[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by BulZire

18 KPN Omni Buses failed fitness test in Chennai RTO and denied permit.

Now after the recent fire accidents, TN RTO had finally woken up. Anyways good start at least.

Source,

18 omni buses fail fitness test, denied permit - The Times of India

The news Says,

The move is appreciated but is it practical to install strict speed governors in these night services? What is the maximum allowed speed for a bus as per TN rules? I hope Kerala too have speed restrictions but KeSRTC interstate services still do 100km/hr.
Edit: I remember TNSTC bypass rider doing Coimbatore-Salem in 3 hrs - 3 hrs 30 mins when the road was two lane but now its about 4hrs with good 4 lane roads!

[BulZire]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

The move is appreciated but is it practical to install strict speed governors in these night services? What is the maximum allowed speed for a bus as per TN rules? I hope Kerala too have speed restrictions but KeSRTC interstate services still do 100km/hr.

As per the TN high court statement, now the speed limits for all the intercity buses should be restricted to 90 km/h. But Even i doubt how they are going to carry out it with speed governors.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by BulZire

As per the TN high court statement, now the speed limits for all the intercity buses should be restricted to 90 km/h. But Even i doubt how they are going to carry out it with speed governors.

Does it mean that both Tata/AL and Volvo/Merc will do 90km/hr? I am sure that the latter can do better speeds easily and comfortably.

[BulZire]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Does it mean that both Tata/AL and Volvo/Merc will do 90km/hr? I am sure that the latter can do better speeds easily and comfortably.

You are right, But the High court statement plainly says 'intercity buses' and no classification either.
And heck, why do they really bother if it is TATA/AL or VOLVO/MERC . For them they are all buses in common . Let us wait and see how the rules are going to be followed.

May be for the new buses going for permit, they will check all the things based on the guidelines provided by the court, like emergency exit and speed governors. But what are they going to do with 1000's of already running buses.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by BulZire

May be for the new buses going for permit, they will check all the things based on the guidelines provided by the court, like emergency exit and speed governors. But what are they going to do with 1000's of already running buses.

They can catch hold of them when they come for renewing their Fitness Certificate! Speed Restriction is one rule that the operators are likely to violate heavily. Officially buses in Kerala are required to their speed limited to 60kmph - but it is no secret that Private/KeSRTC buses run at 75~80kmph most of the time!

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by binaiks

They can catch hold of them when they come for renewing their Fitness Certificate! Speed Restriction is one rule that the operators are likely to violate heavily.

+1

Officially buses in Kerala are required to their speed limited to 60kmph - but it is no secret that Private/KeSRTC buses run at 75~80kmph most of the time!

A few KSRTC Super Express drivers have told me that they make the garage guys do "some adjustments" in the speed governor setup, so that the buses can hit 70-80kmph comfortably. They say that if the speed is limited to 60kmph, they'll never be able to stick to their schedule. Last night I'd travelled in the Bangalore-Palakkad Super Deluxe. Between Aravind Eye Hospital and Peelamedu, the bus was doing a comfortable 87kmph according to my GPS.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by silversteed

+1


A few KSRTC Super Express drivers have told me that they make the garage guys do "some adjustments" in the speed governor setup, so that the buses can hit 70-80kmph comfortably. They say that if the speed is limited to 60kmph, they'll never be able to stick to their schedule. Last night I'd travelled in the Bangalore-Palakkad Super Deluxe. Between Aravind Eye Hospital and Peelamedu, the bus was doing a comfortable 87kmph according to my GPS.

Long back there was a lightening service between Calicut and Trivandrum by KeSRTC (a white bus with glass windows). I guess it was one among the first buses installed with speed governor in KeSRTC. I traveled in this bus from Ernakulam to Trivandrum once without knowing that its speed is restricted to 50/60 km/hr. The bus was too slow that regular fast passenger buses overtook it. I had to get down at Alleppy and board another bus as I was in a hurry to reach Tvm.

I personally know the conductor of Ernakulam-Bangalore KeSRTC A/c airbus who once said that speed for their bus is set at 100km/hr without which it will not reach on time. I doubt the private buses between Trichur-Palghat & Trichur - Calicut do have a working speed governor.

I wish to see the buses doing good speeds where the road is good and safe driving on congested roads.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by binaiks

They can catch hold of them when they come for renewing their Fitness Certificate!

Speed governers are available for rent in many parts of Kerela.
They will fit get certified and return them.

Simply they(traffic police) can have speed guns and catch them in highway.
Off late speed limitation rule in KMVR is one of the long standing comedy

[pypkmsrikanth]

I may be a minority here, but I feel its time the Intercity buses are brought under reasonable control in terms of speed. Our highways have too may unknowns to cruise at high speeds. I also believe the Volvo's & the Merc's could still reach destinations much faster than the rest of the buses because of the superior torque they would have.

I also feel the overall journey time may not increase by more than an hour or so on routes like Chennai - Trivandrum or Bangalore - Ernakulam etc. as most of the times the Volvos' / Mercs' end up braking hard behind a slower vehicle overtaking an even more slower vehicle.

With some smarter driving am sure the drivers would get used to lower top speed.

[venkyhere]

100% agree.

I have been doing EKM-CHE-BLORE-EKM sector by car/bus for the past 2/3 yrs and I have driven/been driven at <80,90-100,110-120,130+ and my experience is that other than the two extreme ends of the above speed spectrum, the differences in reaching time (over a ~700 km journey) between the 'middle' speeds is at most 20-25 minutes.

There are so many things at play here, like traffic at a place at a particular time, probability of the right orientation of trucks between right and left lanes to allow easy overtake, toll booth delays; emergency urine breaks, fuel filling breaks etc.

The 'risk' involved, when moving at 120 is almost double of what it is at 100. Because the average humans reaction time never scales w.r.t the capability of the vehicles. Does anyone want their life to depend on the reaction times of somebody, just so that you reach 25 minutes earlier ?

I say, restricting "BUS" (irrespective of capability of the brand) speed to 100kmph is a MUST.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

Simply they(traffic police) can have speed guns and catch them in highway.
Off late speed limitation rule in KMVR is one of the long standing comedy

Speed guns aimed at private buses, in Kerala?? You gotta be joking!

I've seen them catching cars going at 72kmph (the official speed limit for NH in Kerala is 70kmph), while they wouldn't catch a private guy who might have been overtaking this car at 90kmph. Afterall, the car guy doesn't pay him every day..

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by binaiks

Speed guns aimed at private buses, in Kerala?? You gotta be joking!

I've seen them catching cars going at 72kmph (the official speed limit for NH in Kerala is 70kmph), while they wouldn't catch a private guy who might have been overtaking this car at 90kmph. Afterall, the car guy doesn't pay him every day..

Exactly my thoughts!

I still keep somewhere a ticket I got in Hubli for driving at 58 km/hr where the speed is restricted to 50km/hr. They caught me with a speedgun and clearly mentioned 58 km/hr in the ticket while charging Rs. 300 fine.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by binaiks

Speed guns aimed at private buses, in Kerala?? You gotta be joking! ...... Afterall, the car guy doesn't pay him every day..

Thats the true state. And most important is KeSRTC owned buses even dont stick to them.

[coolclouds]

Looks like KeSRTC increased their fares.

Now the Volvo cost you Rs. 674 (+30 reservation charges) from Bangalore to Ernakulam
and Rs. 914+30 to Trivandrum.

Also, Super Deluxe fare from Bangalore to Ernakulam is now Rs. 461+30.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Looks like KeSRTC increased their fares.

Now the Volvo cost you Rs. 674 (+30 reservation charges) from Bangalore to Ernakulam
and Rs. 914+30 to Trivandrum.

Also, Super Deluxe fare from Bangalore to Ernakulam is now Rs. 461+30.

The fares went up following the increase in TN fares. These buses run a good 362 kms through TN, and even a paise increase in fares would make an effect on their fares. KaSRTC has not raised fares - I guess that was because it was already on the higher side.

The most amazing hike was for the Ernakulam-Bangalore Super Express via Hosur. The old fare was just Rs. 240 + 30 - this has now gone up to Rs. 406 + 30!!

Comparatively, the Super Express via Kozhikode-Mysore (which runs a km less than via Hosur) charges Rs. 414 + 30.

(Rs. 30 is shown extra as Reservation charges = Rs. 10 for Reservation and Rs. 20 for Service fee of Online booking)