[dhandapanik]

ARC has added couple of new Viking AC buses(31 seater) and these are running in Pollachi-Chennai route.

[dhandapanik]

SETC is planning to add buses with Pantry+Toilet in the new 12M coaches. Not sure about the numbers. Tender has been called for building such buses. They will be of 39 seater configuration. Pantry and toilet will be located in the rear end of the bus.

[DWind]

SETC just build but do not maintain anything. I would be wary of travelling in such buses. It would only end up as a mobile toilet

[madhuperiasamy]

Originally Posted by dhandapanik

SETC is planning to add buses with Pantry+Toilet in the new 12M coaches. Pantry and toilet will be located in the rear end of the bus.

These will be 12m AL chassiss with bodies being built in Karur. Chemical toilets are being imported from Germany.
One more headache for the TNSTC managers - cleaning toilets- lol

[madhuperiasamy]

Found this link with amazing information about the history and statistics of TNSTC

http://www.tn.gov.in/policynotes/archives/policy%20%202001_02/trans-e-2001-2.htm

Makes a good read for all those interested persons out there

[Ashley2]

Seema Neeta Travels has launched Mercedes Coaches in collaboration with Micro soft.

A shot from Hubli.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

..., VRL I think has one which is a converted seat at the front ,

I this is the most smart and comfortable way of providing driver rest. At the rear when its provided, 5 seats are compromised and they are exposed to continuous engine noise and heat.

Originally Posted by TKMCE

and Kallada and KeSRTC I Think has normal seats reserved for the spare driver and in the case of the former, some of the drivers give up their seats during peal periods to make extra money.

Originally Posted by binaiks

Drivers in Kallada do not give up their seats for extra money - every Kallada bus passes through a lot of check points, and any extra passenger inside the bus would result in the driver being fired. In fact, drivers are given notices if they fail to stop at a check point.

Hosur, Perundurai Pump, etc are some check points for Kallada in the Bangalore-Salem-Coimbatore route. They have waybills which are signed by their agents enroute mentioning the number of passengers on board and time of departure from that point. .

That is what should happen and it doesn't happen many times.
This is happening regularly, atleast in the route which I am travelling. In fact cleaner and driver was speaking about the checker who also helps them. The checker is suppose to check the diesel quantity also but he does'nt do that.
Let me repeat the same phrase " if all the checkers are like this drivers will become millionaire".

Once we (two of us) have encountered the problem of bargaining for extending my trip. No tickets was issued and definitely the scenario was not like it will be entered in the passenger chart later.There are lot of cases where owner is losing and its enjoyed by his operating team.

Kallada is way to go for these kind of way side checking.

Originally Posted by TKMCE

Now an even worse trend with some operators trying to influence a few people who post on internet forums and as a result even if they know about such incidents it never comes out into the open like earlier.

In the last one month, atleast two accidents (but fortunately with no loss of life) has happened to two of the major operators to Kerala. But no news ever came out. The Bangalore Thiruvalla Super Deluzxe of KeSRTC also had an accident but this was covered.

Yes. This is going strong day by day. An operator is praised or covered in a better aspect and the negatives are not so publicly spoken. There are lot of cases where their move is praised and at times many new comers to forums are victims of those posts.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

This is happening regularly, atleast in the route which I am travelling. In fact cleaner and driver was speaking about the checker who also helps them. The checker is suppose to check the diesel quantity also but he does'nt do that.

I am not sure of which route you are talking about, but atleast in the Salem-CBE route, all the buses go to Perundurai pump for refueling - there Kallada has two checkers - one checks the fuel quantity (qty filled), odo reading and timings, while the other checks number of passengers in the bus and cross checks that with the passenger manifest.

[gold class]

Originally Posted by binaiks

I am not sure of which route you are talking about, but atleast in the Salem-CBE route, all the buses go to Perundurai pump for refueling - there Kallada has two checkers - one checks the fuel quantity (qty filled), odo reading and timings, while the other checks number of passengers in the bus and cross checks that with the passenger manifest.

In some companies the office staff sell the driver/Cabin seats and they give that amount to the driver. But the entry is made in the chart properly, so that the checkers don't fine the driver.

[dhandapanik]

ABT started their multi axle Volvo services in Bangalore-Nagercoil route.
Fare: 950. 100rs more than their 12m AC service.
Source: ABT website

[venki.bala]

Kesineni has started Hyderabad - Bhubaneswar services. Looks like Hyd - Kolkata is not very far.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by dhandapanik

ABT started their multi axle Volvo services in Bangalore-Nagercoil route.
Fare: 950. 100rs more than their 12m AC service.
Source: ABT website

Are these new volvo buses or 2nd hand buses? any idea?

[gold class]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Are these new volvo buses or 2nd hand buses? any idea?

This was old buses of Shama. KA01AA2591, KA01AA2592(White Livery ) a 2010 Oct model. Shama sold these buses to another guy in Early 2012 who leased it out to Sangitha for BLR-CHN route and also to Shama for the last quarter. Now he has leased it out to ABT on a yearly contract basis.The seats inside has been completely changed to that of ABT model.

[dhandapanik]

Originally Posted by gold class

This was old buses of Shama. KA01AA2591, KA01AA2592(White Livery ) a 2010 Oct model. Shama sold these buses to another guy in Early 2012 who leased it out to Sangitha for BLR-CHN route and also to Shama for the last quarter. Now he has leased it out to ABT on a yearly contract basis.The seats inside has been completely changed to that of ABT model.

Whether ABT changed the livery and stickerings too? Good that they changed the seatings as per their model.

Any idea whether they will be adding any more Multi-Axle services in other routes? I really surprised to see them in Bangalore-Nagercoil route. I initially thought that they will start it from Coimbatore. They started their operations with Coimbatore-Chennai and Pollachi-Chennai routes.

[PVS]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

Kesineni has started Hyderabad - Bhubaneswar services. Looks like Hyd - Kolkata is not very far.

Interesting. I was checking their site, and they now have services to Nagpur, Raipur & Bhilai as well. Good going..

The Bhubaneshwar service costs Rs 1600/- per seat with an approx journey time of 17:15 hours from Hyd to BBS and 16:00 hours in the return direction. Wondering why the outbound service consumes an hour and 15 minutes extra!
Probably they would be routing this service via Vijayawada itself..

So, this is a useful option for folks who are unable to get confirmed accomodation on a train to BBS and beyond. At least they can travel to BBS in relative comfort now..