BMTC task force moots bus design changes

BMTC task force moots bus design changes
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: The Commuter Comfort Task Force (CCTF), set up by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), has recommended that the current design of BMTC buses should be changed to make them more comfortable to passengers, especially to the elderly and the physically challenged.

The BMTC vehicle chassis design is derived out of truck chassis, which is not ideal for city transport. Hence, the task force recommended that BMTC should convert all the chassis into low or semi-low chassis with Euro II engines.

BMTC is going to introduce 50 Volvo buses that fit the description recommended by the task force into its fleet this year and gradually adopt similar designs for all its buses in future.

It has been suggested that the level of the chassis should be low enough so that it is on the same level as the floor of the bus stops on the road.

CCTF has said that inside the bus, the driver’s seat should be barricaded as to not allow any commuter to stand behind or near him.

“The ceiling horizontal grip rod should be at a reasonable height with the hanging belts made immovable. In order to ensure better crowd control, it is ideal that a rear entry and front exit policy be followed. This would also require that seating for women be on the left side,” CCTF has added.