Volvo buses a big hit with Bangaloreans

Service that started in 2006 with few passengers is favorite mode of public transport for many

There were just four Volvo buses in Bangalore in 2006; 471 now ply across the city.

By Rutvick Mehta

BANGALORE (Nov. 29)—The number of people using the Volvo buses of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation is increasing by the day, despite their fares being slightly higher than those of regular buses, with 100 more Volvos to be introduced in the coming month.

The service was started in February 2006 with just four such buses. Presently, there are 471 Volvo buses plying on different routes.

They are more popular on routes such as Kempegowda Bus Station (nicknamed Majestic) to International Tech Park Bangalore (ITPB) and Majestic to Electronic City, as many techies are now shunning their private vehicles and using Volvos as their mode of transport to offices.
B.S. Lingaraju, divisional traffic officer of BMTC told The SoftCopy, “If people from such IT companies can stop using their private cars and opt for our comfortable Volvo services, it can make such a huge difference to the infrastructure and environment of the city.”

BMTC earnings on the rise, too

The revenue that the BMTC reaps from the Volvo buses, especially from those plying on routes to the information technology sectors, has increased rapidly in the last year. The statistics below show the earnings per kilometer (EPKM) of the BMTC Volvos on these IT sector routes:

• Majestic to ITPL: The EPKM had increased from Rs. 33.76 in January 2010 to Rs. 45.56 as of June 2011.
• Majestic to Electronic City: The EPKM had increased from Rs. 32.00 in January 2010 to Rs. 48.19 as of June 2011.
• Basaveswar Nagar to Electronic City: The EPKM had increased from Rs. 24.71 in January 2010 to Rs. 42.23 as of June 2011.

According to Lingaraju, even the Bangalore International Airport Volvo bus services, which were started by BMTC some time back, are generating huge revenues for the organization.   

Volvos are popular on routes to the city's IT parks, such as ITPL and Electronic City.

“The advantages of traveling in Volvo buses are that they are comfortable, air conditioned and are faster than the normal BMTC buses,” Lingaraju said. “And since Volvos are very comfortable and fast, people don’t mind paying more for the service. And it is not just the IT workers who use the buses—even low- and middle-class citizens are now opting for Volvos.”

Volvo drivers also find buses efficient

Having 471 buses with a demand for 100 more would necessitate the need for good drivers and conductors for the Volvos. BMTC has handled this effectively, and the staff, too, seem satisfied with the high-tech Volvos.
According to Ramesh S., a driver in one of the Volvo buses for the past three years, Volvos are popular among the passengers because they:

•  Usually take 30 minutes less than normal buses to cover the same distance.
• Are very time-efficient and punctual.
• Have air conditioning, music and first aid kits.
• Have air suspension, making them more comfortable as there are fewer jerks and jumps.

“The buses are dust- and sound-free, which is an added comfort,” Ramesh said. “Normally, mornings and evenings are packed as that is the peak time when passengers use the bus services.”

Passengers give thumbs-up

Bangaloreans are increasingly starting to use the Volvos for their daily commute. The major reason is that BMTC has introduced a system of daily and monthly passes even for the Volvo buses, which is very popular among passengers.

“I take the monthly pass every month, which makes it very convenient for me,” said Biswasjit Behera, an International Business Machines Corp. employee. “Earlier, the frequency of the buses was less and also the ticket prices were a bit high. But the BMTC had reduced the ticket prices sometime back, which is the reason why it is so popular among the people now.”

Rohit Divaker who travels from Majestic to M.G. Road every day in a Volvo, puts it down to three reasons: “It is very comfortable, it is faster and the travel is a lot easier and convenient.”

It is little wonder then, that the Volvos have proved so popular with the public.

Meanwhile, the BMTC has also put forward a proposal to have a dedicated separate lane in certain areas for Volvo buses. By the looks of it, the popularity of these Volvos is only going to increase and it won’t be long before one sees a large number of the swanky red buses on the streets of Bangalore.