[vigsom]

Introduction

"Experience with a difference" - this is how I'd sum up my recent encounter with a Volvo B7R, aged 14, and with a jaw dropping 21 lakh kms on the odo. What surprised me is how the machine has weathered many a storm and is still going strong. Read on to find out more!

[vigsom]

How the opportunity came up

Rather than call a company car to travel 350km, pick me up and again take me there, I decided to do part distance by a KSRTC Volvo, and have the company car pick me up from where I was alighting. I had two options for the time of my departure - a KSRTC EV Power Plus OR a KSRTC Airavat B7R. I chose Airavat since I'd never experienced the B7R from KSRTC (have experienced the B7R from GSRTC umpteen times and also the good old Raj National Express from Surat to Nasik once). This Airavat was Shivamogga bound, and that meant old fleet (all Shivamogga bound B7Rs and B11Rs that I have seen are oldies). I was still hoping against hope to see a new one in service.

At Kempegowda Bus Terminal 2

When I reached the appointed platform at KBS Terminal2, my heart initially sank as I saw this old Airavat waiting there, but the mood began changing rather quickly.

1. I discovered that this was a mid-2010 registered vehicle; at 14 years, it did show its age in bits but was still in overall good shape
2. When the engine was started up, there was a minor starting delay (maybe a crank or two more than other Volvos), but surprisingly, the engine note was almost stock
3. Seats were in very good shape for a bus this old
4. Aircon was top notch and did the job well even when set at 24 deg.C
5. The dashboard showed very few signs of ageing, and the console showed none

Airavat waiting at KBS Terminal2


Rear view


Views of KBS Terminal2; rather neatly kept for a Bus Station




View of the cockpit - the front sunblind has taken a beating with time


Engine note (please listen in with headphones on)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ_cNqEZG2w

[vigsom]

On time departure and navigating city traffic

Routine stuff; nothing different, but yes, I captured a bit of gear shifting

Extraaaaaa leg room only at the front left seats #3 and #4


Navigating the city - still



Navigating the city - motion; note the acceptable decibel horn which I find on almost all RTC buses

https://youtube.com/watch?v=WBhT_TWo4Cs?feature=share

[vigsom]

Leaving the city

After leaving the city, and once the vehicle was able to do good speeds, the real worth of such an old (or should I say young) vehicle was on show. Little to no rattles, a smooth noiseless cabin, and maintaining speeds at max. 80kmph or thereabouts. Just after the first toll plaza, the coach captain had gotten off to get something, and I took a sneak peek at the instrument console, and what did I see? The odo reading was a whopping 21,34,000kms

Odo reading


Enroute to Nelamangala - alongside the big bro Airavat Club Class B11R


Light rain after Nelamangala




Navigating the highway - signalling lane changes

https://youtube.com/watch?v=vbyQgVZB-qE?feature=share

[vigsom]

Rain gradually builds up

Rain gradually got heavier, but the ride continued uninterrupted, except for a minor hold up at Kyatasandra, on the outskirts of Tumakuru (Tumkur), where a flyover is under construction.

Driving in rain




More rain








Traffic hold up at Kyatasandra

[vigsom]

Driving through rain

Two shorts which will help all of us enjoy a virtual ride. Note the massive wipers in action. The test here was for this 14 year old to pass the water test, and not a drop of water entered the cabin even in heavy rain.

Through light rain

https://youtu.be/yHTn0FkeCqo

Through heavier rain

https://youtube.com/watch?v=q9wrt7zN0Vk?feature=share

[vigsom]

At the rest stop

Being a Shivamogga bound bus, this headed straight to Kamat Restaurant Sira, for which one has to go off the highway on the service road, crossover under the highway to get to the other side (Davanagere bound buses would stop quite early at Shree Rathnam at Billinakote, short of Tumkur). At the rest stop, it was a treat to see the red sand all wet with pools, but it was equally painful to see a poor doggie walking up to the bus, shivering, and hoping to get some food. The picture below will show this sight. Since we were barely a few minutes way from departure, I went in, grabbed some biscuits (I carry a pack or two of Marie to beat sudden hunger pangs), and tried feeding the doggie. She was scared, initially apprehensive, but when I placed bits of two biscuits and walked a little away, she came and had them. Gradually fed her three more, and that is all I could do before we set off.

At the rest stop - a Volvo B11R for company


Our coach cooling off - note the doggie at the door




Summing it up

A fourteen year young, 21 lakh km done vehicle, doing long distance trips without a sweat. Best part - doing it in style, and passing the acid test of driving in rain with not a drop of water entering the cabin. If this isn't called superior upkeep, what else is? Kudos to KSRTC for this!

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[sarathlal]

Volvo - you beauty!

Thanks for that crisp write up. It bought back memories of us patiently waiting to catch a glimpse of these awesome machines coming into the city (Bangalore to Trivandrum route). Our daily routine on way to school and colleges.

While Toyota longevity is vocal, Volvo's, true to its subtle nature, are one of the most understated vehicles in the world, be it those superb buses, stunning trucks and elegant passenger cars.

And yes, of course Karnataka Transport division for their spotless upkeep of the fleet. KSRTC is always on the forefront in getting the best in business buses for the masses.

[dipen]

A similar bus as yours clicked and posted with the same enthusiasm as yours ( again from KSRTC)
There is definitely something right with both Volvo and KSRTC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h9ll3qjcPI

[bejoy]

Thanks for the review @vigsom and a great one as usual.

Wow 21L in 14 years - that is more than 400+ kms every single day!

The other day I was reading this news about KSRTC's plan for refurbishing the old fleet once they complete 10 years and more than 10 Lakh kms on the ODO. Great to see KSRTC maintaining their fleet of buses and using very efficiently. Kudos to their staff too for taking great care while driving them.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...le68409871.ece

Some excerpts from the article:

For the first time, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will refurbish four Airavat and Airavat Club Class buses, transforming them into almost-new coaches. This initiative follows the successful refurbishment of 1,027 Karnataka Sarige buses since 2022, giving these vehicles a new lease on life.

For refurbishment, officials select buses that are approximately 10 years old and have logged over 10 lakh kilometres.

According to officials, while a new bus costs around ₹40 lakh, refurbishing an old bus to like-new condition costs merely ₹3 lakh.

[gopa99]

That is so encouraging, I would laud the rigid frame, weld quality in the body and the engine build quality for this! I am sure this machine would have taken lot more abuse than we can imagine, both on the road and in the workshop. I often miss a breath seeing how the Bangalore city B7RLE BS4 volvo's bring in the thick bloom of smoke. I once talked to the depot engineer at Bangalore Shanti Nagar and he blamed it on the B7R turbo that sucked in oil via the vacuum seals to burn in the chamber that later come out as dense smoke.

[SuperGirl_Dad]

Originally Posted by vigsom

Airavat waiting at KBS Terminal2
Attachment 2634992

Thanks for this awesome writeup . Big fan of your travels . Few questions:

Do these busses have washroom?
Passenger seatbelts?
Arent the auxiliary lights illegal and blinding?

[libranof1987]

Thanks for the write-up, vigsom!

As a regular patron of KSRTC on the Pune - Manipal, then Bangalore - Manipal route, and several journeys within Karnataka, there's a good chance I've sat in this bus! The service was always top-notch, absolutely professional staff - made for a journey I'd always looked forward to.

KSRTC has played a massive role in changing the way India travels; I doubt Volvo would have become so mainstream across India if it weren't for KSRTC making the B7R, and then every subsequent model such as the B9R, a mainstay of their fleet.

[jigar1791@gmail]

Originally Posted by vigsom

Introduction

"Experience with a difference" - this is how I'd sum up my recent encounter with a Volvo B7R, aged 14, and with a jaw dropping 21 lakh kms on the odo. What surprised me is how the machine has weathered many a storm and is still going strong. Read on to find out more!

Excellent review, @Vigsom Sir - you're not just a car fan, but also an equal rail/bus fan.

Your review goes to show how well the Volvos are built to last and capable to absorb all the abuses Indian road conditions throw at them
Part credits also need to handed over to KSRTC, as they are known to maintain their Volvo fleet in a very professional manner.

To some extent, even Maharashtra and Gujarat's RTCs do keep their Volvo's fleet in top notch condition, can't draw a comparison with KSRTC though.

I remember how Neeta/Konduskar Volvos doing daily Mumbai - Pune runs were abused and battered, inside and outside.
Goes to show how a few private operators used to take the Volvo's engineering capabilities for granted.