There is such little knowledge about these commercial vehicles anywhere, that it is quite difficult to find the right make, and only bland recommendations run high.

BHPian pratyaksh recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am in a dilemma over which bus to buy, and what better place to get an opinion than here at Team-BHP.

A little background, I already own three buses, of which, two (2) are Swaraj Mazda (SML) 47 Seaters, and one (1) is a Force Traveller 26 seater. These were bought in 2017/18 and are running fine although both have their own drawbacks. SML is the cheapest option out there but is really archaic in its technology and systems, whereas Force is modern but has many niggles, especially with its electronics (think of it as the Skoda of Buses, if you will).

So, I am looking at getting a couple of more school buses to run on a contract basis with different schools/colleges in the city. Since SML, and Force are out of the running; Force also because the dealer has left town, I have narrowed it down to just two options:

• Tata
• Eicher

It is a mandate to run school buses on CNG-only in the city, therefore, Ashok Leyland is also out of the fray as they offer only Diesel. Bharat Benz has also opened a shop but I don't know if they have non-AC, and I expect them to be more expensive, and hard to maintain, what with the availability of parts etc., therefore did not consider them.

Our requirements are:

• Safety (definitely up there on No. 1)
• Cost vs. Value (very obvious)
• Easy to maintain (of course)
• Mileage (no brainer for an LCV)
• Looks (maybe?)
• 60-70 km per day (maybe 150 if they get two shifts. With 200 working days a year - the bus should easily last me 15 years / 20 if the fitness goes through)

With the streets getting ever smaller, I have decided this time to not buy a large 50 seater bus, even though it makes much more economical sense, instead to focus on the 25-35 seater category. The difference in length between the two is what makes the biggest difference while entering lanes, and avoiding the overhang from hitting trees, parked cars, and other objects alike.

• LxBxH of the Tata 34 Seater 7190 x 2340 x 2910 mm
• LxBxH of the Tata 51 Seater 9750 x 2340 x 2910 mm

The Starbus LP 407, and LP 909 are the only options available in CNG.

The Eicher is:

• LxBxH of the Eicher 30 Seater 6704 x 2160 x 2970 mm
• LxBxH of the Eicher 40 Seater 7904 x 2160 x 2970 mm
• LxBxH of the Eicher 50 Seater 9344 x 2160 x 2970 mm

On the power front:

• Tata has a 3.8 SGI NA engine delivering 85 HP, 285 NM engine; whereas
• Eicher has a 3.3L 115 HP, 360 NM engine.

Not really sure what to make of these engines, and their figures. Anyone able to help in choosing the right engine/gearbox would be much appreciated.

I am only leaning towards Tata because of its smashing looks, and also because of the name it carries. Although, I bought my previous vehicles without any help, and I regret not researching thoroughly earlier as well. But there is such little knowledge about these commercial vehicles anywhere, that it is quite difficult to find the right make, and only bland recommendations run high. Even the dealers are clueless as to why one should buy an X over Y or Z. I was surprised at the level of understanding of even the dealers here. My drivers are better, who at least tell me that they like this over that because of the 'softer clutch' or 'can be fixed anywhere' or 'my best friend has fixed many a Tata'

Even this post was kind of difficult to write as I do not have enough on these vehicles even though I own a few of them. I am also to blame, as I hardly cared thinking let's buy the cheapest, what do I care if the gearbox is not the slickest or the electronics are not up to the mark. A driver needs to drive it and will use it as a driver would.

Anyhow, attaching a brochure and a screenshot (as neither of the dealers had a proper brochure at hand). A couple of pictures are also attached for LCV fans, it is no MACK truck but still - you gotta agree the Tata looks smashing.

Pictures of Tata Motors:

Pictures of Eicher:

Pricing

All prices are after initial talks, I am sure they will come down a bit more with some negotiation.

• TATA 34 Seater MRP 24.7 Lacs After Discount 23 Lakhs
• TATA 51 Seater MRP 29.5 Lacs After Discount 27.5 Lakhs
• Eicher 30 Seater MRP 24.54 Lacs After Discount 22 Lakhs
• Eicher 40 Seater MRP 26.95 Lacs After Discount 24 Lakhs
• Eicher 50 Seater MRP 29.37 Lacs After Discount 25.5 Lakhs

When compared with full-size vehicles (50 seaters), the smaller ones look really expensive. With a difference of only 3.5 lacs for the smallest and the biggest Eicher, the difference is minuscule for the almost double seating capacity. Anyhow, since we should not consider the large vehicles, I am still wondering if at least the 40 seater option should be considered as the difference in length is 6.7m vs 7.9m. Will have to dwell on this a bit.

I would request people vote only if they have a fair understanding of the LCV space. Do help out in any way you can. Much appreciated.

Here's what BHPian Benoit had to say on the matter:

Voted for Eicher.

My father owns an engine reconditioning workshop(our family business for 45+ years). From the knowledge he has from his personal experience and from owners/drivers is that Tata buses/lorries are cheap to maintain, but they aren't so reliable. They break down way too often than their competitors.

If your priority is reliability over the cost of maintenance, go for Eicher, else go for Tata.

PS: All of these are based on experience from diesel variants only. Most mechanical components must be shared across variants.

Here's what BHPian PrasannaDhana had to say on the matter:

I own Tata, Eicher, SML, force and Mahindra school buses. In my experience, I will prefer Tata over Eicher anyday. The only reason is the service quality of Tata vs Eicher in my city.

My Tata school bus is 11 years old with 1.8 lakh km on the odo and still works fine with routine maintenance. Eicher too is reliable but tata/Mahindra buses are tangibly sturdier. Eicher is probably a little more fuel-efficient than the Tata. Even dimension-wise Tata and Mahindra buses measure longer than SML and Eicher for the same seating configuration, and hence more spacious.

The best one among school buses, in my opinion, will be Ashok Leyland. Bharat Benz is also good. But both of them are quite expensive than the others and won't suit you as you have mentioned the fuel options.

Don't go for force. I have a 2001 & 2017 Force Traveller vans, of which the latter, I had to weld several points in the floorboard where small cracks had developed. Their quality has gone down drastically. Their service isn't good either.

By the way, manufacturers have hiked the prices crazily. For example, I bought a new BS4 Mahindra 50 seater school bus in 2018 for 18 lakhs and a new BS6 SML 50 seater school bus in 2020 for 21 lakhs. Today I am looking to buy a new bus, and e quite SML, only to learn the prices for the same bus has been hiked to 26 lakhs!

Good luck choosing a safe and reliable bus for your school kids!

Here's what BHPian BaCkSeAtDrIVeR had to say on the matter:

Ashok Leyland has the Lynx series. Please research it.

You'll register these as yellow board transport vehicles. Therefore, seating capacity is a function of overall length, with limits on front and rear overhangs. I believe you can specify overhangs as long as it is below the maximum, and I suggest you get something with maximum front overhang and limit rear overhang to 35%-40% of wheelbase and decide the wheelbase itself depending on these parameters and seating capacity. You'll end up with a vehicle having a longer wheelbase than taking something off the shelf. But the vehicle will be more sure than other vehicles with Dave wheelbase and hence easier to drive. Remember, while taking slow turns, the rear swings in the opposite direction and the longer wheelbase exaggerated this. Your driver will anticipate this, but other intelligent road users will not. (count the number of scratches on the right-hand side rear corner of heavy passenger vehicles on city routes)

You can buy chassis alone from the manufacturer and get the bus built at an approved workshop. (with the bus code in place, building bus bodies at random places is no longer possible). This way, you have better control over how the vehicle looks if that is important.

The short rear overhang helps in better handling on crowded roads.

Ensure you have automatic/hydraulic door closers in place. For safety sake, spend 50 k extra for two dash cams and point one outside and another inside. Get a reversing camera with a beeper installed. This will make the bus safer while inside the campus.

Use seats by Harita. It is a TVS group company and most commercial vehicle seats are made by them - including those in luxury buses. You can contact them separately. "Harita Grammer" is the company, I think.

CVs run 200-500 km a day, 350+ days a year. So longevity is not an issue. Look at engine life. I guess you'll get 3,00,000 km between overhauls. Ask for costs of overhauls, periodic servicing and service intervals. This includes not only engine oil replacement but also gearbox oil change, hub regarding, etc. "Total cost of ownership", is the phrase.

When you say AL does not have CNG vehicles for you, I suspect either you are being misled or you have done inadequate research. AL has been the pioneer in fuel efficiency and alternative fuel. I believe their TCO IIS is lower, with in-house engines.

Try to implement the suggestion about cameras on existing vehicles also. Having a screen on the dash with a camera displaying the door is a great safety feature. Parents will appreciate it.

Best of luck.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Schools across India have been shut ever since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. It has impacted school bus operators, who are now facing financial collapse.

Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India - (BOCI) & School Bus Owner Association have urged the government of Maharashtra to provide immediate relief to school bus operators and their staff.

The associations are seeking bus staffer's salaries for the entire lockdown period. They have also requested the government to waive off Taxes and are seeking deferment of Motor Insurance, extensions of moratorium & waiver of interest as well as Parking fees.

Bus operators also want the government to increase the age limit of school buses from 8 years to 20 years in Mumbai and 15 years to 20 years in other areas of Maharashtra. They also want subsidized fuel rates for school buses like BEST & MSRTC, parking facilities for school buses, GST input credit benefits on purchase of new buses, banning of illegal private vans plying as school buses and vehicle sanitization.

Here is a list of demands that has been submitted to the government:

• Salaries of Bus Staffer’ for entire lockdown period
• Waiver of Taxes
• Deferment of Motor Insurance
• Extensions of moratorium & waiver of interest
• Parking fees issue to the Corporation
• Increase the age limit of school buses from 8 years to 20 years in Mumbai and other areas of Maharashtra from 15 years to 20 years
• Following CMVR, policy of school bus should be more than 13 seats only below this capacity it should not be considered as school bus.
• Adhering to Mumbai High Court order dated May 2017 requiring an agreement between School authorities and school bus transporter.
• Issue Heavy passenger vehicle licenses as issued in other states and such license holder of any Indian state to be permitted to drive all buses in Maharashtra
• As per Supreme Court order dated 16.04.2018 stating any LMV license holder be permitted to drive any class of vehicles up to 7,500 km, in Maharashtra
• Experience of 5years to drive school bus to be abolished if driver has bus badge or heavy passenger vehicle driving licence.
• Subsidized fuel rates for school buses like BEST & MSRTC
• Harassment by traffic cops to school buses during drop and pickup of students
• Parking facilities for school buses
• GST input credit benefits on purchase of new buses
• Banning of illegal private vans plying as school buses
• Regular Vehicle Sanitization
• Recommending Minimum Rescue Package suggested by AIMTC to the Central Government
• Issue of harassment by traffic authorities

There are said to be over 50,000 school buses in the state. Around 1.5 lakh people working in this sector are in financial distress or have lost their jobs.

Force Motors has launched the Traveller Monobus at Bus World 2018. The monocoque bus is available in 33 and 41-seater configurations and in standard or school bus variants.

The Traveller Monobus has 2.35 m wide body interiors with a low floor height, a wide gangway and full standing height. The bus body is built using pressed steel panels and painted using 6th generation Cathodic Electro Deposition (CED) Dip painting process.

The Traveller Monobus is powered by a 3.2-litre, Mercedes-derived diesel engine that produces 113 BHP and 320 Nm @ 1,600-2,200 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed synchromesh gearbox. The bus comes equipped with disc brakes on all wheels, ABS, EBD and Engine Drag Torque Control. 

The Force Traveller Monobus will be available at Force Motors dealerships across the country this festive season.

The Central Board of Secondary Education has issued fresh guidelines to its affiliated schools, making it mandatory for school buses to be equipped with speed governors, GPS and CCTV. The board has also made it clear that failing to comply with these guidelines can result in disaffiliation of the school from the board.

In the official announcement made, CBSE has quoted recent media reports which had pointed towards certain schools that were ignorant about the safety of students during transit. As a result, the board has now issued comprehensive guidelines in order to ensure safety of students during their commute to and from the schools.

CBSE has divided the complete guidelines into seven major categories, including the exterior & interior of bus, permits, arrangement by school authorities, manpower, etc. Under these guidelines, it has been made mandatory for school buses to be painted yellow and have the school's name written on both sides. For buses that are owned by the institute, it is compulsory to have 'School Bus' written on the front and rear, while for hired buses, 'on school duty' must be written. Other details like driver's name, address, licence number, badge number and the school/owner's contact number must also be mentioned in a contrasting shade, both on the outside and inside of the bus.

Additionally, the buses will need to be fitted with reliable locks on the doors and horizontal grills and mesh wire on the windows. It must also be equipped with GPS, CCTV and a speed governor with the top speed limited to 40 km/h.

Source: Times of India

Mahindra has introduced a new safety solution, which will be incorporated in its Maxximo Mini Van VX school bus.

Dubbed SafeEye, the system will allow parents to keep a track of their wards via a live video streaming feed which can be accessed on their mobile phones by downloading an android application. The system will use GPS technology on a 3G network. SafeEye offers features like SMS alerts, location and speed limit tracker for the reference of the parents and school administrators and bus owners.

Features of SafeEye:

Location & Speed Tracking Notification -

• Parents and School Administrators can track the location and speed of the vehicle as well as the driving patterns of drivers to control rash driving
• Parents get sms alerts when the vehicle is about to reach the student’s home as well as when it reaches the school. Similarly, the principal / school administrators will get a message when the vehicle has left school and crossed defined points en route
• Parents and principals / school administrators can track the location of the School Bus in real time on a GPRS Map with the help of a mobile app on their Android Phone or PC
• Principals get a message whenever there is any rash driving, unusual braking patterns, etc.

Emergency Notification -

• In emergencies like accidents, SOS messages are sent to mobile numbers of principals / school administrators
• Parent / principal alerted in case of Bus deviating from pre-set route, rash driving, sharp turning, unusually sharp braking or non-scheduled stops

Onboard Camera - An in-built tamper proof video camera can record a video feed of approximately 48 hours, which can provide extremely critical video footage for inspection in case an untoward incident takes place inside the vehicle during transit.

Webcam and Live Feed - SafeEye also comes with an additional option of live-feed through 3G network. With this facility, parents and principals / school administrators can keep a real time watch on the proceedings inside the school bus while in transit.

Prices for the SafeEye equipped Maxximo Mini Van VX School Bus (BS4, ex-showroom, Mumbai):

• Without live streaming – Rs. 4.37 lakh
• With live streaming – Rs. 4.88 lakh