[Ravindra M]

This is regarding BMTC buses in Bangalore.
I don't know why, but I have got a feeling that these low-floor Marcopolos are less reliable. I have seen 4 buses broken down in last week alone. The driver/conductor were standing near the rear engine, with engine cover open and the engine whinning a loud noise. Anyone with similar observation ?

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by SchumiFan

Hi Ashley, Was the pic taken near Hosur-Krishnagiri NH?

Yes it was shot near Hosur - ALL Unit II.
Yesterday I have seen few Marcopolo's in Coimbatore too.
Felt really bad that ALL being losing its ground to TML in Tamilnadu.
Because several attempts were made by TML in past to grab a pie of MS in Tamilnadu but everything were in Vain.
But now things are changing because of the Fully Built Solutions offered by TML.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by silversteed

I wonder why MTC is not introducing the AL/TM ULE A/C buses. The patronage for AC buses would increase manifold if the ticket fares are brought down a bit.

ALL is not fully ready with ULE as they have capacity constraints for the body building in ALwar Unit. DTC order of 875 buses is yet to be completed. Same is the case may be with TML too.
But I can very well say that ULE's for chennai from AL and TML is not too long.

Originally Posted by silversteed

I don't like the way they run the Volvos here. I've seen 3 (and at one point, 4) volvos going one after the other in a span of 3 minutes on the ECR. Obviously they had different route nos, but still, for the major portion of the distance the tailing buses were running virtually empty.

Thats a common sight in Chennai. I believe you could have seen buses from Various depots heading in ECR, may be 519,19G etc. But there were also times were the buses from same depot will be going behind each other.They never care about the revenue but run the buses for name sake

[kadri007]

Here are some city bus pics from Mangalore which i took on Sunday

Picasa Web Albums - Kadri007 - India Bus

[leadf00t]

Spotted a BEST CERITA AC bus being towed away.

[lohithrao]

I gues "BMTC" has some great variety and well maintained buses.

the new addition of Tata series is also good. took a ride in Marcopolo last week. the driver told that bus lacks power when full and also ac is not that effective. i dint like the seat that much...

[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

Felt really bad that ALL being losing its ground to TML in Tamilnadu.
Because several attempts were made by TML in past to grab a pie of MS in Tamilnadu but everything were in Vain.
But now things are changing because of the Fully Built Solutions offered by TML.

Those days majority of AL investments were in Tamil Nadu (Chennai/Hosur). But things changed now, they are investing heavily in Rajasthan and Uttaranchal.

[dkamath]

Originally Posted by lohithrao

took a ride in Marcopolo last week. the driver told that bus lacks power when full and also ac is not that effective. i dint like the seat that much...

You will have noticed that the seat pitch is higher compared to the Volvo, due to which your knee wouldn't make contact with the back of the seat ahead of your's. Unlike in the Volvo's, the seat cushions are not covered in fabric, but are of rexin material, like the ones in the JnNURM SLF buses.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by teamveevee

Those days majority of AL investments were in Tamil Nadu (Chennai/Hosur). But things changed now, they are investing heavily in Rajasthan and Uttaranchal.

Of course with new facility for AL in Pantnagar, which was opened last week, gives access for AL in North India.

[theMAG]

Purely aesthetically speaking, that Cerita bus looks hideous.

[Sudan_NFS]

I think the Marcoplos buses have tuned to less power to match with the AL buses of similar categories(deluxe bus).

Today, I travelled in the New volvo's 84000 and I was surpised to a small LCR screen to the left of the driver which display's the vehicles behind the bus. I would also notice some change in the driver console's.

Not bad thing with the buses was a heavily broken(had a big hole) window on the left which was covered with a route number stickers and to the left there was a crack in the first window. To my surprise there was a crack even in the winshield.I am not sure why they have not replaced and why drivers are driving in such way and that too where the replacement cost is high.

[leadf00t]

Originally Posted by theMAG

Purely aesthetically speaking, that Cerita bus looks hideous.

The pulling power inspite of a quoted 230BHP engine and turbo is lag is too frustating. Yesterday i travelled in a BEST Cerita JC 12LC (similar to the one in the pic above) and the driver kept switchign off the AC everytime he stopped and had to start from standstill. the bus just wouldn't pull. But once the turbo kicks in the bus pulls decently. Due to this the drivers hesitate to stop at bus stops unless he stops a passenger waving or someone waiting to get down. Even the auto transmission is pathetic and drivers say they prefer the tata manual transmission buses.

The cooling is decent though but build quality is bad and AC vents have started falling in about an year of usage.

lets wait for the new AL ULE buses to be inducted in to BEST..heard trial runs are on at Anik Depot. Also NMMT is inducting AL ULEs instead of Volvo in teh next batch.

[AkMar]

Originally Posted by leadf00t

The pulling power inspite of a quoted 230BHP engine and turbo is lag is too frustating. Yesterday i travelled in a BEST Cerita JC 12LC (similar to the one in the pic above) and the driver kept switchign off the AC everytime he stopped and had to start from standstill.

This depends on which type of bus you travelled in. The first gen is horrible. Second is just average, and third is above average in my opinion. From my experience, I can safely say that the third type (shown in the pic being towed) does not need to switch off AC while climbing grades.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by lohithrao

I gues "BMTC" has some great variety and well maintained buses.

I need to agree with you. They try all the possible combinations and variants available in the market from Eichers to Marcopolo's.Good that they are not biased but for Volvo's.