Marcopolo coming to town

Marcopolo coming to town
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: If variety is the spice of life, the BMTC is looking at lots of it. Apart from its own buses and shiny red Volvos, a greater range will be introduced, even as fleet expansion is being contemplated. Transport minister R Ashok on Monday announced introduction of two buses from the Marcopolo brand on an experimental basis.
BMTC MD Syed Zameer Pasha told TOI the two buses, said to be operational for two to three months, will be rolled out from the Tata Marcopolo Motors plant in Lucknow. The modalities of the experiment, from routes to fares, are yet to be worked out.
Marcopolo buses, popular in South American countries, are headquartered in the Brazilian city of Caxias do Sul. They will cost the BMTC Rs 55 lakh per bus, as against the Volvo that costs Rs 72 lakh per bus. Like Volvos, they will be air-conditioned, low-cost and low-floored. BMTC will initially buy two and order more, based on passenger reactions and other factors.
Will these buses eventually replace the costlier Volvos? BMTC officials say no. Volvos are worldclass buses and Marcopolos are aimed at providing more variety.
The corporation is in the process of phasing out and replacing the old, haggard-looking buses. Over 1,000 buses are to be replaced by the close of the financial year.
Several hundreds of maxicabs that ply on roads are often said to be eating into the BMTC’s profits. To curtail unlicensed maxicabs that are costing the state exchequer several crores in taxes, Ashok on Monday had announced that they would be restricted to the Outer Ring Road and would not be allowed into the city. Targeting regular passengers of such maxicabs, the BMTC is out to introduce more frequent buses along such routes. Pasha also added that they were contemplating more routes.
NEW ROUTE
BMTC to buy 2 Marcopolo buses Each bus to cost Rs 55 lakh, as against a Volvo at Rs 72 lakh Buses will have low floor and A-C 1,000 BMTC buses to be replaced Maxicabs to be banned from city, more BMTC routes instead