Forget autos, hop on to smart Volvo buses

Forget autos, hop on to smart Volvo buses
Operational After 3 Days
• Will Have Conductors
• Minimum Fare Rs 10

The Times of India

Bangalore: The eyesore roads of Bangalore will now play host to flaming red air-conditioned Volvo buses, introduced by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). These were flagged off on Tuesday.

Three Euro-III buses are officially on the roads now, traversing three different routes in the city. But this is just the beginning. BMTC MD UpendraTripathi announced that 25 buses would be introduced by March-end and 25 more by July-end. Despite transportation and traffic woes increasing by the day, Bangalore is the first city to have Volvo buses as part of public transport.

Passengers would have to wait for three more days though to get onto the buses at Kempegowda busstand. The BMTC is waiting for legal clearances. These buses would operate with conductors, like the present buses. But should the BMTC decide to introduce non-stop buses, Volvos would be conductor-free.

Pleasantly coloured with spic ‘n’ span interiors, low-floor, disabled-friendly, senior citizen-friendly, cushioned seats, disc brakes that ensure passengers are not jerked forward, electronic system that provides vehicle data to drivers, these are just some of the features a Volvo offers presently. All for a price though. Like an autorickshaw, the minimum fare on a Volvo bus is Rs 10. The fares were justified by the BMTC saying each bus costs Rs 74 lakh out of which Rs 18 lakh is paid as tax.

The president of Volvo Bus Corporation, Hakan Karlsson, said Bangalore would be setting a standard for public transport for other Indian cities to emulate. “Among Indian cities, when Bangalore is mentioned, we in Sweden think of it as Volvo City. Of course there is need for long-term support from the government and the citizens,’’ he said.

Chief minister N Dharam Singh and minister for transport Mallikarjun Kharge lauded the KSRTC and BMTC for being the only profit-making transport corporations in the country.

BMTC MD Upendra Tripathi asked the government to consider having dedicated bus lanes.

First Three Volvo Routes


Route No. 356 C, Kempegowda Bus Station to Electronic City.
Route No. 335 A, Kempegowda Bus Station to ITPL.
Route No. 2, Kempegowda Bus Station to J P Nagar VI Phase.

INCENTIVES GALORE
Bangalore Darshan: Apart from buses for city transport, there are buses for sight-seeing too. Introduced as Bangalore Darshan buses (revamping the old facility), these Volvo buses operate on a package deal. Each seat costs Rs 350, with ‘gold’ and ‘silver’ seats which are larger and have better cushions. The route covers several noteworthy places with the driver providing live commentary in Kannada and English. Gold pass: On a pilot basis, the BMTC will introduce gold pass costing Rs 1,300 which includes an attractive package of 24-hour accident insurance coverage to the tune of Rs 3 lakh. Pass holders are also entitled to free vehicle parking at BMTC depots.

Parking: Suppose you work at ITPL and want to park your vehicle at Majestic busstand and then board the Volvo, BMTC is offering parking concessions. For regular users, the BMTC is offering space at BMTC depots and other locations where passengers can park their vehicles for 50% discount. This will be operational after 10 days.