Indian Luxury Buses

Another Sharma Volvo B9R accident - this time at Haveri

2011-10-19T04:18:00.000-07:00

See the Davanagere accident HERE

See all Volvo / Mercedes accidents HERE

The Sharma Volvo B9R multi-axle accident at Davanagere isnt the only one. Another one happened at Haveri involving another Sharma Volvo B9R bus.

This accident occurred when the Bangalore bound Mumbai - Bangalore Sharma multi-axle Volvo bus tried to avoid the sudden entering of a three-wheeler. This made the driver loose control which resulted in the bus toppling over. This crash happened near Haveri around 8:00am .3 persons were said to have been found dead in this accident.

The Sharma Volvo B9R bus before the accident
Pic - Putta, Davanagere

The same bus after the accident |
Pic - Sunil Kumar

The same bus after the accident
Pic - Sunil Kumar

Another Sharma Volvo accident - this time in Davanagere

2011-10-19T04:03:00.000-07:00

Before we start, here is the LINK to the first ever Mercedes Benz bus crash that was owned by Sharma Travels - SEE

Secondly, to see more than a dozen other Volvo / Mercedes bus accidents, see THIS

Here is another Sharma multi-axle Volvo B9R accident report. Sharma Volvo is one of the regulars on the Mumbai - Bangalore route but this time, the Bangalore bound bus met with a fatal fate. This accident happened on the 1st September 2011 around 7:30am near Davangere, 260km short of Bangalore on NH4, when reportedly a KSRTC bus suddenly took turn to enter the Holalkere village road. The conductor of KSRTC bus has been dead in this accident. As of now, we don't know what happened to the passengers of the Volvo bus!

The Sharma Volvo B9R multi-axle bus before the crash Pic - Putta, davanagere

The same bus after the accident!
Pic - Sunil Sharma

SVR multi-axle Volvo B9R bus drowns in a canal

2011-10-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

View more than a dozen earlier accidents involving Volvo and Mercedes HERE

In August, an AP registerted multi-axle Volvo B9R bus belonging to SVR Travels almost drowned in a canal in Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. Here are the pictures!

View more than a dozen earlier accidents involving Volvo and Mercedes HERE

Pic - Sunil Kumar

The best Volvo bus video ever!

2011-10-18T01:02:00.000-07:00

We have seen various Volvo bus, both B7R and B9R version videos but this has to be the best one ever. Made by Inner Eye Films, the video shows a presentation and feedback on the Volvo B9R or the Volvo multi-axle bus. The video is pretty long but worth a watch - increase the volume or wear ear-phones please!
The video also shows a few shots of the smaller B7R through the snowy roads of Manali!
To see our other Volvo videos, see our Youtube Channel HERE

Haryana Roadways Volvo bus accident

2011-10-18T00:22:00.000-07:00

See all 14 previous accidents HERE
In yet another case of the high end luxury buses being involved in accidents, this time the news has come from North India. A Haryana Roadways Volvo bus, operating between Chandigarh and Gurgaon via Delhi was hit by a speeding truck from behind on 9th October 2011.

It is learnt that the Volvo bus was first hit by truck on one of the flyovers between Ambala and Delhi. The driver, conductor and one of the passengers got down to see the damage when unfortunately, another truck from behind rammed the bus - the truck was speeding and the impact was so high that the bus moved forward, killing the conductor behind resting into a side ditch - thankfully it didnt overturn - which could have hurt other passengers as well!

Another VRL Volvo accident leaves 4 dead!

2011-10-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

There has been a recent rise in accident involving the high end luxury Volvo and Mercedes buses - see all 13 accidents HERE

Here is an update on the Mangalore - Mumbai VRL multi-axle Volvo that happened on 14th October 2011. The VRL Volvo left Mangalore at 1pm and the accident happened 12km from Ankola after it fell into a deep gorge. There are different versions regarding the cause of the accident. One of them says the bus rolled over into a deep gorge while attempting to give way to another vehicle, while another says it happened so after hitting a bridge. Yet another version says it first collided with a lorry. As the accident happened in a remote area, there was no mobile connectivity as well!

Picture - mangalorean.com

Another Mercedes Bus accident : Nagpur to Pune route

2011-10-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

We have shared with you videos and pictures of various Mercedes Benz and Volvo bus accidents in India - SEE ALL
Here is another Mercedes Bus accident, this time the single axle bus, that was run by Girkikand Travels from Nagpur to Pune. Thanks to bokanglock, here is a low-down on this Girikand Travels' Mercedes Bus :

The bus was said to be coming to Nagpur to Pune and a tyre burst at Maltan Phata resulting in loss of control and the bus the jumping the divider. It later went into a ditch at high speed and the crash resulted in death of 3 passengers with serious injuries to 17 passengers.

Thanks to bokanglock, here is a video as well

Volvo B9R multi-axle bus caught doing 130+ on its speedometer

2011-06-22T18:21:00.000-07:00

We have spoken enough on the high end luxury buses in India and their capabilities to do high speeds. In fact, we have caught these buses on camera on numerous occasions like :http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
1. Two Volvo B7R buses racing at 125km/h
2. The Mercedes tri-axle bus doing 130km/h

Recently, thanks to our reader Sujith VG, we came across this video taken by a person "Madhuanton" of a Volvo multiaxle bus (we guess its the KPN B9R on this route) on the Madurai to Bangalore route doing crazy speeds on the highway. Look at the way it overtakes other buses! In the end of the video clip, you can clearly see the speedometer needle going past the 120km/h mark and even the 130km/h indicator! Now that's something. Dangerous or sheer ability of a Volvo bus? Feel free to comment....

Neeta Travels' Mercedes tri-axle bus' Mumbai-Goa accident

2011-06-20T02:25:00.000-07:00

Before we start, here are the previous Mercedes bus accidents in India
1. The first ever Mercedes bus accident in India
2. Neeta's Mercedes bus crash between Hyderabad and Mumbai
3. See all Volvo and Mercedes Benz crashes till date

Thanks to our reader Vikram, here are more details on the Neeta Tours and Travel's Mercedes multiaxle bus crash that happened on the Mumbai-Goa route.
According to Vikram, the accident happened on the morning of this easter Sunday (third week of April) while the Mercedes bus was on its way to Mumbai from Goa. Around 100 kms before a place called Pen, around 6AM in the morning, Vikram was woken up due to frantic calls of people yelling at the driver who had lost control of the bus on a curve. By the time he woke up, the bus ran off the road into the field and the ride got very rough. He held tight to the seat and within a few secs, the left of the bus hit a tree. The tree fell on one side and the bus overturned onto the driver side. Luckily he was on the conductor side so escaped with minor bruises. However, lots of people were injured badly but thankfully, there was no causality.

These newer generation Mercedes Benz (and Volvo) buses are safe and hence its good to see there was no fatalities. However, at the same time, there has been an increase in such bad accidents involving these buses nowadays. We guess its time that Mercedes and Volvo started having a regular check on the kind of drivers who drive these buses!

KSRTC's Multi axle Volvo (Club Class) Bangalore to Pune

2011-06-19T22:01:00.000-07:00

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, KSRTC, is one of the largest users of Volvo buses in India. They have now started the Multi Axle Volvo B9R service from Bangalore to Pune and Mumbai under the name Club Class.

These KSRTC Volvo B9R buses will leave from Shantinagar Bus station and pass via Kempe Gowda Bus station. The bus to Mumbai will leave Shantinagar at 2 p.m. and from Kempe Gowda Bus station at 3 p.m. It will reach Mumbai the next day at 9.45 a.m. In the return direction, it will leave Mumbai at 3 p.m. and reach Bangalore the next day at 9.45 a.m. The buses to Pune will leave Shantinagar at 6 p.m. and Kempe Gowda Bus stand at 7 p.m. to reach Pune at 9.45 a.m.

Pictures of beautiful National Travels Volvo buses

2011-06-19T07:47:00.001-07:00

Volvo buses do look cool and beautiful but there are certain operators in India who love making them even better! Take for instance National Travels and their fleet of Volvo B7R and B9R (single axle and multi-axle buses).

Some of the nicely done examples are:

1. The "PAKEEZAH" Volvo Multi-axle B9R National Travels bus:

2. The "MUGHAL-E-AAZAM" Volvo B9R multi-axle National Travels bus:

3. The "KAAJAL" Volvo B7R single-axle National Travels bus:

4. The "TAJ MAHAL" Volvo B7R single-axle National Travels bus:

5. The "MUMTAZ MAHAL" Volvo B7R single-axle National Travels bus:

KSRTC's paperless e-ticket system and its shortcomings

2011-06-11T22:31:00.001-07:00

KSRTC is the single largest user of Volvo B7R and B9R buses in India and the corporation is known for its strength in this area. They also have a very strong e-ticket website and they recently offered the paperless e-ticket wherein a passenger has to show just his PNR number and an ID proof to travel in a KSRTC bus. However, recently, Bangaloremirror came across a case that showed the inadequacy of the KSRTC staff.

Techie Asaque Ahmed suffered badly when he booked an e-ticket and wanted to travel from Chikmagalur to Bangalore in a KSRTC Volvo bus. However, the lady conductor was totally uncooperative and did not have a clue about e-tickets. He even logged on to the KSRTC website and showed the ticket booking, but she was not convinced and started shouting and demanding a printout at 12 in the night.

The conductor later took Asaque to the supervisor but he was just as ignorant about e-tickets.
The conductor insisted that he buy a ticket if he wanted to board the bus. Ahmed registered his complaint the next day through the KSRTC website but hasn’t yet heard from them.

K A Rajkumar, director, operations, KSRTC, told Bangalore Mirror, “Before taking up the new initiative, we sent instructions to all the conductors and received an acknowledgment from them. I do not how the conductor did not receive the letter. We are certainly going to take action against her if she is at fault. This should not have happened.”

So you think Volvo and Mercedes buses are safe? See THIS!

Update: KPN bus accident in Tamil Nadu with pictures

2011-06-10T04:25:00.000-07:00

This has to be one of worst accidents in the history of luxury buses in India. Two days back, a KPN air-conditioned luxury bus met with a fatal accident in Tamil Nadu. The KPN Travels owned bus was going from Chennai to Pollachi. The accident happened at Avalurpet village, about 45 km from Vellore.

Atleast 22 people were killed (including seven women and a 10-year-old boy) in the accident involving this KPN bus. Only one passenger and the bus driver had a miraculous escape. The passenger Karthikai Rajam, said he escaped by breaking open a window but couldn't save his wife Smitha. The driver later surrendered himself to the police. It is reported that while trying to avoid hitting another vehicle, the Pollachi-bound KPN Travels bus crashed into the pit near Vellore district close to midnight Tuesday.

This is one of the most gruesome accidents on Tamil Nadu's accident-prone highway. The bus, carrying 23 passengers, swerved to the left and its silencer and diesel tank rammed a culvert before the vehicle fell into the ditch and caught fire at about 10.45 pm on Tuesday. KPN travels has earlier too been involved in fatal accident like THIS

All pictures from http://konidelachiranjeevi.blogspot.com/2011/06/kpn-bus-accident-photos-vellore-bus.html

MSRTC's new Volvo B9R Multi-axle Ashwamedha service

2011-06-02T04:08:00.000-07:00

Pic: Kshitij Keer

MSRTC (Maharasthra State Road Transport Corporation) is known for its Shivneri B7R buses that ply between the two cities of Mumbai and Pune. And now, MSRTC is running the longer, more comfortable and more powerful Volvo B9R Multi-axle buses on the same route - between Dadar and Pune railway station. Needless to say, these buses look eye catching and massive on the road. The good part is that the ticket price remains same as the Shivneri buses at Rs 270!

Pic: Kshitij Keer

Pic source - http://d-blogger-in-me.blogspot.com

Neeta travels' Mercedes triaxle bus accident between Hyderabad and Mumbai

2011-06-01T04:14:00.000-07:00

A Mercedes Benz multi-axle / tri-axle luxury bus, run by Neeta Tours, heading to Mumbai from Hyderabad on 1st May 2011 had met with a tragic accident in which five passengers were killed on the spot and 14 others were injured. This happened when the Mercedes bus fell into a gorge near the Naldurg taluka of Osmanabad district. It was reported that the bus driver lost control on the wheel which resulted in the fall of vehicle into the gorge killing five passengers on the spot and injuring more than 14 others.

The deceased were identified as S Prasad, Shriniwas Bhadrakota, Shivkumar Padgir, Deepika Pawankur and Taufik. The age group of victims could not be ascertained as yet, police said. Our condolences to the families of those who passed away.

Here is a video of the same bus by "bokanglock" on youtube.com. Look how Neeta Tours and Travels has rubbed off their brand name from the bus body! Thanks for the pictures to Bokanglock also!

In the past, high speed buses like Volvo and Mercedes have been involved in accidents like these. Click HERE to see all

M&M launches Maxximo Mini Van

2011-05-01T23:43:00.000-07:00

Auto maker Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has launched its next generation passenger carrier Maxximo Mini Van in India. Priced at Rs 3.2 lakh , the van has been developed at the company's Chakan plant in Maharashtra. Maxximo Mini Van will compete with Tata Magic and Maruti Omni in the domestic mini van segments.

According to Pawan Goenka , President , M&M Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors , the van will be sold through 230 dealers and 600 outlets across the country. The company has spent Rs 130 crore to develop Maxximo platform and will spend Rs 70 crore for setting up of manufacturing line. Currently the production capacity at Chakan unit is 2 , 000 vehicles per month.

Equipped with C2 CRDe diesel technology , Maxximo Mini Van has a wide body for more space. The van will offer pulling power of 25 HP and a top speed of more than 70 kmph. The new M&M vehicle promises fuel economy of 18 kmpl.

Our Volvo and Mercedes bus videos are a hit on Youtube!

2011-04-06T04:02:00.000-07:00

Time and again, we have been posting videos taken by us around India on Youtube. And it seems, we are gaining popularity. Here are some of our most viewed videos. Click on the link to view video

1. Two Volvo buses caught speeding at 125km/h - 35,099 hits
2. The MSRTC Shivneri caught speeding - 21,040 hits
3. A rare video of Tata Hispano bus speeding - 16,168 hits
4. The Mercedes multi-axle caught doing 130km/h - 13,057 hits

To see more videos, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/bunnyp1983

Jaipur to Shimla Volvo bus service by RSRTC

2011-04-06T03:44:00.000-07:00

Pic: Omnibusalta

Yes indeed. This service has been on for a while now by Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation. They are playing their Volvo bus from Jaipur to Shimla and Shimla to Jaipur via New Delhi.

The RSRTC Volvo bus leaves Jaipur at 9:30pm and arrives in Shimla the next day at approximately 9-10am. The fare for the trip is a very steep Rs 1418! That is Rs 2.3 per km! Compare this with Rs 1200 for a Mumbai-Bangalore 1050km trip.

Tata Divo to take on Volvo and Mercedes Benz buses

2011-04-06T02:55:00.000-07:00

The Indian luxury bus market is currently dominated by Volvo with its B7R and B9R range of buses, followed by Mercedes Benz. And now, the local player, Tata Motors, aims to grab a major chunk of this segment with their soon to be launched bus, the Divo - a luxury AC coach meant for intercity long-distance operations. The launch will happen in the first quarter of the next financial year. It is also learnt that currently five Divos are under trail run on the Indian roads.

Tata had earlier experimented with the Hispano model (read HERE) but it seems the sales werent good enough. "This will be an international product at an Indian price. Hence, we will be 10 per cent less expensive than our competitors," said Ashish Tandon, head (marketing, buses).

Divo, whose styling comes from Spanish bodybuilding company Hispano Corracera, is now a fully-owned subsidiary of Tata Motors, is BS-III compliant and powered with a 285-horse power Cummins engine.

The standard variant seats 46 and can be customised according to passenger and operator requirements. He said the company was expecting to sell 300 units.

WORTH A READ
1. Neeta gives Mercedes its biggest order ever

Neeta tours picks up 30 Mercedes buses including multi-axle

2011-03-28T04:44:00.000-07:00

Mercedes is finally getting the recognition and sales it deserves for its bus range.
A significant deal comprising 30 units of 2-axle and 10 units of 3-axle coaches with Neeta Tours & Travels was announced today. The first lot of the handover comprising 11 buses was done at the Mercedes-Benz India plant at Chakan, Pune.

Emphasizing the ‘Travel with the Star’ experience, Mr. Peter Honegg, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes- Benz India Ltd. handed over the keys of the eleven 2- axle coaches to Mr. Anil Savla & Sunil Savla of Neeta Tours and Travels. The Mercedes-Benz Coach incorporates the hallmarks of the Mercedes-Benz brand. These include high standards of safety, comfort, reliability and quality that is aimed to make the travel experience of the commuters a cherished one.

Commenting on the deal, Mr. Sunil Savla, Owner, Neeta Tours & Travels said, “Our current fleet of Mercedes-Benz buses cumulatively has excellent on road performance and has had better revenue realisation than other coaches. This has convinced us in our decision to purchase the new set of 40 more Mercedes-Benz buses; with this our fleet of Mercedes Buses will go to up to 60. The customer feedback has been extremely positive for these buses and the reliability and comfort of a Mercedes-Benz bus remains unmatched.”

KSRTC gets own Mercedes luxury buses

2010-09-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has now inducted Mercedes-Benz buses in its fleet: Mr. R. Ashok, Chairman and Mr. Gaurav Gupta, M.D, KSRTC was handed-over the keys of KSRTC’s Mercedes-Benz Luxury Two axle coaches by Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, Managing Director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India.

The KSRTC Mercedes buses will run on the following routes

Bangalore-Mysore : 07:40hrs, 08:40hrs, 17:10hrs, 17:30hrs ( Fare: Rs:260/-)
Mysore- Bangalore: 12:10hrs, 12:40hrs, 20:30hrs, 20:50hrs ( Fare: Rs:260/-)

Bangalore-Shimoga: 10:00hrs, 14:00hrs (Fare: Rs 416/-)
Shimoga-Bangalore: 23:00hrs, 23:30hrs (Fare: 416/-)

Bangalore-Tirupathi: 10:45 hrs, 23:00hrs (Fare: 370/- and Rs 400/-)
Tirupathi-Bangalore: 12:15hrs, 23:15hrs

Bangalore-Chennai: 23:40 (Fare: Rs: 620)
Chennai:Bangalore: 22:25

Bangalore-Hyderabad: 20:40(Fare: Rs 780)
Hyderabad-Bangalore: 17:30

Volvo opens bus centers in India

2010-09-15T22:06:00.000-07:00

After establishing its leadership position in the market in the luxury segement for city buses and inter-city coaches, Volvo Buses is once again leading the change towards progress in the area of after sales. Mr. Akash Passey, Managing Director, Volvo Buses India and Rune Lundberg, Senior Vice President-Marketing, Volvo Buses Interntional launched another first – The Volvo Bus Centre – a successful global after sales model in India.

Volvo Buses has embarked upon restructuring its after sales service, so as to provide customers with a single point interface and an experience that is at par with international standards. Volvo Buses will soon start upgrading 5 of it service dealers across Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. Volvo Buses currently provides after-sales support to its customers jointly with Volvo Trucks. However, with the fast changing market environment & increased concenteration of Volvo Buses in regions, these focused Volvo Bus Centres are being established.

Volvo Bus Centre will provide a unique retail experience to its customers. From its current capability of offering repairs and spare part network, the new Volvo Bus Center will now additionally offer Accident Repairs, Parts Warehouse, Refurbishment, Special Bus Technicians and Soft Offers that will provide a complete Volvo Brand Experience such as Merchandise, Advisory services and Training amongst others.

Akash Passey - "Our aim is to get closer to the customers and become a complete
solutions provider."

Customers will now be able to obtain assistance from choosing a vehicle to obtaining cettified service, prompt provision of spare parts.

See: Akash'a Passey's interview with us

Reader Feeback: Chennai to Trivandrum - Parveen travels

2010-09-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

1. Your name: Praveen Paul
2. Route : Chennai - Trivandrum
3. Operator name : Parveen Travels
4. Bus brand : Mercedes Benz Multi axle
5. Month of travel : July

The travel Experience was very positive. The Bus was scheduled to leave Chennai Koyembedu at 8:00 PM to Trivandrum, the fare was Rs 1050 which is bit more than what the Volvo operators charge ( ~Rs 950). Due to traffic inside the Bus stand itself, we only managed to leave around 8:30. The Bus itself was what you would expect from a bus competing against the volvos : comfortable seats, excellent air conditioning and very smooth ride. Parveen Travels provided Complementary snacks for the journey, a very nice touch! The Drivers were friendly and didnt chat loudly all night or anything. There were 2 LCD tvs inside the bus and i was sitting at the front and the in bus entertainment is the usual Tamil movie. Unlike other volvos that i have traveled by, the front of the main aisle of the bus wasn't covered and you had a good view of the road ahead though there was no light problem from the oncoming traffic as the roads are 4 laned.

The bus traveled at a fast speed ~100 Km/h and made quick time (including a race with a KPN multi axle Volvo!) to get to Trivandrum by 8:15 AM, which is very fast considering that Anantapuri EXP takes 16 hours! All in all the journey was very pleasant, quiet and there were no unnecessary stops. I would really recommend travelling by Parveen's Mercedes bus!

For more reader reviews, CLICK HERE

Reader Feedback: Hyderarabad to Mangalore - Kesineni Travels

2010-09-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

Your name: Deepak
Route: Hyderabad - Mangalore
Operator name: Kesineni Travels
Bus brand: Volvo 9400 6x2 B9R
Month of travel: June 2010
Short experience: Enjoyable & decent service

Rating:
· Bus Interiors: 4.75/5;
· Bus Exteriors: 4.5/5;
· Crew Service Courtesy: 4.75/5;
· Drive experience: 4.5/5;
· In-bus Entertainment: 4/5;

I had booked on this service from ‘Hyderabad (pick-up Kondapur, near Hitec city)’ to ‘Manipal –Bye-pass’. The pick-up time was scheduled to be 5:30 PM. Kesineni is covering pick-ups pretty well in South-West region of Hyderabad.

The B9R bus starts from Garage @ Nizampet road and picks up from Miyapur, Kondapur and last stop Mehedipatnam. There are van pick-ups from Erragadda, Ameerpet, Punjagutta. This is well handled in the website as they have online booking.

This 6X2; 9400 (B9R) has 49 seats. Last seats are normal seating. Since it is a semisleeper, the leg-space is pretty good.

Apart from Service to Mangalore from Hyderabad, Kesineni has B9R service to Goa, Coimbatore, Mumbai & Surat (via Mumbai, Valsad). Coimbatore & Mangalore service start at the same time.

At Kondapur the first service came was to Coimbatore at sharp 5:30 PM, followed by Mangalore at 5:45 PM. This lag was to handle the parking & boarding of Coimbatore bus at Mehedipatnam.

The bus had maroon color exteriors and blue interiors (regn: AP16TU6800), it appears that all their B9R have regn number ending with 00). The bus left Mehedipatnam at 6:35 PM to stop for dinner at Jadcherla by 7:45 PM. After dinner break at Jadcherla, with driver change the bus started around 8:15 PM on the route to Raichur-Koppal-Gadag-Hubli-Ankola-Kumta-Bhatkal-Kundapura-Udupi-Mangalore. The bus crossed Raichur around 10:20 PM and around 12:45 AM bus had stopped for loo and I was surprised to see then KSRTC B7R passing by (that was 1705HYDMNG service). The bus reached Hubli at 2:45 AM trailing behind the KSRTC B7R. KSRTC B7R entered the Hubli old bus stand for drop and this bus had advantage and started before B7R, after crossing Hubli at the outskirts this bus stopped around 3:00 AM for driver change and tea. After this the bus was speeding inspite of heavy down pour on NH17, when I opened my eyes the bus was crossing the Sharavathi Bridge and by 6:50 AM was at Bhatkal. He stopped for ladies to use the Ladies toilet at Hotel Vaibhav, then I saw 2 KSRTC B7R’s (1705HYDMNG & 1300MUMMNG) going towards Mangalore. Do not know when KESINENI had overtook them. The only hitch point was 12 passengers were picked from Bhatkal to Mangalore (assuming) and started towards Mangalore. Due to Heavy rains (Kundapura had experienced 27cm of rain in 24 hours) there were trees uprooted & encroached exactly infront of KSRTC bus stands. So this bus had to wait for close to 90 mins, till it was cleared. While KSRTC bus entered the Kundapura KSRTC bus stand and steered off ahead.

This bus left after the path was cleared and reached Udupi at 10:00 AM, Kesineni’s context Udupi Bus stand is Manipal Bye-pass as I expected. However while returning back from Mangalore it also enters Manipal (TC) for pick-up.

Had there been no block at Kundapura then it would have reached Udupi by 8:30 AM. A decent 15 hour journey covering 850 kms, even I cannot achieve this timing if I prefer to drive down by car.

This service is good competitor for KSRTC B7R & may propel KSRTC to upgrade to B9R.

The only drawback is that the blankets have no white linen as in KSRTC service.

For more reader feedbacks, CLICK HERE

DTC breaks all rules! Caught speeding

2010-09-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

Common Wealth Games are just around the corner. The Government is trying to upgrade everything including the infrastructure. Right!!!
Weren't DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation) buses fitted with speed governors? Isn't the speed limit in Delhi and NCR for buses 40km/h?
What we managed to get here is a scoop!! We caught a DTC bus going from Noida to Delhi on the DND (Delhi-Noida-Delhi) expressway at crazy speeds. The bus driver is even changing lanes and doing speeds of more than 80km/h. Safety be dammed it seems!

Who is responsible for this?

To see more videos of buses doing high speeds in India, CLICK HERE

Reader Feedback: KSRTC Mangalore to Hyderabad

2010-09-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

By: Deepak Sarvade

Route: Mangalore-Hyderabad
Operator name: KSRTC (trip 1601MNGHYD & return 1705HYDMNG)
Bus brand: Volvo 9400 4x2 (B7R) -Mark III
Month of travel: June 2010
Short experience: Met expectations

Rating:
· Bus Interiors: 4.75/5;
· Bus Exteriors: 4.0/5;
· Crew Service Courtesy: 4.75/5;
· Drive experience: 4.0/5;
· In-bus Entertainment: 4.5/5;

I had booked on this service from ‘Udupi’ To Hyderbad (MGBS drop). I had booked sheet no: 26 (in new KSRTC 9400 series; the emergency door is here and get superb leg-space. The bus was scheduled to arrive at 17:15 hrs, and it arrived & left at 17:30. The KSRTC drivers focus on Fuel efficiency and a steady speed is maintained. At Kundapura, they stopped around for evening tea around 18:15 hrs. After the snacks the bus steered out and the movie that was played - Chachi 420. At around 21:30 hrs the bus stopped for dinner at Kamat Upahaar , Ankola. This seems to be a decent place.

With driving change, the bus departed at 22:00 and by 00:15 hours crossed Hubli old bus stand (no pickup or drop). By 3:00 hrs this stopped at Koppal outskirt for driving change. The bus reached Raichur at 5:00 hrs. When I got-up it was around 6:45 hrs and the bus was crossing Mahbubnagar town and since it was not raining the sun rays did not make me to sleep further. The bus stopped for morning tea at Jadcherla (not called for) for 30 mins at 7:15hrs & reached MGBS by 9:15 hrs as expected. Though the KSRTC time is 9:45 hrs; there were times when this bus has reached MGBS at 7:30 hrs.

The monsoon plays havoc on NH17 killing the road & increases the travel time.

If KSRTC updates the service to B9R it would be fun, to see the competition on road between Kesineni and KSRTC. The rumor is that soon this service would be updated to B9R.

Now this service has both pick-up and drop at Manipal. So students travelling to Manipal from Hyderbad need to select Udupi and then drop or pick point as ‘Manipal bus stand’.

KSRTC has added another service from Mangalore to Hyderabad & back (1300MNGHYD & 1230HYDMNG), this service was going full in May. With Kesineni this service is not full, not sure how long the additional service would be in place.

For more Reader Feedbacks, CLICK HERE

Reader Feeback: DOLPHIN SIDDIQUE TRAVEL

2010-09-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

By: Anonymous

Pathetic service by bus driver-Issue with AC, Leakage and mis-behaviour

I have trvelled on 25 aug 2010 , from Thane to Shirdi
I have booked my ticket from Karishma Travells(Teen hath Naka,Udan Pull,Near Telco Co. LBS marg ,022-25806303)
We all pasangers have been given ticket for AC bus charging rs. 250/- Bus-Dolphin number (MH-04 G-5444)
ticket number 1494 seat no. 16
Bus has started moving at 10.30.
It was suphocating badly so all passanger including me asked driver to start AC, but he completly ignored us. At bhiwandi all passanger shouted at him to start AC and then he used really rubbish language. He did not start AC at all.
After some time it started raining heavily and his bus started leaking. So all of us had to suffer alot during whole night. We all decided to take this issue forward so I called Siddique travells (o2224173717) DADAR office. And we explained whole issue. Their Agent said Mr. Naushad is owner of this firm and nobody have guts to go against him. I told him we are suufering and instead of giving solutions or sympathy he again misbehaved with me.
I found that its waste in talking with him and I asked him Mr. Naushad's number. But he talked so rudely and put the phone down.
Now my concern is if this private tourist companies misbehaving with customers who pays them the amount they say aren't deserve atleast good service??

READ ALL READER FEEDBACKS HERE

RSRTC Volvo B7R caught weaving dangerously

2010-09-10T07:43:00.000-07:00

Recently we at travelbyvolvo caught this RSRTC (Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation) Volvo B7R caught weaving dangerously through traffic.
The bus, on its way from New Delhi to Jaipur, had just crossed the Gurgaon toll plaza. In traffic, it is doing speeds around 70-80km/h and further at 1:40min in the video, u can see the way it overtakes the 3-wheeler!

For all videos of such buses by us, CLICK HERE

Mercedes multi-axle bus : cruising @ 105km/h video

2010-09-09T23:34:00.000-07:00

After so many Volvo videos, we caught the newly launched Mercedes multi-axle bus on the Mumbai-Pune expressway.
This bus was been run by Neeta travels and being new, the driver was holding around 102-104km/h constantly.
The white bus does look majestic and we can only imagine how it will be driven after a proper run-in.

Enjoy the video. For all videos on luxury buses till date, CLICK HERE

MSRTC Shivneri Volvo B7R : 110km/h in rains!

2010-09-09T23:27:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you felt safe doing 110km/h in a car in rains. Ok, let us put it this way - when was the last time you felt safe while being a bus doing 110km/h. Surprised.
Well, Volvo buses are known for their safety and hence it comes as no surprise when we caught this MSRTC Shivneri Volvo B7R doing speeds between 105-110km/h in rains on the Mumbai-Pune expressway. See for yourself!

To see all our videos on these buses, CLICK HERE

Isuzu bus caught speeding over 110km/h

2010-09-09T23:18:00.000-07:00

From across the country, we have been bringing you exclusive videos of luxury buses caught speeding. And this time we are in North India.
We caught this Isuzu luxury bus, running under the Haryana Roadways scheme, speeding enroute Delhi. As you can see, at times the bus is even doing over a 110km/h!

While we do understand that these buses like Isuzu and Volvo are fast, but is it really safe to drive like this? You decide

RELATED SPEEDING VIDEOS - CLICK HERE

Parveen travels gets first Mercedes Multi-axle bus

2010-06-23T01:14:00.000-07:00

Remember our spy shot of the new Mercedes Mult-axle bus (READ) ? South India bases Parveen travels is now the first owner of the same bus. This new bus hallmarks of the Mercedes brand: highest standards of safety, comfort and technology. They offer unparallaled value offering to customers due to their optimized cost of ownership, toughness and durability as well as reliability.
The Mercedes Multi-axle buses are built on the robust Mercedes chassis O 500 RSD 2436. These buses have been optimized to suit the needs of Parveen Travels. The buses sport suave exteriors, plush and airy interiors, well designed passenger seats and thoughtful amenities like personalised speakers, lights and AC controls.
Powered by the Euro III engine, the buses are capable of delivering high performance, powerful torque output and a good fuel economy. Their rear engines with 6 vertical cylinders, turbo charged and intercooled engine deliver 1200 Nm torque at a low rpm of 1400-1600. The smart suspension system of these buses is equipped a lifting mechanism that allows the chauffer to increase the height of the bus when the road conditions are demanding.

Read this bus' reader feedback HERE

KSRTC: Single driver scheme results in an accident

2010-06-23T01:05:00.000-07:00

In December 2008, we had put a post about untrained drivers driving KSRTC Volvos - READ. Recently, the same transport undertaking's Volvo met with an accident, which could have been a deadly one. Why - KSRTC decided to run its B7R Airavat on the Hyderabad - Bangalore route with just one driver one board.
We believe due to fatigue, the driver couldn't pay attention on the road ahead. Here is Mr Sanram's account - a passenger on the same bus

Hi all,
I have escaped a near fatal incident yesterday night, which could have been easily avoided.

Details: KSRTC volvo Airavat from hyderbad to bangalore, start:20.00hrs from JBS.
Single driver. Around 3am, we were woken up by two forceful jolts. The confused passengers could smell diesel, and heard words, "get down" and "diesel leak". And while getting down, we saw diesel flowing under our feet. By the time everyone got down, the tank was empty, and bus was in a pool of diesel.

Reasons: The driver didn't take the necessary diversion, and went above the big boulders on the blocked road. Not sure if there was any road divert sign board. within the 40 min desperate wait for reaching help from KSRTC depot, we saw all other buses,cars correctly taking the diversion. It is said that the driver was new to this route. One small spark while braking would have been sufficient to burn us all with the 200litres odd capacity of the fuel tank.
Finally we had stopped a passing by Rajahamsa bus, which happened to be empty enough to accomodate us all.

Since we had an escape, this incident might not be reported anywhere, but we the passengers know that we had such a close encounter, and just feel lucky for being alive.
1.So isnt it the KSRTC's resposnibilty to properly train/guide about the route?
2. Had there been co-driver, there are much chances of spotting the whole road blocked with big boulders, in case one of them just didnt notice due to any reasons.

Why not follow all safety rules, instead of condemning, inquiring, and giving compensation after the such fatal incidents happen?

KSRTC has often been priased for its customer service and buses. But events like these don't really go well with their reputation.

INTERESTED AND RELATED READS:
1. KSRTC to buy ten B9R buses
2. New Mercedes multi-axle bus caught on test
3. KSRTC's route map for B7R buses

UPSRTC Volvo : New timings and fare

2010-06-16T08:33:00.000-07:00

UPSRTC's Volvo has been getting a very favorable response from users. Though we believe the routes remain same, the frequency of buses running on this route has increase.
WWW.Abhibus.COM has the complete booking arrangement for UPSRTC's Volvo as well as other buses including the sleeper ones. Log in for more information.

KSRTC to purchase 10 Volvo B9R buses

2010-06-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

Pic: ksrtcblog.com

KSRTC is known for its huge fleet of Volvo B7R buses. After the successful trial of the multi-axle or the B9R Volvos, the state government has decided to go ahead with the order of ten brand new B9Rs.
The main advantage is that the B9R, due to its added length can carry eight more passengers - a total of 53 as compared to 45 for the B7R. However it should be noted that private operators are running their B9Rs with one row less or 49 seats, hence increasing leg space.

INTERESTED READS:
1. New Mercedes multi-axle caught on test

SCOOP! New Mercedes Multi-axle caught on test

2010-05-17T09:04:00.000-07:00

(click to expand)

Remember Mercedes showcasing their new multi-axle bus at the Auto Expo? (read HERE)

Well, that bus had both the 2nd and 3rd axle with 4 wheels each. However, I managed to chase and capture this different kind of multi-axle Mercedes bus on test recently.

I strongly feel and believe that this one has a dummy 3rd axle with 2 wheels, just like the Volvo B9R has a dummy 2nd axle with 2 wheels. Looks like Mercedes has gone in for some changes in the bus. Hmmmm...

Shall keep you all posted on this...

TATA Hispano : Can it make a dent?

2010-05-16T05:07:00.000-07:00

Remember the new rear engined luxury bus from TATA in collaboration with Hispano. The body is made at ACGL's factory in Goa. Though its priced quite low as compared to the likes of the Volvo buses, we havent really seen many of these on the road.
Lately, things are moving on though with SRS travels among others having taken these buses.
Here are a few images of how SRS's Hispano bus looks like.

KSRTC's Mumbai(Borivali) to Bangalore Volvo bus to skip Pune city

2010-05-16T04:08:00.000-07:00

This had to happen and in my opinion is the right move by KSRTC. It has now been decided that the Volvo B7R buses running between Borivali (Mumbai) and Bangalore will not enter Pune city. Instead they will follow NH4 all the way to Katraj, take a right and continue on the highway. This has been done to minimize wastage of time. Earlier these buses used to enter Pune and waste a good hour. There are currently three buses departing from Borivali at 1pm, 3:30pm and 7pm. Passengers boarding from Pune will have to come to Wonder City, Katraj for the pick-up.

VRL Logistics / Neeta Travels get Isuzu buses

2010-05-15T07:43:00.001-07:00

Main image: www.motorindiaonline.com

VRL Logistics, one of the biggest luxury bus operators in India has recently bought quite a few of the Swaraj Mazda Isuzu buses. These are being operated on various routes like Mumbai-Goa.

Neeta travels has also taken up some Isuzu buses and is running the same on routes like Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai. It should be noted that Neeta has various kinds of luxury buses like the B7R, B9R, Tata-Hispano etc.

KSRTC's Airavat Volvo route map

2010-05-13T05:43:00.000-07:00

Here is a (click to expand) route map of KSRTC's Volvo Airavat service. KSRTC is the biggest (correct me if i am wrong) user of Volvo's B7R (and now B9R) buses in India. As seen in the map, KSRTC is now operating its Volvo service across five different states

(Click to expand)

Reader Feedback: Cerita / Isuzu / Volvo B9R

2010-05-11T23:37:00.000-07:00

From our reader Deepak (Bangalore)

Dear Bunny

In response to your call in travelbyvolvo.blogspot.com i would like to share my experiences in different types of buses.

Cerita :

Photo for representational purpose only

Kinglong make I travelled in cerita bus between Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam operated by kesinenitravels a leading operator of Andhra Pradesh in April 2008. The bus has a total seats of 45 and divided into 11 rows. The bus interiors are good and the interior body and seats have same upholstery. The seats are placed at a height of 4 inches above the middle pathway or gangway. The front seats do not have any legroom and the last two rows are placed at a height. There is a step of 6 inches for the 10th row and 11th row has two steps of 6 inches each. So the 10th and 11th row will also have less legroom as their leg will be obstructed by the preceeding seats and they cannot stretch their legs below the seat space as in Volvo. This means the seating will be comfortable for only 8 rows. More over it seamed like the engine is occupying more space. Recently they removed one row for this bus to make more legroom for the 8 rows and the seating is reduced to 41 seats.

ISUZU :

Pic: www.team-bhp.com. Photo for representational purpose

I travelled in ISUZU from Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam by Sree Kaleswari Travels in May 2009. The bus has a total seats of 41 divided into 10 rows. The seats are placed directly on the gangway floor except the last two rows which are placed on steps of 6 inches each as in Cerita. when you push back your seat fully you could see outside the window freely as in Volvo as the seats are on the gangway floor. As the bus is 11.5M long the leg space for 9 rows will be equal to 10 row volvo semi sleeper. So the operator has removed one row but the last two rows have the same problem.

Volvo B9R :

Pic: www.team-bhp.com. Photo for representational purpose

I Travelled by volvo multiaxle from Bangalore to Vijayawada The bus has 12 rows with 49 seats all the rows have equal leg spacing including the last row. The engine occupies less space and 13.7 metre space is used for seating. Unloke the other brands the seats are placed at a height of 6 inches from the gangway floor and as you reach the back the seating floor height is gradually increases to about 9 to 10 inches (Gradient and not in steps). So there is uniform spacing between the rows and legroom is maximmum in volvo and also the seats used by them from Harita are the best seating systems then all other brands.

Volvo costs around 72 lacs and other brands like TATA Hispano, Ashok leyland IRIZAR, Cerita, Isuzu cost around 55 lacs which have less horsepower and the seating system should be more comfortable for all the rows which will have have a positive impact on the customer and also the maintainance costs and service stations for the operator will have a impact on the market.The engine design should be compact and should not consume the innner seating space. Though may are in the market and may planning to enter like Hino (toyota) the price and seating and service costs and service station availability will decide the existence of market for the players. Many operators prefer to buy Volvo than others which are less priced because of the brand value and the acceptance of the customer. Though ISUZU was acquired by VRL 8 Nos, Seabird Tourist 4 Nos, Varsha Travels 2, Sree Kaleswari 4 Nos in the last two years of its launch from june 2008 there are many takers of Volvo B7R and B9R.

Read all Reader feedback HERE

Reader Feedback: Royal Cruiser Volvo

2010-05-11T23:32:00.000-07:00

C) Royal Cruiser

1. Your name: Kanth
2. Route: Siliguri - Kolkata
3. Operator name: Royal Cruiser Travels
4. Bus brand: Volvo B7R
5. Month of travel: May 2009
6. Short experience:

Rating: Bus Interiors: 3.5/5; Bus Exteriors: 4/5; Crew Service Courtesy: 3.5/5; Drive experience: 2.5/5; In-bus Entertainment: 2/5;

From: Siliguri

To: Near Mayapur (some 2 hours before CCU)

Travel Time: Evening 6ish – 5ish morning (next day); Approx 11 hours

You will like: Only that you are riding on a Volvo. Baggage tags given.

You will dislike: The road condition between Siliguri and Calcutta and lack of proper in-bus entertainment.

Overall: I had a very unfortunate travel experience with RC. Booked seats on the first row and the harsh driving and breaking by the driver, I felt the necessity to wear seat belts. Even then it was discomforting considering the rash over taking, hard breaking, steep turns by the driver. He seems to be not trained by/at the Volvo facility. The NH was narrow and the driver’s arrogance only made the displeasure. Otherwise it was a nice experience and I wouldn’t mind traveling by RC again in future.

Tit Bits: Royal Cruiser is considered as a major operator of repute in WB. All drivers are dressed up in uniforms similar to airline pilots.

Disclaimer: My experience on that day could just be coincidental. Considering their reputation I would still recommend their service.

Read more Reader Feedbacks HERE

Reader Feedback: Sree Kaleswari Travels

2010-05-11T23:29:00.000-07:00

Sree Kaleswari Travels

Pic from zadeus

1. Your name: Kanth
2. Route: Bangalore - Vijayawada
3. Operator name: Sree Kaleswari Travels (SK)
4. Bus brand: Volvo 9400 6x2
5. Month of travel: November 2009
6. Short experience:

Rating: Bus Interiors: 4.75/5; Bus Exteriors: 4.5/5; Crew Service Courtesy: 4.75/5; Drive experience: 4.5/5; In-bus Entertainment: 4/5;

From: Kalasipalya Bus stand

To: Varadhi Junction, VJA

Travel Time: 1800 hrs – 0600 (next day); 12 hours; Break Time: 30 mins;

You will like: Crew’s punctuality sense, bus inside and outside cleanliness, livery and interiors. Booking experience online.

You will dislike: If you had a wrong choice seat choice, except for your seat you will not dislike anything else.

I later understood the commercial aspect here. When we started in CHN the occupancy was 50 % and by the time I got down in VJA the bus was running with full load. Even when some willing extra passengers volunteered to travel in cabin the driver promptly said no. To make the utmost profit out of every sector that they operate these buses should run with a minimum of 75% occupancy. This was ensured by the company even on a Wednesday.

Overall: Considering this was my first B9R experience and previous pleasant experiences with SK, I was looking forward for an exciting journey and Sree Kaleswari lived upto the excitement and did not disappoint me as before.

Tit Bits: SK recently rented a huge (read huge) space for it’s own bus stand in the heart of VJA (near Benz Circle). It has moved there recently from it’s own Petrol Station cum bus-stand close to this current place. The SK bus-stand has all comforts for the passengers viz., proper waiting area, parking area, ticket booking facility, snacks stall with working refrigerators. We have to note a point here that SK is ISO certified operator.

Read all Reader Feedbacks HERE

Reader Feedback: Kaveri Kamakshi Travels

2010-05-11T23:26:00.000-07:00

From our reader Kanth (Chennai)

Hi Bunny Punia,

First congrats on your blog gaining wide popularity (noticed that RedBus featured TravelbyVolvo survey recently). I came across a post asking for feedback on Volvo operators that I have traveled recently. Came across your blog through Google and been following for few months.

Here’s my two-cents and hope it will add some colour to your blog. Also, I would be interested in learning a bit more about you.

A bit about myself:

I am Kanth living in Chennai basically from Andhra. As part of my job and lifestyle I make routine trips across and outside India. Pertaining to TravelByVolvo, I make regular trips between Chennai-Vijayawada and occasionally between CHN-BLR, BLR-VJA. I make sure that I travel by the best operators and buses. I share the same passion as you, Cars, Buses and travel. Here’s my experience so far and will post my upcoming Volvo experience (CHN-BLR).

A) Kaveri Kamakshi Travels
1. Your name: Kanth
2. Route: Chennai - Vijayawada
3. Operator name: Kaveri Kamakshi
4. Bus brand: Volvo 9400 6x2
5. Month of travel: March 2010
6. Short experience:

Rating: Bus Interiors: 5/5; Bus Exteriors: 5/5; Crew Service Courtesy: 4/5; Drive experience: 4/5; In-bus Entertainment: 4/5;

From: Chennai Koyambedu Private Operators Bus Stand

To: Ring Circle, NH 5, Vijayawada

Travel Time: 1730 – 0115 (next day); Approx 7.5 hrs; Break Time: Dinner 30 mins after Nellore;

You will like: Crew’s punctuality sense, bus inside and outside cleanliness, livery, interiors, a huge Sony LCD TV to show a movie in the front. The other screen (in the middle of the bus) was a normal China built Carbon over head video set. Booking experience online.

You will dislike: Enters every city on the way (Nellore, Ongole and Guntur) between CHN-VJA for boarding passengers. This is rather a disliking point as this being a CHN-VSKP service, consumes atleast 1-1.5 hrs extra for entering cities on the way.

I later understood the commercial aspect here. When we started in CHN the occupancy was 50 % and by the time I got down in VJA the bus was running with full load. Even when some willing extra passengers volunteered to travel in cabin the driver promptly said no. To make the utmost profit out of every sector that they operate these buses should run with a minimum of 75% occupancy. This was ensured by the company even on a Wednesday.

Overall: I have been longing to try out their service ever since I came to know that Kaveri Kamakshi launched operations. I personally liked the body work, livery, interiors of the bus not to mention the pretty female seated behind my seat. Overall a satisfactory and pleasant experience.

Tit bits: Sree Kaleswari Travels recently cut down it’s CHN-VJA services from 3 to 2 making room for Kaveri Kamakshi Travels. I sense a route sharing agreement between operators for better profits. SK also stopped it’s CHN-HYD service to make room for Dhanunjaya Travels. Either they must be sister concerns or operators must be following Airline’s foot steps to share sectors. CHN-VJA-VSKP is served only by SK, KK and Kesineni travels now.

Read more Reader feedbacks HERE

Reader feedback: KPN Volvo

2010-05-11T23:21:00.000-07:00

From our reader Sridhar

1. Your name : Sridhar
2. Route : Bangalore - Chennai - Bangalore
3. Operator name : KPN Travels
4. Bus brand : B9R & Veera AC
5. Month of travel : May 2010
6. Short experience : Bangalore to Chennai was a B9R multi-axle bus. The ride was very comfortable. It was 2+2 seater and the fare was 620/- Bus Left Bangalore around 2.15 PM and was in Chennai by 8.15 PM. In between there were 2 stops one for 20 mins and other for 5 mins. It was a pleasant ride.

Return I booked for a 2+1 semi-sleeper Volvo KPN bus from Chennai to Bangalore. Bus was supposed to start at 10.45 PM. I opted for T-Nagar boarding point. When I reached the T-nagar boarding point at 10:15 PM I was told the bus broke down and I have to take a different bus from CCCBT. There was a mini bus that dropped us at CCCBT. When I reached the terminus the bus was almost full and I got a different seat and not the one I booked. Though it was semi-sleeper bus, it was not a Volvo bus. It was Ashok Leyland Veera AC bus. I paid more for this bus but ended up travelling in a non-volvo. Bus left Chennai at 11.15 PM and was in Bangalore by 6.15 PM. Ride was not very comfortable as compared to my onward trip which was in a B9R.

These private travels cheat people in the name of Volvo buses.

Read all reader feedback HERE

Roadlink India Volvo B7R crash pictures

2010-04-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

My friend, Praveen Prakash Sathaye was traveling in RoadLink India's Volvo B7R from Chennai to Bangalore a few days back. At around 2am, the bus hit a trailer from behind at speeds of around 100km/h. Praveen was thrown out of the bus (he was sitting right behind the driver, non-window, seat no 3). Thankfully he didnt sustain serious injuries. The cleaner of the bus wasnt that lucky, as seen in the pictures.

Here are other crashes in the past
1. Sharma's Mercedes crash
2. KSRTC's fatal crash enroute Mangalore
3. KSRTC's fatal crash involving Infosys employees
4. KPN's Volvo B9R crash

EXCLUSIVE: Two Volvo B7R buses caught racing at 125km/h!

2010-04-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

EXCLUSIVE SCOOP!

For all those who doubted the capabilities of the Volvo B7R bus, or those who thought these are limited to 103km/h as per the company’s website, here is an exclusive video, caught for the first time in India – video evidence of not one, but two 9400 series Volvo B7R buses racing on the Mumbai-Pune expressway.

Finally after repeated attempts, I managed to catch these buses, belonging to MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation-blue color) and A.P (Andhra Pradesh-white color) tourism, racing towards Mumbai, from Pune one fine morning.

The video is quite long but sit patiently and watch the whole action. There are numerous times when my Xylo’s speedometer showed 124-126km/h, with these buses right in front of me. Speeds of 110-115km/h were common.

Also note the starting of the video. I was cruising at 90-95km/h when I happened to see the buses approach in my RVM. That is when I switched on my mobile camera for evidence. I pity those passengers in the two buses!!

And we thought only private operators indulged in such dangerous antics on the highways...

Feel free to comment..

MSRTC Shivneri Volvo B7R : Video on Mumbai-Pune expressway

2010-04-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

I have in the past uploaded a lot of videos of Volvo as well as other buses. See THIS VIDEO where the bus is seen doing 118km/h!

Recently, I took another video of the MSRTC Shivneri Volvo B7R bus. This time though it was cruising sedately at around 105-106km/h.

For more videos, see my Youtube Playlist

Feedback from readers needed

2010-04-10T03:56:00.000-07:00

Did you recently experience travel in any of these buses?

1. Volvo B7R / B9R

2. Mercedes

3. Isuzu

4. Corona

5. TATA Hispano

If yes, we would be glad to know your feedback and experience about the bus as well as the operator. It will probably take you just five minutes but will end up helping and guiding thousand of readers here.

Just mail us your experience at bunnypunia@gmail.com. Do include the following

1. Your name

2. Route

3. Operator name

4. Bus brand

5. Month of travel

6. Short experience

We will post your feedback in the relevant section and update you on the same via an Email.

Thanks!

You can read various experiences here

1. Neeta

2. VRL

3. KSRTC

4. Sharma

5. Metro Link

Read all Reader Feedbacks HERE

Eagle travel's Delhi - Ahmedabad - Delhi Volvo starts

2010-04-09T22:27:00.000-07:00

This was one route that was always on my radar to put a Volvo bus someday on..... Guess, i will still have to wait for a few more years before being able to realise my dream. Anyways, Eagle Corporate, the Gujarat based bus operator has recently started its Volvo B7R service on the Delhi to Ahmedabad and Ahmedabad to Delhi route.

From Delhi, the bus leaves at 6:00pm whereas from Ahmedabad, the Volvo leaves at 2:00pm.

The fare for seat is Rs 900 whereas the fare for sleeper berth is Rs 1,200.

These are 2x1 kind of sleeper berths meaning you have enough place for sleeping.

For more, log onto REDBUS for ticket booking

KSRTC Airavat Volvo experience : Bangalore to Pune route

2010-04-07T09:07:00.000-07:00

After taking the MSRTC Shiveri Volvo from Pune to Davanagere (read HERE), I took KSRTC's Airavat Volvo back to Pune. The booking was done online and I had to pay the complete Bangalore-Pune fare for my Davanagere-Pune journey - Rs 923. I got seat no 1 : my favorite seat.

Although the ticket mentioned the departure time to be 7:35pm, having taken this bus on numerous occasions, I knew it wouldnt come before 8:00pm. And i was right - it came only at 8:15pm.

Being a weekday, the bus wasnt full. The good thing was that seat no 2 was empty which meant I had a relaxing time all the way to Pune. The bus took a 30min dinner break around 1hr from Davanagere. On the way, it got into the towns of Hubli and Belgaum, there by losing around 30min. Operators like VRL and Sharma dont do this.

According to my GPS, the driver kept the bus around the 85-90km/h - i have noticed this on earlier occasions as well.

The good thing about KSRTC as compared to VRL and Sharma is that they enter Pune city. I was dropped off at Swargate bus station at 5:15am, ie, it took us 9 hours for the journey including getting into Hubli and Belgaum as well as a dinner stop. Quite decent.

Another good thing was that unlike my past experience with VRL and Sharma, the driver and conductor were quite, not talking and thus not disturbing the passengers.

MSRTC Shivneri Pune to Bangalore Volvo experienced

2010-04-04T01:50:00.000-07:00

A few days back we told you about MSRTC Shivneri's new Volvo service to Bangalore from Pune - see HERE. Yesterday, ie, on the 3rd April I personally took the bus to get a first hand experience.

The bus from Pune leaves at 5:30pm from Swargate. Contrary to the usual Pune-Mumbai Shivneri bus service, this one wasnt on time. Below are my pointers
1. The bus left at 6:00pm - 30min late
2. There was too much confusion. 5-6 officials - some trying to identify all baggage with tags, some checking tickets, some helping walk in passengers etc. And the same thing again by other officials. MSRTC should learn a thing or two from KSRTC.
3. The bus took 10 hrs for Pune to Davanagere : 1 to 1.5 hrs more than other operators I have taken till date
4. The above point was due to the bus entering three cities - Kolhapur, Belgaum and Hubli. While this might help in revenues, but on the other hand, it just makes the bus reach its final destination, ie, Bangalore late.
5. The drivers werent really good - hard acceleration, hard braking and so on. Too many 'jhatkas' on the way

The good point
1. The bus was half empty so I later went to the rear and slept peacefully
2. However the point above (sleep) didnt last long. Due to constant entering into cities, all of us were constantly being disturbed
3. Normal buses dont enter Davanagere - this one did :)

Overall, i wouldnt take this service next time. I am ok with paying a hundred bucks extra on other operators to reach my destination earlier.

UPSRTC Volvo bus service

2010-03-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

UPDATED: SEE THIS POST FOR LATEST UPDATES

UPSRTC (Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation) has taken the right step to introduce Volvo B7R service on various routes. These are:

1. Lucknow to Allahabad
Departure: 8:00 / 9:00 / 13:00 / 18:30
Ticket price: Rs 277

2. Allahabad to Lucknow
Departure: 8:00 / 13:00 / 15:00 / 18:30
Ticket price: Rs 277

3. Lucknow to Varanasi
Departure: 8:00
Ticket price: Rs 417

4. Varanasi to Lucknow
Departure: 15:00
Ticket price: Rs 417

5. Lucknow to Agra
Departure: 8:00 / 20:00
Ticket price: Rs 527

6: Agra to Lucknow
Departure: 8:00 / 20:00
Ticket price: Rs 527

7: Lucknow to Delhi
Departure: 19:30
Ticket price: Rs 701

8: Delhi to Lucknow
Departure: 19:45
Ticket price: Rs 701

More information can be had at http://www.upsrtc.com/

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VRL Multi-axle Volvo B9R: Bangalore to Pune route experience

2010-03-17T08:50:00.000-07:00

Read my onward journey experience HERE which really wasnt good. I had again booked my return ticket through www.redbus.in on VRL's Multi-axle B9R Volvo and though it said the bus would leave at 9:15pm, it only left Davanagere at 9:50pm, a full 35min late. The worst was however yet to come. One of the passengers was sitting on the co-driver's seat and even when the TV was shut off, they were constantly chatting loudly. At Hubli, during fuel fill-up, I requested the driver not to talk anymore as it was disturbing my sleep. However, at Hubli, one more person joined them and the talks continued. Isnt VRL aware of all this? Are we paying a thousand bucks to listen to driver and passengers talk at night? Ultimately, I had to get up from my front seat, go to the last row and sleep.

I was dropped off at Katraj bypass at 6:20am. Overall, good bus quality, but the overall experience was let down by the timing and driver's attitude. It seems i will stop taking VRL's services from next time onwards.

VRL Multi-axle Volvo B9R: Pune to Bangalore route experience

2010-03-17T08:11:00.000-07:00

I had in the past written about my experience with VRL Volvo and as evident, havent really been very happy. I took their services yet again on the 11th of March for my frequent travel to Davanagere from Pune. For this, I booked myself on the 7pm Multi-axle Volvo via www.redbus.in

I booked seat no 3 (left row, non-window). The bus was scheduled to arrive at Katraj at 7pm and it did. However, like my previous experiences, it left the place only after 40min at 7:40pm. All this time, the passengers who had boarded at Mumbai had to be sit inside only, killing time by doing nothing. When the bus did start, two girls, seated on seat numbers 4 and 5 requested the driver to wait for just 5 mins as they had to hand over some documents to a friend. But the ignorant driver did not respond and just drove on. How shitty is that now? VRL can waste 40min doing nothing but loading parcel boxes but cant wait for 5 mins when a passenger requests??

We took a dinner break after Satara. Driver change happened somewhere enroute and the second driver was driving very fast. Infact, sometimes he was rash, braking hard and going through the bad roads between Haveri and Davangere very fast, shaking up everyone. Why do they need to do this? I really appreciate Sharma Volvo for they are quite cool through bad roads and drive fast, but in a seamless manner.

I was dropped off at Davanagere bypass at 4:20am. The return journey too was by VRL - a bad choice as i found out. Review coming up next!

SVR Volvo (Hyderabad to Mumbai) caught doing 100+

2010-03-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

In the recent past, I have posted a lot of videos of Volvo as well as other buses doing high speeds. See my video library - http://www.youtube.com/user/bunnyp1983

Recently while traveling to Mumbai from Pune, I caught the SVR Volvo B7R, going to Mumbai from Hyderabad, doing 100km/h+.

Enjoy the video and dont forget to check out my previous video of the Volvo B7R doing 118km/h HERE

Pune to Bangalore MSRTC Shivneri Volvo starts

2010-02-21T04:37:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE TO READ AN EXCLUSIVE FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE

MSRTC has started its Shivneri Volvo service on the Pune - Bangalore sector from 18th February. One can make online booking at - http://public.msrtcors.com/ticket_booking/index.php

Initially, MSRTC will only operate the Volvo B7R on this route and later will add Mercedes Benz buses too.

The fare will be Rs 900, which is very competitive. Other operators like VRL and Sharma are charging anywhere from Rs 950 to Rs 1050. The Shivneri Volvo will leave Swargate depot at 5:30pm, reaching Bangalore at 8:45am the next day. The same bus will leave Bangalore at 6:15pm, reaching Pune the next day at 9:30am.

To book other bus tickets on various routes, we recommend REDBUS
Read my recent experience on this route HERE and HERE

Mumbai to Pune / Pune to Mumbai Shivneri volvo ticket booking online!

2010-02-19T05:08:00.000-08:00

This was long due. Finally, online ticket booking for Mumbai - Pune / Pune - Mumbai MSRTC Shivneri Volvo buses has started.

Log onto http://public.msrtcors.com/ticket_booking/index.php
To book other bus tickets on various routes, we recommend REDBUS

These are the best option to travel between these two cities. In addition, you can also book tickets on other MSRTC routes on non a/c buses as well.

You might also be interested in seeing the MSRTC Shivneri Volvo do almost 120km/h! See THIS LINK

Mercedes launched multi axle bus in India

2010-02-19T04:54:00.000-08:00

Ok, i know this is coming very late, but here is more dope on Mercedes Benz's rival to the Volvo B9R multi-axle bus. Mercedes Benz, though are the leaders in luxury buses in the world, havent really been doing well in India with their luxury long distance bus (see HERE)

The new Mercedes multi-axle bus was launched at the Auto Expo in New Delhi. They call it the 3-axle coach. Powered by the Euro III engine, the Mercedes-Benz 3-axle coaches are capable of delivering high performance, powerful torque output and a good fuel economy. The rear engine with 6 vertical cylinders, turbo charged and intercooled engine delivers 1200 Nm torque at a low rpm of 1400-1600. The smart suspension system is equipped a lifting mechanism that allows the chauffer to lift the height of the coach when the road conditions are bad.

The Mercedes-Benz coach is designed for the highest levels of safety and stability at even high speeds. The coach comes with ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) that accentuates safety of the vehicle as a whole. Hoping to take a ride in one of these some day!

Click HERE to book tickets on this bus now

VRL travels introduces new Volvo B9R multi-axle buses

2010-02-19T04:45:00.000-08:00

Hubli based VRL Travels, one of the biggest bus travel operators in South India recently picked up a lot of new Volvo B9R multi-axle buses. The last we heard, they purchased 8 of these, all in yellow color, with numberings (to identify the buses) in the form of alphabets.

I recently took their Mumbai to Bangalore B9R for my trip to Davanagere from Pune. This bus leaves Sion at 3pm, reaching Katraj at7pm. Though the bus arrived on time, it just stood there for 45mins, putting in courier boxes to be delivered in Bangalore. This was very irriating.

The bus however is the epitome of luxury travel in India. On the way, I even sat at the co-driver's seat, chatting with the driver about the new features. As the bus was new, Volvo had electronically controlled the top speed to 100km/h. The B9R has a cruise control in addition to height adjustment and traction control too. The driver was making full use of the cruise control and cruising at 100km/h. Only on downhill sections was the bus going above 100km/h. I was told, once the engine has run-in properly, the cruise control will be removed and the bus will easily do 120km/h.

The Katraj (Pune) to Davanagere trip, around 580km, was done in 9 hours including a dinner break and a fuel stop. I paid Rs 950 for the ticket (Pune-Bangalore is Rs 1,000). Overall, a satisfying trip with the only issue being the long wait at Katraj.

Read more VRL related posts, including feedback HERE
Read more about the Volvo B9R HERE
Click HERE to book tickets on this bus now

Sharma Volvo B9R : Bangalore to Mumbai route experience

2009-11-08T22:10:00.000-08:00

After taking the VRL volvo to Davangere on the 5th (READ HERE), I took the Sharma B9R back to Pune on the 8th November. Again the seat was booked online and though yet again Redbus mentioned boarding time at 8pm, the bus arrived in Davanagere at 9:15pm. I had pre-called the Sharma agent in Davanagere and he had confirmed the time as 9:30pm. Fair enough. But to my dismay, the bus ended up taking a 45min dinner break in Davangere at left only at 10:15pm. But this was just the starting. After crossing Haveri, at the first toll naka, the bus waited for a good 20min for another Sharma Volvo coming from Mumbai side to give that bus a spare tyre. We were already running well behind schedule. After Hubli though, the driver did try making up for the lost time as my GPS showed true speeds to be around 95km/h (100+ on the speedo) with short bursts to 105km/h or so .

The bus' condition was very good - smooth and silent. I was lapping the bus' speed : till the time we stopped for breakfast at Natraj (shivpuri), the bus covered 235km in 174mins : avg speed of 80km/h! Brilliant. However, the breakfast break turned out to be a 45min break. Two KSRTC Volvos which came after us, left before us! I was finally dropped off at Katraj bypass at8pm : thats a journey time of almost 10hrs as compared to 8.5hrs the VRL volvo took 3 days back. This is really not encourgaing and i might just stop using Sharma Volvo from next time onwards.

Click HERE to book tickets on this bus now

VRL Volvo : Mumbai to Bangalore route experience

2009-11-08T21:38:00.000-08:00

Date of journey : 5th November 2009
Bus route : Mumbai to Bangalore
My route : Boarding at Pune, dropping at Davanagere.

I took the 7pm Pune VRL bus. I had booked the ticket via redbus.in and though the site mentioned the pickup point as Laxmi Narayan Theatre, the actual boarding point was Katraj. The bus came 15min late but the worse part was that the bus left at 7:45pm. The reason being that VRL guys were busy loading parcel (courier bags) in the belly of the bus. Unlike other operators like KSRTC / Sharma, VRL is still using the old Volvo B7Rs and not the new 9400 series one. The bus did seem old - lot of suspension and engine noise. I had seat no 2 and used my GPS speedometer (in the phone) to the max. The driver was fast, keeping around 105-110 on the speedo (my GPS showed around 95-98 most of the times).
We had dinner after Satara (45min break) after which it was a nonstop drive to Davanagere. Surprisingly, we reached Davangere bypass at 4:15am - 565km in 8.5 hrs including a dinner break. This has to be one of the fastest Volvo journeys till date for me.

I paid Rs 950 for the journey. Overall good but VRL should pull up its socks with better boarding time and also newer buses.

Click HERE to book tickets on this bus now

Why Volvo is offering adjustable air suspension on the new buses

2009-10-28T00:27:00.001-07:00

There is a reason why Volvo is now offering adjustable air suspension on the newer 9400 series B7R and B9R. I saw this feature first hand recently on the Mumbai-Bangalore KSRTC B7R. The lane leading into the pick-up point in Pune (camp) is very tricky : the dirt road is 6-8 inches lower than the main road. The driver made full use of the air-suspension, lifted the whole bus by a few inches and had no trouble whatsoever negotiating this obstacle. It looks pretty cool as well!

Here is another example. Recently one of KSRTC's old Volvo B7R had a tough time negotiation a small lane in Mangalore's 'Chilimbi' area.

The blocked bus also resulted in a traffic jam!

The repaired underbelly

The main highway was blocked and hence the bus was forced to use a narrow lane which had a very inclined join-up with the main highway. As a result, the bus' underbelly touched down and the mamooth B7R was literally resting on its chassis! A tow-truck had to be used to lift the rear of the bus.

Pics and info from - www.mangalorean.com

Sharma Transports' Volvo Bangalore-Mumbai B9R experience

2009-10-24T05:25:00.000-07:00

Pic: jkv from www.team-bhp.com

While I took the KSRTC Volvo to Davangere from Pune (READ), on the way back, i booked myself on the Bangalore-Mumbai Sharma Volvo. The one that leaves Bangalore by 3-3:30pm is the new Multi-axle B9R Volvo. It reaches Davanagere from Bangalore by around 9pm but then also halts in the city for Dinner. My seat no was 1 - directly behind the driver. The front row also means that you can lift ur legs and keep it on the support in front of you.
We left Davanagere city by 10pm and it was a non-stop journey till the outskirts of Pune. The road has lot of bad patches / diversions till Haveri after which is very good. The driver kept the bus around the 90-95km/h mark again - it seems on this long route (between Mumbai - Bangalore), most Volvos are run at these speeds, mainly to save on fuel costs.
The B9R runs a touch more smoothly better than the B7R. Though Volvo supplies the B9R in a 53 seater config, Sharma's B9R volvo has 49 seats, thus improving leg space a lot.

We halted for breakfast around 30min before Pune at around 6:15am. This is very irritating for Pune passengers. Sharma guys should reach Pune directly, drop Pune passengers and then stop for breakfast for the rest of the Mumbai guys.

Apart from this, the journey was very very comfortable.

Pune to Bangalore KSRTC Volvo experience

2009-10-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Left to Right: My Shirdi-Bangalore KSRTC, Mumbai-Bangalore Vishal volvo, Mumbai-Mangalore KSRTC Volvo

For past experiences, you the LABELS features in the right column on this page.

On 16th October, I took the Shirdi to Bangalore KSRTC Volvo for my Pune - Davanagere trip. My seat no was 26. This bus leaves Shirdi at 1pm and reporting time at the Pune camp office is 6pm. The bus was a little late and due to peak season, it seemed there was some overbooking by agents which led to a commotion and hence we could only leave by 6:40pm.

It took around 20 mins to hit the Katraj bypass after which it was smooth sailing till the dinner stop. According to my GPS enabled speedometer in the phone, the bus was doing around 85-90km/h (true speed or around 90-95 on the speedometer) constantly. Dinner was somewhere after Satara where other - KSRTC, Vishal and Canara Pinto Volvos, joined us. After a 40min, it was a non-stop drive to Davanagere. The driver it seemed was keeping the bus around the 95km/h mark constantly.

I was dropped off at Davanagere bypass, around 580km from the starting point at 3:45am. The journey took 9hrs including a dinner break. Being a peak season, i had to shell out the whole Pune - Bangalore fare of Rs 1100 (off season Bangalore fare is 900 and Davanagere fare is 800 from Pune). It was an ok ride experience. the problem with KSRTC buses is that they have 11 rows of seats as compared to 10 rows for most long distance operators and hence it becomes difficult for tall people like me to travel long distances.

Flying vs taking a Volvo : tempting cheap air tickets doing the trick

2009-10-10T09:02:00.001-07:00

Although Volvo buses have really revolutionized the way we looked at bus travel in India but the fact is cheaper air tickets in the recent past has helped a lot of travelers. If booked in advance, you can almost fly to your destination in under two hours than take an 18 hour Volvo bus ride, that too at less than twice the amount!!

Here is an example. If you book a flight from Mumbai to Bangalore around 12-14 days in advance, you will get a ticket for around Rs 2100 only - source- yatra.com! Whereas, the fare on a Mumbai to Bangalore Volvo is around Rs 1100 to Rs 1150 nowadays - and this is an 18 hour journey mind you!

So, if you are planning to visit Delhi from Jammu, or Ahmedabad from Pune, or Mangalore from Mumbai, just visit ANY AIR TICKET SITE.

There are good ticketing websites like YATRA, that can really help you arrange your travel in a faster way...

ALSO SEE:

1. Another Volvo fatal crash - this time a B9R

Fatal KPN Volvo B9R crash : the first in India

2009-10-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

UPDATED WITH PICS - FATAL KPN SLEEPER BUS CRASH IN TAMIL NADU. CLICK HERE

Here are a few accidents involving Volvo B7R and Mercedes buses that we have shared with you on this blog.

1. First Mercedes bus crash in India

2. KSRTC crash on Mangalore route

3. KSRTC Infosys crash enroute Pune
4. Volvo B7R crash enroute Chennai

On 5th October, another horrific fatal crash involving the new multi-axle Volvo B9R happened in south India near Dharmapuri.

Picture : www.team-bhp.com : one of the better automotive blogs in India

According to reports, five persons were killed in the collision involving the KPN Volvo and a lorry. The accident took place near Kundalpatti on National Highway 7. The KPN Volvo B9R was on its way to Madurai from Bangalore. The lorry was proceeding to Krishnagiri from Sangagiri.

Update : Katraj accident involving private bus

2009-09-18T21:53:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in updating. The accident that happened last night outside Pune on the Katraj ghats did not involve a Volvo bus. A semi-luxury private bus operating between Kolhapur and Pune veered off the Katraj road, hit a tree, and rolled down the valley.

The bus was carrying over forty passengers - of these around 30 were injured while one lost his life.

More details :

LINK 1
LINK 2

Breaking news: Volvo accident : falls from Katraj ghat

2009-09-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

I just received some news about a horrible accident involving a Volvo bus on the outskirts of Pune. It is believed that the bus was coming from Kolhapur and has fallen off from the Katraj ghats.

I am trying to get more dope on this. In the past, we have been seeing a lot of accident involving high end buses. Here are some of them

1. Infosys KSRTC Volvo crash
2. Another KSRTC Crash in Karnataka
3. Mercedes Bus crash in India

Nakoda Isuzu LT1 bus review : Pune to Bangalore

2009-07-27T03:12:00.000-07:00

We first told you more about the new Swaraj Mazda Isuzu LT1 bus last year - READ
Last week, I decided to take the bus, operated by Nakoda travels, to Davanagere. For this, I had to take the Pune-Bangalore bus.
I booked a ticket online at www.redbus.in and got seat no A, or basically the first seat behind the conductor / co-driver.
The bus had to leave at 5:45pm but the guys at the office told me 6pm. Fair enough. However, it only turned up at 6:30pm.
Normally, a Volvo takes around 9.5 hours to Davanagere including a dinner break. I had no clue that our bus would stop at two places on the highway to pick up more passengers, and then enter Kolhapur to pick up more! All this meant we wasted 30-45mins. With a 30min dinner stop outside Kolhapur, and then another 30min stop to lend a spare tyre to the other Isuzu bus coming from Bangalore side, we still made it to the Davanagere bypass by 4:30am!!

Thats like 10 hours! Had the bus not taken diversions to other cities including Kolhapur and then 30min wastage to lend the spare tyre, the Pune-Davanagere distance would have been dispatched in just 9hours.

The reason for this the high speeds the driver was doing. I being on the first seat could see him going beyond 110km/h on various occasions easily. The Swaraj Mazda Isuzu bus has a 7 speed gearbox (yes, seven!) that lets the engine spin at lower revs at high speeds. Though this does mean that the bus can cruise at 110+ and sip less fuel, the downside is that due to a smaller engine as compared to the Volvo and Mercedes buses, inclines give a tuff time to the bus.

KSRTC flags off dedicated Airavat Volvo bus between Bangalore and Davanagere

2009-06-17T05:24:00.000-07:00

Davanagere or Davangere, around 265km from Bangalore always had a lack of a direct Volvo bus service. This city is known for its medical college as well as textile business. There is happy news for frequent travelers as KSRTC has now started a dedicated Airavat Volvo bus service between Davanagere and Bangalore.

The bus will leave at 6am from Davanager, reaching Bangalore by around 11am including a breakfast stop. On return, the bus will leave Bangalore at 5:45pm, arriving in Davangere by around 11:30pm including a dinner stop.

The fare for this bus is around Rs 345 (including taxes)

Also see:
1. Volvo bus video (Neeta Volvo)
2. KSRTC VOLVO crash

Capturing a Neeta Volvo B7R down the Mahabaleshwar ghats

2009-06-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

I have been uploading lot of videos lately and have got a good response from readers.
Here is another video of a Neeta Volvo B7R going down Mahabaleshwar ghats : the bus seemed to be quite old.

You can watch all the videos here - http://www.youtube.com/user/bunnyp1983

Mumbai to Chennai in a Volvo : Possible

2009-06-07T10:48:00.000-07:00

There are three ways to get to Chennai from Mumbai (via Public transport). First option is flying but a one way ticket usually costs around more than Rs 4200 if booked around 3-4 days in advance. Second option are the trains, but u have to book well in advance. A 3-tier journey is for Rs 1050-1100 and takes around 23 to 29 hours,depending on which train u get.

However, if a plan comes up to go from Mumbai to Chennai urgently, here is the best way to reach using Volvo buses.

You can try taking the 3pm KSRTC Volvo that starts from Mumbai Central. This bus takes more passengers from Pune and is out by 7:30pm, reaching Bangalore the next day by around 9:30am at the Majestic stand. At the same bus stand, there are rest rooms with loos available on hourly basis where u can rest for an hour, before taking the 11:15am KSRTC Volvo to Chennai, which reaches there before 7pm.

This way, the total journey takes around 28 hours and costs around Rs 1600. Not bad considering the next best option is flying : Rs 4200 - 4500!

Same way, u can even go back from Chennai to Mumbai :)

ALSO SEE:
1. KSRTC VOLVO'S PUNE - BANGALORE EXPERIENCE
2. THE MSRTC VOLVO CAUGHT DOING 118KM/H

Chasing the MSRTC Shivneri Kinglong bus

2009-06-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

I have been posting videos frequently now. In the past, these have been
1. Volvo B7R caught speeding
2. Metrolink Kinglong bus caught speeding
3. MSRTC Shivneri cruising at 100km/h

Recently, i took a video of the MSRTC Shivneri Kinglong bus heading to Mumbai on the Mumbai - Pune expressway. The driver keeps overtaking the traffic and finally moves to the left to let me pass. At this moment, he is doing around 104-105km/h.

KSRTC Volvo's experience on Pune - Bangalore route bus

2009-06-02T09:43:00.000-07:00

Recently we told you about the new 9400 series Volvo B7Rs being purchased by KSRTC (READ IT HERE). Last week, I got a chance to experience one of their new buses.
I had to travel to Davanagere, around 575km from Pune. As i had booked the tickets just a couple of days before my travel, i was unfortunate to get the last row seat on the onward journey. This was on the Mumbai - Bangalore bus that leaves Pune at 5pm.

As seen in the picture, the bus looks a little different from the older B7R. Here is a quick summary of the trip
4:30pm : I reached the pick up point before time but the bus from Mumbai had already reached there
5:15pm : We left the Pune Camp pick-up point
5:45pm : Hit the Pune - Bangalore highway
The bus took a 15min halt at Hotel Natraj, which is around 35km from Pune. We took another 30min break for dinner just a few km before Kolhapur. By around 10pm, we resumed our journey.
Davanagere was around 355km more from here. I though we would take around 5 hours. However, by 2:30am, ie, after around 4.5 hours, the conductor was kind enough to wake me up for getting off.
On the way, i was taking a note of the kilometer markers on the highway, which the bus was continously covering in around 40-41 seconds, translating into a true speed of around 90-91km/h, or around 95-96 on the speedometer. The bus didnt take a fuel stop too, which KSRTC buses usually take at Nipani.

In all, we covered 575km from Pune to Davanagere in around 9hrs 15min including two stops. I paid Rs 850 for the ticket (For the whole Pune - Bangalore section, the ticket however is for Rs 1000)

My return trip was two days later and this time i had a second last row. The bus was an older generation B7R (Mark III) with around 3.5lakh km on the odometer. The suspension felt soggy, and the aircon sound intruded into the cabin a lot. This was a 3pm Bangalore-Mumbai bus and it reached Davangere from Bangalore at 8:10pm (265km in 5hrs 10min). Our dinner stop was at 9:15pm and lasted 30min. Heavy rains lasted around an hour and the driver, even when the roads dried up, was covering the km markers in around 43-44sec, ie, he was keeping around 90km/h on the speedometer. Still, we managed to reach Pune Swargate at sharpy 6am. The return trip of 575km was done in 9hrs 50min.

I feel that if the drivers keep the speeds at around 100-105km/h (which is no big deal for the Volvos), the time can by cut down by around 30min or so. Currently, the Volvos are covering the 830km trip between Bangalore and Pune in around 14 to 14.5 hours.

ALSO SEE

1. FULL DETAILS ON KSRTC - INFOSYS CRASH

Infosys KSRTC Volvo accident : Full details

2009-05-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Here are the full details about KSRTC's second fatal VOLVO crash this month (See first crash)
There 43 youngsters on board, all ready to join Infosys Technologies full time after completing their training at Mysore. At around 6am, when the bus was near Nippani ghats, the accident happened. It is learnt that the bus was at high speed an couldnt negotiate the tight curve, due to which it overturned, not once but twice or even thrice.
Our condolences to the ones who passed away - Agnivesh from Bihar, Ankita from Delhi, Tushar Agarwal and Rakshit Mehrotra from Noida while one of the deceased is yet to be identified.

Infosys employees in Bengaluru observed a two-minute silence to mourn the death of their colleagues.

ALSO SEE:
1. KSRTC'S OTHER CRASH IN KARNATAKA
2. MERCEDES BENZ BUS CRASH
3. MSRTC SHIVNERI VOLVO DOING ALMOST 120KM/H CAUGHT ON CAM
4. Volvo B7R crash enroute Chennai

PICTURE: ALLABOUTBELGAUM.COM

Another fatal KSRTC Airavat Volvo accident

2009-05-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

Some days back, we told you about the KSRTC Airavat Volvo accident in Karnataka (CLICK HERE). Today, we got some more news on a similar accident.
A KSRTC Airavat Volvo operating between Mysore and Pune overturned near Sankeshwar when the driver tried to negotiate a sharp curve. In the mishap, five Infosys employees lost their lives!
Let me also add that our readers shouldnt infer from these accidents that the Volvo B7R bus is dangerous in general. Everyday tens of other accidents involving TATA / Leyland buses go unheard of.
Even the driver can be at fault, or other road users (like the stranded truck in the other case)

Picture source : allaboutbelgaum

Also see:
1. MSRTC Volvo doing almost 120km/h caught on cam
2. Kinglong Cerita bus doing 110km/h caught on cam

Volvo B7R top speed caught on video : ALMOST 120!

2009-05-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

I had started a topic on top speed of Volvo B7R buses in India (CLICK HERE)
Recently, while going to Mumbai from Pune on the expressway, I managed to notice a MSRTC Shivneri Volvo B7R doing crazy speeds. Watch the video for more. Be careful at the 2min 25sec mark, when you can see that the bus is doing around 117-118km/h!! Thats a lot for a bus in India. Feel free to comment on the video

ALSO SEE
1. CHINESE KINGLONG BUS CAUGHT ON VIDEO : 110KM/H
2. KSRTC VOLVO BUS CRASH
3. MERCEDES BENZ BUS CRASH

Metrol Link Kinglong Cerita bus caught speeding

2009-05-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

I keep traveling on the Mumbai - Pune expressway and recently managed to take a video of Chinese Kinglong Cerita bus. The bus is owned by Metrolink, which also operators Volvo buses on the Pune - Mumbai - Pune route.
As seen in this video, the bus is doing around 105-110km/h on the expressway. I have myself seen the driver do around 120km/h while sitting in a Shivneri Kinglong bus last year.

ALSO SEE:
1. KSRTC VOLVO'S MAJOR CRASH
2. SHARMA'S MERCEDES BENZ CRASH
3. MSRTC'S SHIVNERI VOLVO VIDEO

KSRTC revamps its Volvo Airavat range

2009-05-19T04:11:00.000-07:00

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) has one of the largest fleet of Volvo buses. These buses run on one of the longest routes in India like the 1020km Mumbai - Bangalore route.
Recently, it seems, KSRTC has purchased brand new 9400 series buses from Volvo. I recently spotted this bus (seen above) on the Mumbai - Pune expressway. This bus is operating on Bangalore - Mumbai - Bangalore route. What is interesting here is the never before seen emergency exit on the left side. I have yet to sit in one of these to comment on how it operates though.

ALSO SEE:
1. KSRTC VOLVO'S MAJOR CRASH
2. SHARMA'S MERCEDES BENZ CRASH
3. MSRTC'S SHIVNERI VOLVO VIDEO

KSRTC's Volvo's major accident

2009-05-18T17:36:00.001-07:00

Five people were killed, including three from Bangalore, and 14 others

injured when a KSRTC Volvo-Airavat crashed into a
timber-laden lorry parked by the
road at Udane on Bangalore-Mangalore NH 48 in the early hours of Monday.

The bus, on its way to Mangalore from Bangalore, rammed into the lorry while trying to avoid an oncoming truck. A log that entered the bus on impact caused the casualties.

The deceased are Satish Chandra, 55, a motor vehicle inspector from Yelahanka; Girisha, 33, from Madhavanagar; Santhosh, 33, from Viveknagar; Prabha Hegde, 50, from Puttur and Varaprasada, 27, from Vishakapatnam.

The bus was carrying 40 passengers. Transport minister R Ashok announced a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh each to the dependents of the victims, Rs 15,000 of which will be paid immediately and the rest within a week. He said: "We use our best drivers on the Airavat as the emphasis is on accident-free journeys."

This is the second major accident involving a KSRTC-Airavat this year. The previous one was near Tirupati four months ago.

PICS SOURCE : WWW.DAIJIWORLD.COM

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MERCEDES BENZ BUS CRASH IN INDIA
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Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar Volvo / sleeper buses

2009-05-01T03:35:00.000-07:00

Summers are here. And its time to head to the hills. Most of us would want to skip Lonavala and instead head to the highs of Mahabaleshwar. There are lots of options on this route - Volvo, non A/C seater and A/C sleeper

1. Neeta Volvo to Mahabaleshwar

Neeta operates three Volvo / Mercedes Benz services. The buses start at 5:30am / 9:25pm / 9:30pm from Boriveli, picking up passengers as it moves out of Mumbai.
The fare for this Neeta Volvo to Mahabaleshwar is around Rs 500 to 550

2. Swami Volvo to Mahabaleshwar

Swami has a Volvo that starts at 8:30pm from Boriveli, picking up passengers as it goes through Mumbai. The bus ticket is for Rs 500

There are Volvo services from other operators like 'K S R N A' and 'Yash Yatra' too

ALSO SEE:
1. FARES AND TIMINGS FROM MUMBAI TO OTHER CITIES
2. NEETA VOLVO EXPERIENCES

Delhi to Jaipur Volvo bus

2009-04-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

Only RSRTC (Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation) has Volvo buses on the Delhi to Jaipur route. Here is the time table of the buses

Cost of the ticket is Rs 500.

The Delhi to Jaipur Volvo buses pick up passengers from the following locations
1. ISBT Kashmiri Gate
2. Bikaner House
3. Sarai Kale Khan
4. Dhaula Kuan

For more info, log onto www.rsrtc.gov.in

ALSO SEE:
-VOLVO OPERATORS RAISE PRICES
-DELHI TO MANALI HIMACHAL TOURISM VOLVO

Volvo operators raise prices

2009-04-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

Get ready to shell out as much as Rs 1500 for Mumbai to Bangalore in a volvo now

The season has started they say, and the prices have gone up again.
On a typical Mumbai to Bangalore Volvo route, the prices for a one way ticket are now anywhere between Rs 1150 to 1500! This variation is a lot and makes no sense. We dont know the reason for the same too!

Sharma is charging around 1200, whereas VRL is charging 1400! National for its late evening Volvo is charging 1500 bucks. An year back, prices were as low as Rs 1100 only for all the operators.

The heat (of summer) is showing its effect it seems

Also read:
Mumbai to Pune Shivneri volvo video

Delhi to Manali by Himachal Tourism Volvo

2009-04-08T10:46:00.001-07:00

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Apart from the Swagatam Volvo option i posted (click HERE), one can also visit Manali from Delhi by Himachal Tourism's Volvo bus service.

The tickets can be booked at the Himachal Tourism's office at Chandralok building, Janpath, Delhi. The Volvo bus leaves from here at 7:30pm and reaches Manali the next day at approx 9:30pm.

WORTH A READ:
MUMBAI - PUNE MSRTC VOLVO BUS VIDEO
DELHI TO CHANDIGARH VOLVO BUS

Delhi to Manali : Swagatam Volvo bus

2009-04-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

Swagatam holidays operatos one of the better Volvo B7R buses on the Delhi - Manali route. These buses are the latest 9400 series with a newer front end.
The bus leaves Delhi at around 5:00pm and reaches Manali by 7:30 the next day. The cost of ticket is Rs 840.

For more, you may see their website at www.swagatamholidays.com

Also have a look at their video from youtube

MUST SEE :
MSRTC SHIVNERI VOLVO VIDEO ON EXPRESSWAY

Mumbai to Pune MSRTC Shivneri volvo video

2009-04-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

I keep traveling between Mumbai and Pune often and this time decided to shoot the MSRTC Shivneri Volvo bus, the best option to travel between these two cities.

Enjoy the video

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Top speed of Volvo buses
Neeta Volvo experience

Delhi to Chandigarh by Volvo bus

2009-04-03T05:20:00.000-07:00

Volvo buses are still new to North Indians. The routes where Volvo buses are currently playing are:
1. Delhi - Manali
2. Delhi - Jammu / Katra
3. Delhi - Dharamshala
4. Delhi - Jaipur
5. Delhi - Shimla
6. Delhi - Lucknow
7. Delhi - Chandigarh

I was arriving in Delhi in the evening and had to get to Chandigarh asap. The timings for the Haryana Roadways Delhi-Chandigarg Saarthi Volvo bus are given wrong on Haryana Roadways website. Luckily, i was in ISBT Kashmiri Gate by 7 and managed to get the 7:15pm Volvo. The ticket price was quite steep - Rs 410 for a 250km journey. In contrast, the 160km Pune - Mumbai trip costs Rs 250.
The bus surprisingly had just 41 seats instead of the usual 45. Neeta Volvo for example has 49 seats on the Mumbai - Pune route!
The bus left at 7:15pm sharp but it took us around an hour to hit the bypass due to evening traffic.
There were two LCD screens (movie played - Hungama) and we were given a mineral water bottle free.
With a 30min break at Karnala lake resort, we reached Chandigarh at 12:15am. Thats five hours including break and messy Delhi traffic. On the highway, i was timing the kilometer marks and the bus was covering each kilometer in around 38-39 seconds which translates into a true speed of around 95 or around 100km/h on the speedometer.

In all it was a good experience. On the way back, we took the 1:10pm Volvo from Chandigarh after a few days and i got off at the Delhi bypass at 5:45pm.

Here are 2 videos of two Haryana Roadways Saarthi Volvo buses at the Karnal stop

Mumbai / Pune to Mangalore Volvo bus

2009-03-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

Volvo operators like Canara Pinto / Mahabaleshwara and Shiva Volvo operate Volvo buses from Mumbai as well as Pune to Mangalore.

Here is a picture of the Shiva Volvo.

(click to enlarge)

This Volvo leaves Mumbai at 1pm, picks up passengers from Pune at 5pm, and reaches Mangalore at 9am the next day. The ticket price is Rs 1000.

TATA Hispano luxury buses : APSRTC starts using them

2009-03-09T03:04:00.000-07:00

APSRTC has started using the new TATA Hispano inter-city luxury buses. The main reason for this is the lower cost of the bus, which is around Rs 50, a good Rs 25 lakh less than the likes of the Volvo B7R.

Reach more HERE
Pic : www.thehindu.com

Pune to Kolhapur Volvo

2009-03-06T04:27:00.000-08:00

click to enlarge

Kolhapur is around 245km from Pune and a business hub as well.
Everyday, hundreds of people travel between these two cities. The most famous operator on this route is Konduskar Volvo. Apart from this, Neeta Volvo and other operators also run their buses on this route.
Here are the details on the Pune - Kolhapur Konduskar Volvo service:

1. There are four buses. Each leaves Pune at 7am , 2:30pm, 5:00pm and 11:30pm. These four buses arrive at Kolhapur at 11:45am, 7:15pm, 10:15pm and 4:00am respectively.
The price of the ticket is Rs 290 each.

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Pune to Mysore by Volvo : How to

2009-03-06T04:20:00.000-08:00

(click to enlarge) This is the 3pm Pune-Mysore KSRTC Volvo bus

KSRTC had last year started plying its Volvo service on the Pune - Mysore route.
The bus starts from Pune (camp office) at 3pm, picking up passengers from Swargate, hitting the Katraj bypass by around 3:45pm.
The bus reaches Bangalore at around 6:00am in the morning, reaching Mysore by 8:30am. The price of the ticket is Rs 1150.

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Mercedes Benz buses come to India

Temsa Global to enter the India bus segment

2009-02-26T22:35:00.000-08:00

What Volvo started with the B7R changed the way we Indians looked at bus travel. Today we have players like Mercedes Benz, Cerita Motors, Swaraj Mazda Isuzu, Corona etc in the luxury bus segment. And now Turkish commercial vehicle maker, Temsa Global is looking to enter the Indian bus market too. The firm has undertaken a feasibility study on the commercial potential to set-up an integrated bus making facility in India. It has been eyeing India as the manufacturing base for Asian markets besides developing a sourcing base for automotive components for its global manufacturing operations.

Temsa is looking to introduce its long-distance inter-city coaches under the Safari brand for the urban markets. Such coaches dominate the 50,000 units-a-year Indian bus market. Currently Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland are the top players in the product segment.

The Turkish firm is looking at high local content in its buses and its officials have met more than 30 Indian component suppliers to develop a vendor base in the country. It is scouting local vendors for major components like gears, engines, seats, glass, axles and metal parts.

Volvo B9R wins the NDTV Car India award

2009-02-25T05:21:00.000-08:00

Volvo 9400 6x2 multi-axle inter-city bus also known as the B9R was announced as the Automotive Technology of the Year at the NDTV profit Car & Bike awards 2009.
Volvo Buses has been bestowed upon this award based on the critical assessment by a panel of judges, comprising of leading experts in the Auto field. The award winning Volvo 9400 6x2, the market’s first coach with a multi-axle configuration was launched in India in October 2008. Since its inception, the Volvo multi-axle bus has succeeded in taking the inter-city luxury AC coach segment to its next level.

With a 9-liter rear engine and a 6x2 configuration, the Volvo 9400 6x2 helps achieve enhanced transport economy through higher occupancy levels and better fuel consumption per passenger km. The 8 additional seats in the standard layout offer greater revenue opportunities and the two axles in the rear provide a much higher ride comfort than before. Additionally, this new model brings in a host of new safety and technological features. This new model will cater to the long-distance, high occupancy routes and is already in service with many customers in the country.

Features present on the new model, like electronic braking and electronic suspension are a first in the country. With this model, the Indian Bus industry has now graduated to a new level and the company has already got excellent feedback from our customers on all aspects of the bus.

WORDS: WHEELSUNPLUGGED.COM
PIC : TEAM-BHP.COM

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The Corona Ambari A/C bus

2009-02-15T08:59:00.000-08:00

Some months back, the Pune based manufacturer rolled out its Corona sleeper buses. With a 160bhp rear engine, the bus has 32 comfortable sleeper berths. The company also rolled out its A/C seater for long distance routes now being used by various operators including KSRTC

Body and frame:
Corona bus is an all steel integral monocoque construction and has two important structural members:
a) Spines to carry load carrying member and
Exterior cage which is integrated with spine to have a unique single piece monocoque structure.
The entire structure is made up of rectangular steel tubes. The structure has comparatively high impact strength.

Engine:
The bus is fitted with 160 Horse power Cummins engine at the rear end so as to reduce noise pollution inside the bus saloon. The rear engine ensures reduced transmission loss. Larger flaps are fitted at rear end and at sides for better accessibility and maintenance of the engine.The bus can easily maintain speeds of 95-100km/h on the highways and returns around 4km to a litre of diesel.

Air suspension:
Fully independent front Air suspension are provided which carries double link wish bone at both left and right independently supported to the structure by silent bearings. The rear end is provided with an independent single wish bone structure which is pivoted to the body structural spines with rubber mountings for comfortable travel. The Air suspension provides bump free travel to the passenger

Passenger saloon:
The passenger saloon is provided with ultra modern interiors, ‘Happich’ imported hatracks to carry light luggage, comfortable reclining hi-tech passenger seats, imported floor carpeting, high mounted TV to have better viewing pleasure for passengers.

Air conditioner:
This bus is provided with good branded “carrier” make air-conditioner with excellent cooling effect to make the journey comfortable & cool.

Front show and wind shield:
The bus is provided with improved front show and wind shield to have better aero dynamics and fuel efficiency. Better visibility and safety. Single piece front cowl gives better insulation and avoids dust entry into the cabin and also help in reduction in noise pollution.

Luggage space:
The bus is provided with excellent under slung luggage space (approximately 11 cubic mtrs) to carry more luggages of passengers and also better road holding with lowered centre of gravity. Loading and unloading of luggage is very easy as the luggage space is much nearer to the ground.

Brakes:
The Braking system provides safe and reliable braking with dual circuit full air brakes. Condenser cum water separator is provided in addition to the air dryer to enhance life and performance of brake system. Automatic slack adjuster are provided to enhance the braking efficiency.

Seats Configuration:
Fitted with 44 passenger seats with 2x2 seating configuration. The seats are comfortable with reclining mechanism.

Exteriors:
The bus is provided with all aluminum doors and stretched galvanized panels. The panels are painted with polyurethane based premier high solid 2k paints with colorful graphics.

Cost:
The end rate for the Corona Ambari A/C bus is Rs. 36,81,563.00.12.

Brand Name:
The Bus is named as “AMBAARI” – means comfortable & luxurious journey on the top of an Elephant.

Royal Cruiser Volvo to stop operations on Kolkata-Siliguri route

2009-01-10T21:24:00.000-08:00

Royal Cruiser, one of the biggest Volvo operators in East India will soon stop its daily Siliguri - Kolkata / Kolkata- Siliguri Volvo service due the poor road conditions. Due to the bad roads, the Volvo bus takes around 12-14 hours, whereas the same distance on other Indian routes takes seven to eight only!

There are very bad stretches between Dalkhola and Siliguri and Barasat and Dalkhola which damanges the suspension of the bike badly. A Volvo B7R has four air bellows, each of which is replaced every 2,00,000km in normal usage. But on this route, the operators have had to change two of the bellows in less than 10,000km!

The state govt and NHAI have not repaired these stretches for ages now. Infact, when I took the same Royal Cruiser Volvo from Siliguri to Kolkata in Dec 2006, i too could feel the bad stretch, with our bus having touched its underbelly on numerous occasions.

It is a shame that the Volvo will no longer run on the route!

Akash Passey's exclusive interview for us!

2009-01-08T06:48:00.000-08:00

We recently had an exclusive interview with Mr Akash Passey, the Managing Director for Volvo Buses India Pvt Ltd. Volvo buses have completely changed the way we Indians looked at bus travel in India. Here is the interview...

1. How has the response to the new B9R been?
The response to the Volvo B9R, which we now term Volvo 9400 6x2 has been very good. We have been getting continuous feedback from our customers and our team. The feedback around the key aspects of comfort, long-distance drive, fuel efficiency and other aspects related to transport economy and passenger feedback is promising.

2. Have you thought about introducing a cheaper variant of the B9R with the same B7R engine?
The current choice of using the 9 litre engine was a considered decision when we weighed the product profile and its application. This includes various aspects – drivability, fuel, longevity, after-sales, our product strategies etc. Following its introduction we have no reason yet to consider changing this product profile. Also, the price, while important, is only one component in the entire Life Cycle Cost and we think we have a good solution for our customers here.

3. Volvo hasn’t penetrated the northern and eastern markets much. Any particular reasons for this?
Volvo Buses commenced its operations in India with a ‘step-by-step’ approach, starting in the South first, expanding to West and thereon moving our presence into the East and North regions of India. So, South and West did get a higher exposure to begin with. Private Operators in the North largely operate in the private tourism segment which is not as large as the inter-city coach segment that operators cater to in South and West. The inter-city segment in North is today mainly catered to by local state corporations who are relatively more focused on general segments rather than the AC segment, for now In East, the road network is a hindrance to development

4. Volvo’s policy of training drivers for running the buses has been positive. But are operators sticking to it?
At an overall level, yes. Driver training is one important support to protect their investment and customers realize that. A driver could account for 15 % of the fuel efficiency and any mature operator sees it in his own benefit to use a Volvo trained driver.

Also, the drivers operate within a motivating environment – a driver-friendly environment and with a driveline that is responsive. Everyone likes to give their best and these circumstances make the drivers want to do even better. With every bus we sell, we train 3 or more customer drivers and we now also have refresher training programs.

The aim is to make good drivers even better. And this aim is not a one-off effort. The culture of defensive, economic and safe driving will get deeper and wide- spread as we continue take these steps. We are aware that just as we seek to change the way people behave we must also work to change the circumstances they operate in. This of course, involves more stakeholders than only us. We will surely see the importance, status and value of a good driver increase in time to come.

5. On some routes, we have seen that operators aren’t taking care of the buses. For example, Neeta’s Mumbai-Pune B7Rs are in poor condition. Water leaks in monsoons, the buses smoke and interiors are in shambles. Shouldn’t Volvo take notice of this as it gives a bad name to the brand
We do our best to influence this through various means – service agreements, our support network and various other support solutions. This year we have also started with new offers on refurbishment of old buses and hope to attract more and more customers. On the other hand, starting this year, we established a new company – Volvo Buses India Private Limited, which is now the firstcompany singularly focused on bus transport solutions. Furthermore, we are now unique in India, building both the chassis and body within Volvo, and not outsourcing the body. In January, we inaugurated the Volvo Bus Body plant. As a complete bus company in India this also means new standards in terms of the total transport solution we offer and the quality standards we set in the industry. With one stop shop concept being reinforced now, we feel the general maintenance level on the body will improve even further now

These are efforts which will allow us be closer to our customers & influence the market. Of course, the more the customer and market demands the more we can & will deliver.

6. How has your stand been against non-Volvo operators using the Volvo logo to lure customers
We do not accept such practises. Especially where the use of Volvo logo or name is directed at misleading passengers. Our legal department is active in following up on these cases. We have successfully managed to stop many but are aware that this may continue. We will continue to pursue our efforts to protect the Volvo brand and our trademark to the fullest.

7. Do we see any new launches this year?
Unfortunately, we never will comment on forward looking figures and introductions. But Volvo has a wide global product program and we have a big role to playwith most successful city bus transportation systems around the world. So, you can expect us to continue to create, influence and respond to our customer demands and keep taking our next steps forward. But its not possible to say ‘what, when, how and if or if not’!

8. (this question is purely for enthusiast readers of our blog). The B7R’s company claimed top speed is 103. However we have seen these buses run at much higher speeds. How much can they actually do on the speedometer? And what about the B9R?
The speeds vary from country to country depending on local regulations.
Depending on the country the product can of course touch much higher speeds. In India we very much encourage operators to restrict speed as it adds to the fuel efficiency for the operator and most importantly adds to safety risks on the road

With the only company to introduce electronic engines in the bus segment in India , we are able to adjust speed limits on operators request at a short notice

9. What is the average fuel consumption for both the B7R and B9R on open highways (devoid of hills)
The average fuel consumption is a very difficult figure to define in a commercial vehicle in this case. One can witness figures around 3kmpl and you can hear of figures higher than this too. On the other hand if one picked up specific drivers, fleet managers and terrain you can witness some fantastic figures, either way. So, we will never give a specific figure yet but can only indicate so. With our customers, where we understand their specific circumstances, we would share this data, but rarely speak about it in general!

10. Websites like redbus.in have transformed the way we can book bus tickets. What is your take on these?
Eventually, the total solution to passengers and those affected by transportation lies in the hand of all stakeholders – manufacturers, authorities, customers, service companies, passengers etc. It’s very important that we see good quality initiatives and high degree of collaboration across the board. Initiatives like these are very good and most welcome.

11. Do you support new individuals with a passion for Volvo buses and would want to be a Volvo bus operator?
Passon is a very key component in anything one does and so does it apply to the transport business. But we would leave it to the individuals to gauge the viability and implementation of their business models in the market. It’s something which a fleet operator or the enterpeneur can estimate best. As advisors we of course, are always there to put together the pieces related to the application of our buses.

12. What have been the latest routes that Volvo buses have explored? What about the longest one. Is the Paulo’s Ahmedabad-Panaji route?
Volvo buses now run across all popular routes in India, the latest addition has been up North in Uttar Pradesh where Lucknow is connected to various destinations within and outside the state, through Volvo buses

There are many one of routes which are long enough but a well known stable route with a high population of Volvo buses is the Mumbai-Bangalore route in which operators cover over 1000 kms per day

13. Lastly, what is the base price for both the B7R and B9R (ex-factory)
At the present moment 9400 6x2 has an introductory price of 85.0 lacs ex factory and 9400 4x2 has a price of 72 lacs. These prices are based ex factory on our standard specification

RELATED READING:
A Rs 75 lakh bus goes up in flame

Redbus.in mentions us!

Villagers torch up a 75 lakh rupee Volvo

2009-01-05T22:09:00.000-08:00

A new Volvo B7R costs Rs 75 lakh and so.. gone up in flames... (seen here is Libra Volvo)

After a Punjab Roadways Volvo ran over a villager on the Chandigarh-Delhi route, an angry mob set on fire the bus.
This is the full news taken from Indianexpress

The death of a youth in a road accident triggered a massive protest in Bhankerpur village located on the Chandigarh-Delhi National Highway-22 on Friday.

The accident occurred around 7 pm when Jasveer Singh, a resident of Bhankerpur village, was run over by a Punjab Roadways Volvo bus, which was on its way from Chandigarh to Delhi. Within minutes, hundreds of villagers assembled on the highway and surrounded the bus.

Sensing trouble, the driver and the conductor of the bus fled the spot, while over 50 passengers were stranded midway.

Finding the bus crew missing, the angry villagers torched the bus and squatted in the middle of the highway, blocking the heavy vehicular traffic on the four-lane road.

While none of the passengers were inured as they had alighted before it was set on fire, most of them lost their luggage in the blaze.

As the irate villagers, numbering over 200, laid a siege to the expressway, the fire tenders from Dera Bassi, too, got stuck in the jam and could not reach in time.

Around 8 pm, a police team led by Mohali Superintendent of Police (Detective) R K Bakshi arrived at the spot and tried to persuade the protestors to lift the blockade.

When their repeated requests fell on deaf ears, the police resorted to the use of force to disperse the mob and clear the busy highway, which was by then clogged with long rows of vehicles stranded on either side.

It took a heavy police force to control the frayed tempers as traffic was restored around 8.15 pm.

Jasveer’s father Karam Singh said the failure of the authorities concerned to build a flyover on the expressway, which was recently made a four-lane stretch, at Bhankerpur resulted in the death of his son.

Jasveer, who worked with a private company in Dera Bassi, is survived by his wife whom he married six months ago.

Neena, who had boarded the bus for Delhi, was seen running for cover, leaving her belongings in the bus. “I want to save my life first,” she said.

Another passenger, Ankur, who had to reach the Delhi airport to receive a cousin coming from the US, lost his laptop and a bag containing important documents.

The bus passengers faced a tough time making alternate arrangements to continue their journey, that too braving the biting cold and after losing all their belongings.

By the time two fire tenders could douse the flames, a major part of the bus had been reduced to ashes.

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Eagle introduces Mercedes Benz buses for travel

2009-01-05T21:10:00.000-08:00

Eagle Corporate, a very popular bus operator in Gujrat recently introduced Mercedes Benz buses for inter-city travel. The buses would run on the Ahmedabad-Rajkot route, taking just three hours to cover 210km as compared to more than 3.5hours taken by the Volvo buses. Eagle claims that the Merc buses are far more powerful and hence are able to run at higher speeds!

The operator is known for its long distance Volvo and non-Volvo buses and now joins the race for Mercedes Benz buses.

Here is the news from Indopia.in

A leading travel agency of Western India, Eagle travel agency introduced Mercedes Benz bus for public transportation.
Annoucing the launch of the Rs 84 lakh luxury bus last night, Gujarat Finance Minister, Vajubhai Vala, said this will set new standards in passenger transport in the country.

The private public transport operation claimed to be the first operator to offer customers entertainment through projectors in the bus and to launch sleeper coach for long journey, Jayendra Bavaria, Managing Director of the travel agency said.

The travel agency has introduced the imported bus"Volvo"in Gujarat and also introduce first in the country an inbuilt washroom in the bus, Bavaria said and added the agency was also first in the state to introduce non-stop fleet with in-bus services.

"We also offers E-ticket facilities where the commuters can buy their tickets from anywhere, anytime through their website," Bavariya said.

On the occasion, city mayor, Sandhya Vyas, Mercedes Benz senior official, Ashok Bhardwaj were also present.

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APSRTC to use Mercedes Benz buses

2008-12-26T22:10:00.000-08:00

The recently introduced Mercedes Benz buses will now be used by the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation.

Hyderabad Dec 26 : Passengers can hope to travel long distance in the luxury of Mercedes Benz buses to be introduced by the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) soon. APSRTC officials said that for starters a Mercedes Benz bus would be test-driven for 45 days in the state. Based on its performance, the corporation will place an order for procuring a few MB buses.

During the test period, APSRTC will ply the bus and collect regular ticket fare from passengers. "Except fuel, there is nothing the corporation has to bear during the test period. The 45-seater vehicle will be given to the corporation with insurance," a senior APSRTC official said. Similarly, 17 new luxury buses (10 Luxura and seven Serita vehicles) would be introduced in addition to the existing 100 Garuda buses for high-end passengers. A high-end Tata 1623 will also hit the roads before the second week of January.

"The difference between new buses and the existing Garuda fleet is that the passenger will have more legroom and more space in the aisle. The driver will also have more comfortable place to run the vehicle," the official said. The corporation has formulated plans to run these luxury shuttle services buses between Hyderabad and Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Banglore and Tirupati and from Vijayawada to coastal Andhra.

SOURCE: Tollywoodglitz

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Mercedes Benz buses come to India

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