, changing lanes at will and braking suddenly umpteen number of times. Though I was driving in the Civic, seeing such rash driving from the bus driver, I decided not to overtake the KPN and followed the bus for a good 10 km or so before overtaking it. These morons should be punished.
KPN authorities are not concerned about passenger safety. Their buses are delayed to pick up maximum passengers. In most routes, they have tired drivers alone and will be in a mood to reach destination at the earliest and sometimes, sleep midway!

I also experienced similar incident last month while driving to Kochi. The KPN B9R with KL01 registration was cruising at 120-130kmph speeds when it overtook me near Perundurai and I followed this bus till Avinashi bad roads. The driver was overtaking through left/right any chance and used horn thoroughly in the middle of the night.
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Old 11th June 2011, 11:06   #913
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

And most importantly the partition door between passenger compartment and driver will not open if the Co driver/cleaner seat fixed infront of that door gets opened.
This door should be designed in such a way that at any emergency the passenger should come out from the saloon with out any hurdle.
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Old 11th June 2011, 11:11   #914
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

Took this pic on my way to Vijayawada. No idea though how and where this happened. Strangely the bus has taken a hit both in the front and the back, looks like a case of multiple collision.
Attached Thumbnails
Intercity Bus travel reviews-10062011216.jpg  

Intercity Bus travel reviews-10062011217.jpg  

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Old 11th June 2011, 11:18   #915
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Re: Intercity Bus travel reviews

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Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth View Post
Took this pic on my way to Vijayawada. No idea though how and where this happened. Strangely the bus has taken a hit both in the front and the back, looks like a case of multiple collision.
The bus was working Ernakulam-Hyderabad. Second accident involving the same bus. Happened near Madanapalle. The bus, it is said, hit a truck while trying to overtake another one.
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