Easing Bangalore Traffic - Rocket Science?

w 12 · 26th June 2007, 11:16

" BANGALORE: After all that ballyhoo, it has emerged that Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC)'s Volvo service, introduced in January 2006, incurred a loss of Rs. 1.89 crore.

The average running cost of these buses per kilometre is Rs. 50.68 while the average earning per kilometre of Rs. 41.59.
As against the average loss of Rs. 9.09, the loss incurred on route no 335E is Rs. 4.34 and route no 356C is Rs. 7.47. The two routes cater to the employees of information technology industries at ITPL and Electronic City.
BMTC's decision to display commercial advertisements on the window panels of the Volvo buses has helped to reduce the losses to some extent."

The Hindu : Karnataka News : Volvo service on a losing track

ajitkommini · 26th June 2007, 11:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Ajit, those arent the only ones which run full house. Even the 500 series which runs along the ORR to Banashankari run with full capacity usually.
If for some reason i do not wish to use my vehicles on a particular day, i take a Volvo too. Earlier, i wouldnt even think in terms of public transport.

I seriously thank the BMTC for thinking up something like this, which is a first in India.

Yes you're probably right. I think even if these buses incur a small (by BMTC budget standards) financial loss, they have changed the perception of public transport in bangalore and acheived a huge PR victory. The irony is, the losses are happening because of congestion and jams - which are partly caused by BMTC buses themselves!

finneyp · 26th June 2007, 11:40

Yes, the BMTC Volvo buses was a step forward and changed the perception of public transport to a large extent!

As such in Bangalore, public transport is quite bad since only BMTC buses cater to the transport needs of the City with no Suburban trains, Metro, Trams etc. and thatz the reason why every inhabitant in Blore use their Two-wheeler or Four-wheeler to commute to office, on top of that - Autos, Cabbies, Trucks, Buses etc. Result: Chock-a-block traffic on the narrow and congested Roads.

I suggest: Bring in more Volvo buses, increase the frequency of Buses, discourage people using their own vehicles for daily commute, expedite the Metro Rail project, widen the Roads, ban movement of Heavy vehicles in peek hour ( 8 - 10 AM and 5 - 8 PM). etc.

ajitkommini · 26th June 2007, 12:23

I wish they would also bring in the concept of "shared" autos in Blr. I had not heard of this till I visited Kolkata - where it's really popular (and really cheap too). Acts as an excellent 'feeder' service for other modes of public transport like the metro. Advantages (other than cost) are that you can use them for very short distances and there is no question of driver refusing to go etc. as they have fixed routes.

Vid6639 · 26th June 2007, 12:49

Real time traffic monitoring system:

BTIS : Live traffic conditions

This sadly is only based on airtel customers.

benbsb29 · 26th June 2007, 13:23

Ajit, you would find shared autos plying even in Hyderabad, where they are 7 seaters, or popularly called "Tuk-Tuks", owing to the noise they make. Although they are useful, the tribe is basically the same. They drive dangerously, cut wildly, and stop anywhere they please. Rather than having more of the autos/cabs, i feel the Volvo service is the most sensible among them. With the current rates on offer (after the recent reduction) they dont feel all that expensive, and are a worthwhile alternative to a silly autorickshaw.

On the other hand, has anyone noticed how they pack passengers into a Volvo during peak hours? Its so tight that even opening the doors is a major fight.

ajitkommini · 26th June 2007, 14:06

The point is, you need both systems to complement each other. A bus service is great for timetable-driven, point-to-point travel over a longer distance, but is useless if you need to travel say 2-3 km or are in a hurry. Also, travelling by Volvo works only if there are convenient stops within about 500m of your starting and ending points.

This is where a shared auto system comes in. I'm not sure how it operates in Hyderabad, but in Kolkata (from what I've seen) the autos have fixed stops / stands and fixed routes. In terms of flexibility, they come somewhere between a taxicab and a bus.

urdudesamy · 26th June 2007, 16:43

Well...

An airplane makes money only when its in the air... so does a bus make money when its on the road... not in a bus station.

Wonder why the volvo's just reduced their fares....

BMW-X5 · 26th June 2007, 18:11

I really dont know howmany of you have noticed. In bangalore two wheeler riders will always over take from the left.
Especially ladies riding on Honda activa !!!

finneyp · 26th June 2007, 19:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMW-X5

I really dont know howmany of you have noticed. In bangalore two wheeler riders will always over take from the left.

Include Auto-wallahs and Cabbies to that list!

w 12 · 26th June 2007, 19:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by urdudesamy

Well...

An airplane makes money only when its in the air... so does a bus make money when its on the road... .

Absolutely , Provided the plane in the air is carrying sufficient number of fare paying passengers. All Airlines track " passenger breakeven load factor " , which is the minimum number of passengers a flight should carry to make it profitable. The typical numbers are 65 - 70% for most airlines.

That means if the flight is carrying is just 50 - 60% of its load, as against its PBLF of 65% , it made a loss , even if it was in air. And for very low loads , the plane will lose LESS money standing in its hangar , than flying it.

Just my 0.02 Rs. worth. True for buses / cabs / whatever as well. ( know this first hand , as I was part of a team which put together a market research report for one of the Top budget airlines, planning to set shop in india )

benbsb29 · 27th June 2007, 10:04

I believe they reduced the Volvo fares to make it more accessible, and also encourage more people to use it. Increase in volumes are what they are aiming at.

Loss or no loss, this is a welcome initiative, and i am all in favour of it.
I dont mind having to wait an extra 15-20 mins for a Volvo over taking an overcharging rick to the same destination.

kvish · 27th June 2007, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMW-X5

I really dont know howmany of you have noticed. In bangalore two wheeler riders will always over take from the left.
Especially ladies riding on Honda activa !!!

Well, I feel this rule is no good anymore. Overtaking from any direction can well be legalized

For 2 reasons.
1. Auto at 20Km per hour will occupy right lane and refuse to budge. Holds good for some 2 wheelers and cars too.
2. Lorries in highways always use the right lane to avoid any disturbances.

In such scenarios, only option is to break the law and overtake from the left or better still make it legal. That way people can anticipate on both sides!!

hrag · 27th June 2007, 19:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by finneyp

peek hour ( 8 - 10 AM and 5 - 8 PM). etc.

In Bangalore, any hour is peek hour. You're never going too fast to peek into the vehicle near you.

Nitin · 27th June 2007, 20:10

Govt set for new traffic rules
BANGALORE: If you think you can get away with traffic offences by paying a penalty, think again.

For, you run the risk of being stripped of your driving licence. The state government plans to invoke the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act - 1988 and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules - 1989 which empower transport authorities to cancel driving licences.

"This will be done to stop repeated and dangerous traffic offenders and is geared at reducing road accidents. We'll put in place a new regulatory mechanism within two months," transport minister N Cheluvarayaswamy said on Tuesday.

"When habitual offenders are caught for traffic violations like rash driving and using mobile phones, they just pay fines and move on. We want to instill the fear of law in such drivers. If they are caught committing more than three traffic offences, the authorities will be empowered to suspend licences for a period of six months or even cancel them," Cheluvarayaswamy said.

In the meantime, the transport department will intensify its drive against traffic violators, he said.

-------------------------------------------------------
Source -TOI B'lore.

This is a good move...

. I only hope that they have a fool-proof method to make sure people with suspended/canceled licenses don't operate vehicles.

26th June 2007, 11:16	#166
w 12 BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: bangalore Posts: 402 Thanked: 26 Times	" BANGALORE: After all that ballyhoo, it has emerged that Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC)'s Volvo service, introduced in January 2006, incurred a loss of Rs. 1.89 crore. The average running cost of these buses per kilometre is Rs. 50.68 while the average earning per kilometre of Rs. 41.59. As against the average loss of Rs. 9.09, the loss incurred on route no 335E is Rs. 4.34 and route no 356C is Rs. 7.47. The two routes cater to the employees of information technology industries at ITPL and Electronic City. BMTC's decision to display commercial advertisements on the window panels of the Volvo buses has helped to reduce the losses to some extent." The Hindu : Karnataka News : Volvo service on a losing track
	() Thanks

26th June 2007, 11:40	#168
finneyp Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,716 Thanked: 319 Times View My Garage	Yes, the BMTC Volvo buses was a step forward and changed the perception of public transport to a large extent! As such in Bangalore, public transport is quite bad since only BMTC buses cater to the transport needs of the City with no Suburban trains, Metro, Trams etc. and thatz the reason why every inhabitant in Blore use their Two-wheeler or Four-wheeler to commute to office, on top of that - Autos, Cabbies, Trucks, Buses etc. Result: Chock-a-block traffic on the narrow and congested Roads. I suggest: Bring in more Volvo buses, increase the frequency of Buses, discourage people using their own vehicles for daily commute, expedite the Metro Rail project, widen the Roads, ban movement of Heavy vehicles in peek hour ( 8 - 10 AM and 5 - 8 PM). etc.
	() Thanks

26th June 2007, 12:23	#169
ajitkommini BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 490 Thanked: 124 Times	I wish they would also bring in the concept of "shared" autos in Blr. I had not heard of this till I visited Kolkata - where it's really popular (and really cheap too). Acts as an excellent 'feeder' service for other modes of public transport like the metro. Advantages (other than cost) are that you can use them for very short distances and there is no question of driver refusing to go etc. as they have fixed routes. Last edited by ajitkommini : 26th June 2007 at 12:25.
	() Thanks

26th June 2007, 12:49	#170
Vid6639 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,730 Thanked: 43,486 Times View My Garage	Real time traffic monitoring system: BTIS : Live traffic conditions This sadly is only based on airtel customers.
	() Thanks

26th June 2007, 13:23	#171
benbsb29 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brisbane Posts: 9,969 Thanked: 13,234 Times View My Garage	Ajit, you would find shared autos plying even in Hyderabad, where they are 7 seaters, or popularly called "Tuk-Tuks", owing to the noise they make. Although they are useful, the tribe is basically the same. They drive dangerously, cut wildly, and stop anywhere they please. Rather than having more of the autos/cabs, i feel the Volvo service is the most sensible among them. With the current rates on offer (after the recent reduction) they dont feel all that expensive, and are a worthwhile alternative to a silly autorickshaw. On the other hand, has anyone noticed how they pack passengers into a Volvo during peak hours? Its so tight that even opening the doors is a major fight.
	() Thanks

26th June 2007, 14:06	#172
ajitkommini BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 490 Thanked: 124 Times	The point is, you need both systems to complement each other. A bus service is great for timetable-driven, point-to-point travel over a longer distance, but is useless if you need to travel say 2-3 km or are in a hurry. Also, travelling by Volvo works only if there are convenient stops within about 500m of your starting and ending points. This is where a shared auto system comes in. I'm not sure how it operates in Hyderabad, but in Kolkata (from what I've seen) the autos have fixed stops / stands and fixed routes. In terms of flexibility, they come somewhere between a taxicab and a bus.
	() Thanks

26th June 2007, 16:43	#173
urdudesamy BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 59 Thanked: 2 Times	Well... An airplane makes money only when its in the air... so does a bus make money when its on the road... not in a bus station. Wonder why the volvo's just reduced their fares....
	() Thanks

26th June 2007, 18:11	#174
BMW-X5 BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 188 Thanked: 10 Times	I really dont know howmany of you have noticed. In bangalore two wheeler riders will always over take from the left. Especially ladies riding on Honda activa !!!
	() Thanks

27th June 2007, 10:04	#177
benbsb29 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brisbane Posts: 9,969 Thanked: 13,234 Times View My Garage	I believe they reduced the Volvo fares to make it more accessible, and also encourage more people to use it. Increase in volumes are what they are aiming at. Loss or no loss, this is a welcome initiative, and i am all in favour of it. I dont mind having to wait an extra 15-20 mins for a Volvo over taking an overcharging rick to the same destination.
	() Thanks

27th June 2007, 20:10	#180
Nitin Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 3,294 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	Govt set for new traffic rules BANGALORE: If you think you can get away with traffic offences by paying a penalty, think again. For, you run the risk of being stripped of your driving licence. The state government plans to invoke the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act - 1988 and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules - 1989 which empower transport authorities to cancel driving licences. "This will be done to stop repeated and dangerous traffic offenders and is geared at reducing road accidents. We'll put in place a new regulatory mechanism within two months," transport minister N Cheluvarayaswamy said on Tuesday. "When habitual offenders are caught for traffic violations like rash driving and using mobile phones, they just pay fines and move on. We want to instill the fear of law in such drivers. If they are caught committing more than three traffic offences, the authorities will be empowered to suspend licences for a period of six months or even cancel them," Cheluvarayaswamy said. In the meantime, the transport department will intensify its drive against traffic violators, he said. ------------------------------------------------------- Source -TOI B'lore. This is a good move... . I only hope that they have a fool-proof method to make sure people with suspended/canceled licenses don't operate vehicles.
	() Thanks