[searchingheaven]

Link: Source & Full Article

The much-awaited luxury Mercedes buses could get rolling within a fortnight. Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) is on a war footing to get the air-conditioned Mercedes buses inaugurated by chief minister Nitish Kumar by December 15.

The corporation has fixed 15 buses that would ply between Bihar and Jharkhand. The fares, however, are yet to be finalised.

“We have received nine luxury Mercedes coaches so far and six more buses are likely to arrive in the next few days. The route chart of the 15 buses has been finalised. While six buses would ply between Patna and Ranchi, four more would run between Patna and Jamshedpur. Two buses each would ply on Gaya-Jamshedpur and Gaya-Ranchi routes, while one bus would run on Bhagalpur-Jamshedpur route. All these 15 buses would make two trips — morning and evening — every day on their designated routes,” a BSRTC official said.

[goswami.j]

Wonder why they choose Benz over Volvo ?
The roads also in these states need to be improved to run these type of services.

[phamilyman]

the morons got the website name wrong. what the hell! Such a pity that they messed up something so basic.

but the buses look nice. why merc in bihar of all the places? does merc have the network to service them?

[rrsteer]

Originally Posted by goswami.j

Wonder why they choose Benz over Volvo ?
The roads also in these states need to be improved to run these type of services.

IMO Benz is better than Volvo in terms of ride comfort & NVH. Also they seem to be quicker too.

[nozzlering]

goswami j and family man. Gone are the days when roads in Bihar were in pity. Things have changed a lot. They have much better roads. SH and NH in Bihar and Jharkhand are in excellent condition. Yes you can find some bad stretch.. But thats in every state. Yes state transport has to work a lot. Road transport is mostly under private operators.

[AdiSinghV12]

Originally Posted by nozzlering

goswami j and family man. Gone are the days when roads in Bihar were in pity. Things have changed a lot. They have much better roads. SH and NH in Bihar and Jharkhand are in excellent condition. Yes you can find some bad stretch.. But thats in every state. Yes state transport has to work a lot. Road transport is mostly under private operators.

I agree with the above comment... The state has changed a lot. I was in Patna a few days back and I was really surprised to see the conditions of the roads inside the city. Big big big improvement. Infact some stretches are so well that you just won't get tired of driving at the same. But yeah I think they should have opted for Volvo but Merc isn't bad too and more comfy at the same time. My $0.02.

[//M]

The Merc buses have been running between Ranchi and Patna for quite some time, around four-five months I guess. Correct me if I'm wrong. I read about it in a newspaper long back, around December 2011. Not sure about the JSR-Patna buses, but the Ranchi-Patna Mercs have already been running IIRC.

[GLAD73]

Great to see modern bus transportation being launched in Bihar.The main challenge will be for the Corporation to maintain these buses properly.Also the white seat covers seem a bad idea and will be soiled easily.

[searchingheaven]

Originally Posted by goswami.j

Wonder why they choose Benz over Volvo ?
The roads also in these states need to be improved to run these type of services.

Quotation amount, i believe. The Merc was 30 lakhs cheaper. Anyway here in Jharkhand, we have Volvos on jamshedpur-Dhanbad route. Will get pics on Wednesday.

Originally Posted by phamilyman

But the buses look nice. does merc have the network to service them?

Sure they look nice. General work/service is done by Agarwal Motors, patna & BEBBCO,Jamshedpur. Wasim is one experienced Merc & Volvo bus mechanic. Routine service by official Kolkota centre.

Originally Posted by rrsteer

IMO Benz is better than Volvo in terms of ride comfort & NVH. Also they seem to be quicker too.

Comfortwise, the Merc maybe a little bit better. BUt almost in all other areas the Merc eats the Volvo's dust.

Originally Posted by //M

The Merc buses have been running between Ranchi and Patna for quite some time, around four-five months I guess. Correct me if I'm wrong. I read about it in a newspaper long back, around December 2011. Not sure about the JSR-Patna buses, but the Ranchi-Patna Mercs have already been running IIRC.

Thay are regularly doing that route, except that sometimes they transfer passengers to ranchi-patna bus [in Ranchi] if they don't have enough passengers to make it viable to take one whole bus from Jamshedpur.

Originally Posted by GLAD73

The main challenge will be for the Corporation to maintain these buses properly.Also the white seat covers seem a bad idea and will be soiled easily.

I don't think so because they are removable and are washed between every 2 trips.

[amtak]

I am impressed! Perhaps Bihar is the first state to introduce Merc's in their fleet? ST here in Maharashtra uses Volvos under "Shivneri" brand.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by amtak

I am impressed! Perhaps Bihar is the first state to introduce Merc's in their fleet? ST here in Maharashtra uses Volvos under "Shivneri" brand.

No ways.. MSRTC was the first STU in India to launch a Mercedes bus. Those buses are no more in service. KSRTC (Karnataka) followed with a fleet of about 12 two-axle Mercs. Then came RSRTC (Rajasthan).

AFAIK, the first STU to launch Multi-axle Mercedes buses was RSRTC, followed by KSRTC (Karnataka), followed by BSRTC and now APSRTC.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by searchingheaven

Quotation amount, i believe. The Merc was 30 lakhs cheaper. Anyway here in Jharkhand, we have Volvos on jamshedpur-Dhanbad route. Will get pics on Wednesday.
...
Comfortwise, the Merc maybe a little bit better. BUt almost in all other areas the Merc eats the Volvo's dust..

Mercs are not cheaper and are always dearer by few lakhs (or at par)

The statement of Merc better than Volvo holds good interms of body reliability but IMHO, Volvo aggregates are much better(but for pusher axle tyre wear).

[n.devdath]

This is what good governance does to a state and its people. Who could imagined a decent bus, let alone a multi axle Mercedes plying in Bihar as a part of the Bihar ST fleet a few years ago?
Hats off to Nitish Kumar and his team.

Coming to the vehicles per se, Volvo multi axles have always proven better in terms of quality of components, FE and handling compared to the Mercedes multi axle buses.

This bus too could be a "sample" offered by Mercedes to Bihar ST like they initally did to KSRTC.

[rrsteer]

Punjab roadways also has a fleet of Merc. And it employs Volvos too. Get to travel on both often, contrary to views express in the forum, imho the Merc buses outclass Volvo.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

but the buses look nice. why merc in bihar of all the places? does merc have the network to service them?

Originally Posted by nozzlering

goswami j and family man. Gone are the days when roads in Bihar were in pity. Things have changed a lot. They have much better roads. SH and NH in Bihar and Jharkhand are in excellent condition. Yes you can find some bad stretch.. But thats in every state. Yes state transport has to work a lot. Road transport is mostly under private operators.

Sir please read again.

Did I mention roads?