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-   -   Intercity Buses operated by various private travels and STUs (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/commercial-vehicles/73526-intercity-buses-operated-various-private-travels-stus-50.html)

Volvo low floor buses are running as Intercity buses in TN. The regular padded seats are converted to high backrest - non reclining seats and used.
Wrt to Marcopolo, it should have been available to him at a very cheaper price. That should be a non moving stock made for some STU.

The picture is just a regular low floor - not even stanchions are removed.

I have seen this bus at Dindugal By pass around 6 AM. So It should comfortably reach Madurai by 7 AM.

We have 4 services in this route. Two services each to Trivandrum and Madurai.

One of my friend used these services and he said buses bound to Trivandrum reaches madurai before 7 AM. He is a regular user of these services.

KPN:
Trivandrum service starts at 1.30 PM and arrival time is mentioned as 5.30 AM.
Madurai service starts at 5.30 PM and arrival time is given as 9.30 AM. I have seen this bus many times in madurai during this time.
Kesineni:
Trivandrum service starts at 2.30 PM (Journey time: 15:30 hrs)
Madurai service starts at 4.30 PM (Journey time:17 hrs)

KeSRTC has got some weird people. However, with this, they did provide a Volvo A/C bus for the Tvm-Blr service, as advertised :D

They had purchased 12M buses with 177bhp engines and used a slave engine for the AC. Body from Irizar-TVS. Then scrapped all of them very soon, quoting frequent issues with the AC and slave engine. At around the same time, bought Tata Globus LPO1616c buses. They were in service, despite frequent breakdowns, for a period longer than their usual time (IIRC 5 years for Deluxe and above class of service).

They also run an Ordinary service using a 183bhp BS3 Leyland (no air suspension), while the Super Deluxe buses are still 114bhp Vikings (with rear air suspension) - ageing warhorses that are more than 5 years old.

I think KeSRTC is inviting trouble by using the 8400LE for intercity operations, as the JnNURM scheme does not allow buses bought under that scheme to be used for routes outside the city.

I have serious concerns on the future of the corporation, considering the way it's managed by the present govt.

Those smokey rattle-traps? My heartfelt condolences to the unfortunate passengers

This factor did cross my mind. Do you have an idea about the cost difference between a Marcopolo and say a Hispano/Isuzu?

I dont know about which Marcopolo you are speaking, but the difference between Hispano/Isuzu is very less and will be max 3 lks. The older lot of Hispano is still available and are also given for a cheaper price like the ones mentioned here.

Kallada Travels has started operating from Manipal to Kottayam via Mangalore, Calicut and Ernakulam. Rs 1100 from start to end.

Which one does your friend prefers, KPN or Kesineni?

He used both and said both the operators are good.

Only difference he said is the movie that is played. KPN plays Tamil movies and Kesineni plays both depending on the availability. :)

I am talking about this Marcopolo, with one door removed and reclining seats fitted:



And I was asking about the price difference between this marcopolo and a hispano AND the price difference between this marcopolo and an Isuzu, not the difference between Hispano and Isuzu.

Also they have this version of Tata Marcopolo available for Omni bus operators as mentioned in this post.


Are you sure you are not seeing this version with the private operator?

I saw a crawlinlg old volvo at ollur written Annie in the front and side on last saturday morning. In the back its written Kerala lines and two travel centers are also mentioned. They operate Bangalore - Thrissur route i guess.

Yesterday night I was waiting for greenline to Trivandrum near KSRTC busstand. Saw the Annie Volvo(B7R) again , Felt some thing wrong and walked near to it and came to know that it broke down with passangers onboard and a local mechanic was trying to resolve the issue. while most of the passangers crowded at the rear of the Annie Volvo.

By the time the the greenline came and i started off to TVM. Any more info about the Annie Travels ? I am seeing it for the first time.

Also Check out the Bethlehem transports which operates on Trivandrum - Chennai , they have individual entartainment system with Wi-Fi connectivity on board for. Sharing few images of the same.Image source:- Bethlehem Website.

Also saw the BharatBenz show room near alwaye is that operational ?

"Annie International" is the operator. Its an old bus (ex-Puzhekadavil/Raj National, if I am not wrong). This operator operates the buses only during weekends. They run Bangalore-Ernakulam.

This is the bus:

Last week, i saw this tanker in Coimbatore and was surprised to see the ABS brake feature.

Long back in the 2004-05, in CMBT(Chennai) bus stand, i saw a TNSTC leyland bus with the "ABS brake fitted" sticker at the rear glass.

If fitting ABS is possible, why is not prevalent?

ABS is mandatory for vehicles transporting hazardous goods and hence this feature is offered as an option. It is available also on high end buses.

I believe ABS is standard for all HMV's and Buses. Have never seen buses lock up under emergency braking here. Must be due to ABS.