[cnaganathan]

I will be doing my weekly CHN - BLR trip by the 1705 Airavat Bliss from Shantinagar again this Thursday. And again it will be the front row - Seat #4 this time. Let me see what has improved and what has degraded in the last 2 weeks. Watch out for my report this weekend.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by cnaganathan

This same unit had many firsts to it including a bus that had a nose like a business jet and fake aerofoils at the back and was called the Jet bus or something like that.

Ah, yes, I remember that one! It was called the "Jeeva Jet"!

[polopm]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Ah, yes, I remember that one! It was called the "Jeeva Jet"!

Was that the one which a minister did a test drive and bumped into the tree....or is my memory failing

[Gansan]

^^It was test driven with lot of fanfare by the then transport minister Mr.Muthuswamy, but I don't remember whether he bumped it in to a tree!

[Sam.k]

Did Coimbatore-Chennai on 26th Aug by Sri Ram travels semi sleeper AL coach with a/c.Seems to be special service as i dont see it listed on Redbus anymore.It was driven by a single driver and a cleaner boy fro company.The bus was in above average condition.

Boarded at Hopes collage by 9.15pm and dropped at Guindy at 5.00am.

Thats a record for me.Just 7.45 hrs flat for a 525 km journey(Avinashi,salem,krishnagiri) including a 15 min bio break and tolls.Best part was not very rash driving or haphazard braking.

Would love to take this bus gain when coimbatore changampalli 6 laning is complete and see what time he takes to complete the journey.Add a B9R multiaxle to it

The return journey was by train(Nilgiris express).Covered around 497kms in pretty much the same time.

[ramzsys]

A quick trip to Tirupati and back.

Last minute decision so depended on STC buses. Was at Shantinagar, Bangalore, by 10:45 PM, when a KA Vaibhav tata bus was leaving for Tirupati. I did not notice the condition of the bus in the rush to board and this turned out to be a battered bus with suspension noise and a very weak clutch.

In my last trip to Tirupati, i took APSRTC super luxury, and this avoided the Bangalore city darshan trip: this time vaibhav went on to Majestic and it was chaos exemplified there. Reached Tirupati bus stand by 5:00 AM.

Return was via an Tata APSRTC Express. This driver was absolutely rash in his overtakes and the rains(it rained all the way from Chittor to Hosakote) did not restrain his right leg. Started at 2:30 pm and i got down at Corporation circle by 8:15 pm-this being day time and the bus was picking up tickets at all major stops- a surprise.

Binaiks, this may be of some interest to you:this bus was doing Tirupati-Trichanoor shuttle.

[JMaruru]

We need to send a elderly lady by bus to Mumbai(Gokulanand Hotel, Dahisar E on Western Expressway) from Bangalore(JP Nagar).

Please recommend private bus service providers.

[TKMCE]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

We need to send a elderly lady by bus to Mumbai(Gokulanand Hotel, Dahisar E on Western Expressway) from Bangalore(JP Nagar).

Please recommend private bus service providers.

The best option is VRL - Most of their Mumbai buses go to Borivali. Not too sure if it stops at Dahisar E. Two of the KaSRTC Multi Axles to Mumbai also terminate at Borivai. They are also not a bad option. Again not too sure of ther stop at Dahisar. Thy may arrange a pick up van from their JP nagar office.

Neeta has 8 services of which 3 are 2 X 1 Volvo sleepers. On the Mumbai Bangalore direction, all these buses have a stop at Gokulanand Hotel so I assume the reutrn may be the case as well - but dont count on it as customer service of these guys is the worst of the lot. And if you are calling to check, better speak to their control room in Mumbai and not waste time with their Bangalore agents.

National Transports

[cnaganathan]

Originally Posted by cnaganathan

I will be doing my weekly CHN - BLR trip by the 1705 Airavat Bliss from Shantinagar again this Thursday. And again it will be the front row - Seat #4 this time. Let me see what has improved and what has degraded in the last 2 weeks. Watch out for my report this weekend.

Sorry folks. Due to last minute plans am at Hyd today and will be flying back to Chennai. So this update will have to be postponed to next week.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Binaiks, this may be of some interest to you:this bus was doing Tirupati-Trichanoor shuttle.

KL-13, Registered in Kannur(kerala)? probably would have been doing some intercity runs on Kozhikode/Telicherry-Kannur or Kannur-Payyannur/Kasargode with the previous owner!
Lot of people from Bangalore find these kind of buses (without side window glasses) amusing!!

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

The "stop anywhere at passenger convenience during night hours" is an old directive and it would save everyone a lot of misunderstanding if they mention clearly that it is not applicable on their premium services.

Some bad news for TKMCE. The new amendments to Kerala Motor Vehicle Rules 1989 now make it mandatory for drivers to stop the buses (Luxury/ Super Classes - Super Fast, Super Express, Super Deluxe - and above) at any place requested by passengers (to alight only) between 10PM and 6AM!!

Here is the notified amendment: KeralaMVD

Another new amendment proposed by Kerala Transport department also make it mandatory that buses of classes Fast Passenger and Above can now be operated ONLY by a State Transport Undertaking. Ordinary buses cannot run for more than 160kms as well - so that sounds the end of all private long distance state carriage buses in Kerala.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by binaiks

Another new amendment proposed by Kerala Transport department also make it mandatory that buses of classes Fast Passenger and Above can now be operated ONLY by a State Transport Undertaking. Ordinary buses cannot run for more than 160kms as well - so that sounds the end of all private long distance state carriage buses in Kerala.

That is going to be a bad decision! there are many buses doing even 400 kms night service with LS permit and do much better service than STC.

Govt tried to implement such rules earlier also but never happened

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

That is going to be a bad decision! there are many buses doing even 400 kms night service with LS permit and do much better service than STC.

Govt tried to implement such rules earlier also but never happened

No more with LS permits. All of them have upgraded to Super Fast or Super Express (some have even matured to Super Deluxe permits). In 90% of the case, they are of no use to passengers staying en-route. These buses would never carry passengers who wish to alight en route (being a stage carriage, it is mandatory to carry passengers who might travel to places en route).

[aroonanand]

Originally Posted by binaiks

No more with LS permits. All of them have upgraded to Super Fast or Super Express (some have even matured to Super Deluxe permits). In 90% of the case, they are of no use to passengers staying en-route. These buses would never carry passengers who wish to alight en route (being a stage carriage, it is mandatory to carry passengers who might travel to places en route).

Dint know that such private buses existed which did long distance routes on a Super fast / Deluxe permit. Can you throw some light on the routes and names of such buses. I find comfortable inter-city travel in Kerala a huge issue as the KeSRTC FP / SF are just not comfortable and the private buses I have seen are short distance buses with a 3+2 configuration and again not at all comfortable for a 4-5 hour ride

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by aroonanand

Dint know that such private buses existed which did long distance routes on a Super fast / Deluxe permit. Can you throw some light on the routes and names of such buses. I find comfortable inter-city travel in Kerala a huge issue as the KeSRTC FP / SF are just not comfortable and the private buses I have seen are short distance buses with a 3+2 configuration and again not at all comfortable for a 4-5 hour ride

Those private buses too are the same 3+2 seaters, with more dazzling lights added in.

There are buses like Shajees, Holy Maria, etc which run on routes like Kottayam-Panakkad, Pathanamthitta-Kanhangad, etc. I am not able to recollect the exact routes, though.