[poised2drive]

Originally Posted by JoseVijay

The recently launched Volvo bus services in Hyderabad are running in losses due to high fares

Source link and full article: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/45878836.cms

And why wouldn't they ?

The fares are too skyrocketing for not just the low-income groups but to the medium income groups too.

I normally ply on either my bike or car to the office, which is 7 km away, so 14 both ways. .

My swift takes Rs 6 to 7/- per Km and if I assume Rs. 6.8/- for calculation sake [ 6.8 is still on the higher side] , the total 14 km takes me Rs 95/- and this is the highest costI get to pay [when the litre petrol costs Rs 70/-] for my transportation.

And when I take an a/c bus to the office, the one way ticket costs me 45/- and thus two ways is Rs 90/- which is just a couple of bucks less than what if I use the car [ and this couple of bucks can be traded for the non-availability of seats or lack of even standing space or uncertainty in timings ], thus effectively making it irrelevant and economically nonviable for the other users who have their own vehicles [ and the diesel guys even run cheaper].

You neither have an economical/psychological/physical pro to be motivated to use a bus [ though the only incentive one may think of is the smaller carbon footprint ]. The govt. has miserably failed in charting out a pragmatic course in this case.

[ankan.m.blr]

Originally Posted by Kumar R

One of the notorious 'red' CSTC buses (route 5 or 8B) - this would have been among the last few, already a rare species in 2006 when this grainy photo was taken from my first camera mobile. The low suspension with an empty load is surprising. Characterized by the mid-placement of the single, narrow door and usually always filled to bursting capacity (thanks no doubt to the lack of interest of the conductors to bother ticketing) these buses were the worst serial traffic-offenders.

Attachment 1397851

I remember taking the 9B bus from Jadavpur 8B bus-stand to Esplanade in weekends in early 2000. Those buses were slow, emitted lots of smoke and were easy on the pocket . IIRC, Jadavpur to Esplanade ticket was Rs. 1.75/- in 1998-1999. Thanks for refreshing my memories of my college days.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

The volvo buses seems to be very ill maintained from the number of them getting stranded on the road.

The BMTC is/was being touted as one of the best managed city bus transport companies, but looking at the way they're maintaining their fleet, it raises serious concerns. The Volvo fleet is quite old and run down, with hardly any maintenance being done these days. The BMTC Volvos are now giving a stiff competition to the Kinglong Ceritas of BEST in terms of number of breakdowns.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by silversteed

The BMTC is/was being touted as one of the best managed city bus transport companies, but looking at the way they're maintaining their fleet, it raises serious concerns.

Heard this from a person who is a mannine maga and politically connected .
1. BMTC is considered as "best managed" because it makes a profit year after year . Now how it makes the profit is a big question! What is happening is that the maintenance costs (in budget) is reduced so that the gains can be shown as profit. Secondly, BMTC does not get any great subsidies/financial help from the city authorities or state government. In very many other places, the city bus services are subsidized by the government.
2. When Volvo agreed to set up its shop at Hoskote, it took a commitment from Govt. of Karnataka that nn number of buses made there would have ready buyers. Volvo was entering Indian market at that time. The government gave the commitment and BMTC bought many Volvo buses. But their agreements did not have much future plans on maintenance etc. So these buses are just operated as-is, with perhaps BMTC again trying to avoid maintenance as it involves payments to Volvo.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

1. BMTC is considered as "best managed" because it makes a profit year after year . Now how it makes the profit is a big question! What is happening is that the maintenance costs (in budget) is reduced so that the gains can be shown as profit. Secondly, BMTC does not get any great subsidies/financial help from the city authorities or state government. In very many other places, the city bus services are subsidized by the government.
2. When Volvo agreed to set up its shop at Hoskote, it took a commitment from Govt. of Karnataka that nn number of buses made there would have ready buyers. Volvo was entering Indian market at that time. The government gave the commitment and BMTC bought many Volvo buses. But their agreements did not have much future plans on maintenance etc. So these buses are just operated as-is, with perhaps BMTC again trying to avoid maintenance as it involves payments to Volvo.

First two years or so, the buses had an AMC with volvo. They used to carry out all maintenance and keep the buses in shape. Later, the buses fell to the hands of the central workshop for most repairs. The result was substandard parts being used and hopeless repair methods. For example, you can see the difference in the brand of glass that is used to replace cracked panels. No one would have heard of these brands. They are neither from Volvo, nor from any OE supplier. Most of the electrical switches are replaced by crude switches or in some cases just ripped away and wires are exposed.

Finally in some time, they will propose to scrap the buses citing high maintenance and breakdowns, just to close their incompetencies.

[Anwesh]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Why does the driver console etc still look like they are stuck in the 80s? I can imagine not putting in Volvo level stuff, but some level of quality won't hurt, no?

This is a chassis only supply from the manufacturer, they supplied the instrument cluster, the local workshop that built the body has made the console.

Regards,

[Rajeevraj]

Looks like BMTC has got its delivery of the new fleet of Volvos. Encountered several of them especially in the ORR-ITPL Route. Got some details from this link and observed a few things while traveling in these new buses

• Features a new 8-litre engine manufactured by the Volvo Group joint venture in Pithampur, the bus is compliant with UBS-II norms apart from BS IV emission norms.
  
• Seats are more cushioned. Leg space and layout remains the same.
  
• Mobile and laptop charging points at every row of seats.
  
• An emergency switch for passengers near the middle door, a panic button near the driver's seat, provisions for wheelchairs to enter and exit from middle door.
  
• Two cameras to ensure safety. Feed is visible on a screen next to the driver. The device looked like a tab that seemed to have connectivity options.
  
• I think it also has an outward dashcam. Recall seeing the video when alighting a couple of days back.
  
• A 'STOP' button on every railing. I assume it is to trigger a bell/light indicator present next to the driver. Did not try it though.
  
• Three different ORVM's. The regular one, one that points down for front corner visibility and one tilted towards the front which shows the front area of the bus. Liked the setup.
  
• Of course, being a new bus- Working AC Vents, Emergency Hammers for every Window and top notch performance.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Looks like BMTC has got its delivery of the new fleet of Volvos. Encountered several of them especially in the ORR-ITPL Route. Got some details from this link and observed a few things while traveling in these new buses

• Features a new 8-litre engine manufactured by the Volvo Group joint venture in Pithampur, the bus is compliant with UBS-II norms apart from BS IV emission norms.
• Three different ORVM's. The regular one, one that points down for front corner visibility and one tilted towards the front which shows the front area of the bus. Liked the setup.
• top notch performance.

Volvo had announced the introduction of the B8R platform earlier, and this order is probably the first one to be realised. This 8L engine is tuned to develop 330bhp & 1200Nm as against the 290bhp & 1000Nm of the D7E 7L engine on the outgoing model.

To the best of my knowledge, the original ORVM assemblies in the earlier generation 8400LE buses also featured multiple proximity mirrors, mounted on the arm, with the large RVMs electrically adjustable.

Other changes in the new model:
Automatic Fire Detection and Suppression System (FDSS)
One 220L Fuel tank as against 3 tanks (one on either side on the wheel base and one ahead of the rear axle) of the B7R
Provision for Integrated ticketing solution

[vharihar]

Thane's TMT has been using some very nice rear-engined, automatic-transmission, non-AC, low-floor buses from Ashok Leyland. Very good build quality, excellent pulling power, and runs quite silent. I've been traveling by these lately. A few pics at: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/commer...ml#post4305096

AL seems to have clearly beaten the similar Tata Marcopolo buses (but hopelessly bad) that used to run in Bangalore and elsewhere a few years ago.

[SJM1214]

Transport dept may ban buses older than 15 yrs.

Bengaluru:
The Transport authority has written to the government to ban 21,000 buses that are older than 15 years in view of commuters’ safety.

The state road transport corporations like KSRTC and BMTC had set good standards by scrapping vehicles older than 10 years or those that have clocked over one lakh km. “Besides securing the safety of passengers, such standards will help reduce air pollution,”

Sources in the government said the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had recently sent a draft circular seeking responses from state governments on banning commercial vehicles (yellow board) aged 20 years or more with effect from 2020.

News Source.

[Amrik Singh]

Delhi Transport Corporation has started using Electric Buses.
Saw today