KSRTC promises luxury travel on Benz

KSRTC promises luxury travel on Benz
Two Buses Put On Trial For Swanky Inter-City Run
Deepa Bhasthi | TNN

Bangalore: More swank is coming on to Bangalore’s roads, with the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) introducing two inter-city Mercedes Benz buses within a month, on a trial basis. After Volvo and its successful addition into the corporation’s fleet, Benz is what could frequent the roads between cities.
KSRTC MD Gaurav Gupta told The Times of India that two buses would be used for a trial period and based on performance, multiplying their number in the fleet would be considered. After the Volvo and Marcopolo buses — the latter still under trial — Benz is the next international manufacturer being considered by the state’s transport corporations. In an increasing interest that automobile majors are showing in the bus segment, Benz launched its inter-city luxury coaches late last year.
Gupta said the buses on trial would be introduced along the Bangalore-Mysore, Bangalore-Mangalore
and Bangalore-Chennai routes, some of the most popular routes that buses on trial are launched on. “Based on their performance, we will consider increasing their number in the fleet,’’ he said. The cost of each of these buses is yet to be ascertained, he said, adding that the trial buses are the latest models from Benz.
Gupta nearly ruled out integrating the Marcopolo buses into KSRTC, since the buses, currently on trial with the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), are made for city travel and not intended for long-distance use.
Integrated terminal
Trying to ease traffic congestion in the city, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) has announced integrated terminals at Majestic and Byappanahalli where the Namma Metro, Railways, BMTC and KSRTC systems would be integrated at one place.
Gaurav Gupta added that a similar integrated terminal was also being planned at Peenya-Yeshwantpur. Though there will be no Metro station there, BMRC will have a shunting yard and the terminal will be about 100 metres away, said Gupta. The conceptual work is under way for these integrated terminals.