Tag: BEST

Spotted: JBM EcoLife Electric Bus On Trials With BMTC

While walking along Bannerghatta Road, I happened to spot a bus that seemed odd. At the first glance, it looked a lot like the Tata Starbus Hybrid Diesel-Electric bus that BEST operates in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). As the bus came closer, I noticed that it was not a Tata bus, but rather a JBM bus.

Here is the picture of the bus that I snapped.

JBM EcoLife Electric bus on trials with BMTC on Bannerghatta Road (Srikanth Ramakrishnan/BESTpedia via Wikimedia Commons)
JBM EcoLife Electric bus on trials with BMTC on Bannerghatta Road (Srikanth Ramakrishnan/BESTpedia via Wikimedia Commons)

The bus is a JBM EcoLife Electric bus, bearing a green number plate with a Mathura (UP-85) registration, presumably because JBM has a bus manufacturing plant at Kosi Kalan, Mathura.

According to JBM’s page on the bus, the JBM Solaris EcoLife has two models, a 9m and 12m one. This is presumably the latter. Both have an 80-160 KW motor powered by a Lithium battery. It can be charged either with a plug-in mechanism or a pantograph. The bus features two inswing doors, one at the front and one in the centre, and features a manually operated wheelchair ramp.

This is the second time BMTC is trialing electric buses, the last one being the BYD Utopia in 2014. Cities in India are moving towards electric vehicles under the Modi Sarkar’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India) scheme.

In 2015, BMTC had trialed a diesel-powered bus manufactured by Japan’s UD, a subsidiary of Sweden’s Volvo AB. Here is a snap of that too.

Volvo UD SLF on trials with BMTC (Srikanth Ramakrishnan/BESTpedia via Wikimedia Commons)
Volvo UD SLF on trials with BMTC (Srikanth Ramakrishnan/BESTpedia via Wikimedia Commons)

Coming back to electric buses, BMTC operated the BYD Utopia for about 4 months in 2014 but deferred purchasing it due to the high price tag of ₹2.5 crore attached to it. In October, The Hindu reported that BMTC was receiving buses from Olectra, JBM and Ashok Leyland for trials. It also received bids from Veera Vahan Udyog. Veera is a Bangalore-based manufacturer of buses that has supplied a significant amount of BMTC’s Suvarna and JnNURM buses back in 2009. It has also been manufacturing three-door buses to take on the German Contrac Cobus 3000; some of these can be spotted at Kempegowda International Airport, operated by GlobeGround. Veera is also setting up a plant in Ananthapuramu (Anantapur), Andhra Pradesh to manufacture 3,000 electric buses a year. As reported by Bangalore Mirror, JBM is the lowest bidder to supply 90 buses.

Other cities that currently use JBM buses include Navi Mumbai. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) undertaking operates the blue-coloured 9m JBM EcoLife E9 bus, mostly along AC-105 from CBD Belapur to Bandra Railway Station (West).

Also; Did You Know CoEP Has A PG Diploma In Metro Rail Tech And Electric Mobility?

If you intend on stepping out, don’t forget the basics: A mask and sanitizer.

           

Featured Image: JBM Solaris EcoLife.

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This Image Of A “Bus Mall” From Vasai Virar Should Make You Sad

Last week, while trawling thru the interwebz, I cam across a picture posted by transport journalist Rajendra Aklekar on Twitter of a bus operated by the Vasai Virar Municipal Transport (VVMT) undertaking. The photograph was originally clicked by Suraj Poojary.

Writing for Mid Day, Aklekar reports that VVMT has been off the roads due to issues with contractors. The Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation had said in November that they aimed to have at least 100 buses on the roads by December.

VVMT was launched in 2012 and part of its fleet is owned by the undertaking. The remainder of the fleet is outsourced to a contractor Bhagirathi Travels, much like how Surat City Bus and Atal Indore City Transport Services operate.

It was reported recently in the Marathi media that a subsidiary of Neeta Travels has signed up to take over services, but I’m unable to find a link as of now.

Vasai Virar has been suffering due to the acute lack of buses and railway services. While BEST and MSRTC extended their services to the satellite city as part of the state governments awkwardly named ‘Mission Begin Again’, the strain has been pretty heavy.

It’s sad to see a bus fall into such disuse, especially at a time when buses have been the lifeline of the city.

Featured Image: VVMT Shopping Mall by Suraj Poojary, all rights reserved.

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BEST’s New AC Electric Midis Are Here

While BEST has consistently stuck to one design for their AC minibus fleet, the Force Motors Smart Citibus, their midibus fleet has a lot more variations. The first to enter the fleet were the BYD/Olectra electric buses, both in an AC and non-AC versions, attached to the Backbay and Kalakilla depots. The second was the CNG-powered Tata Marcopolo which was originally attached to the Mumbai Central Depot and later also reached the Deonar and Magathane depots.

Now, BEST has gone and got itself a new set of midibuses, this time electric once again. The bus this time is from Tata Motors, and is the Tata Marcopolo Starbus Ultra 9m Electric city bus. According to Tata Motors the bus is Bharat Stage VI compliant (although I don’t understand why emission standards would apply to an electric vehicle) and features a top speed of 75 km/hr with a range of 150 km under ideal conditions and a charging time of 2 to 2.5 hours with fast charging.

The bus also has an automated wheelchair ramp for the disabled. The last time BEST buses had such a feature was in the original Tata Starbus fleet that was inducted in 2004-2005 (which were later used on the Fort Pheri routes) although these were manually operated.

You can check out some images here. The bus, like the other midibuses, features a USB charging socket under the seat. It was flagged off by (sadly) Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray.

These buses are also on Wet Lease like the other ones, and owned by Tata Motors Limited (marked with TML on the front and the back). They’re currently attached to the Backbay Depot and run on at least one route: A-25 from Backbay Depot to Rani Laxmi Chowk (Sion).

That’s all from me for now. BEST’s new EVs look really cool!

For my first impressions of BEST’s earlier Midi and Mini-buses, do check out the following:

A Quick Review Of BEST’s Midi-Buses

BEST’s New AC Buses Are A Delight To Travel On

Also, if you’re interested in EVs as a career choice; Did You Know CoEP Has A PG Diploma In Metro Rail Tech And Electric Mobility?

Whether you’re travelling in an electric bus, a diesel bus or a CNG powered bus, don’t forget to take the basic precautions when you step out. Do wear a mask, and carry sanitizer with you.

           

Featured Image: BEST A-25 from Backbay Depot to Rani Laxmi Chowk (Sion) (Vishal/Twitter)

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TMT Volvo Buses Feature Thermal Scanner For Passengers To Check Temperature On Entry

Several buses operated by the Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) undertaking have been fitted with thermal scanners for passengers to check their body temperature on entry into the bus. The scanner – essentially an infrared thermometer, much like the handheld ones that have become common recently – is located near the driver’s cockpit in the untertaking’s Volvo fleet where passengers generally enter from the front.

A note on the exterior of the bus states that the bus is equipped with a “temperature checking device in Marathi. Detailed instructions on how to use them are provided inside the bus next to the scanner.

Here is a picture of the scanner, clicked by fellow bus-fan Pankaj on Instagram.

TMT bus with thermal scanner. Picture via Pankaj's Instagram.
TMT bus with thermal scanner. Picture via Pankaj’s Instagram.

I’m not sure if other TMT buses or buses operated by any other transport body in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region are equipped with scanners yet.

AC buses operated by BEST are mostly on lease from private operators so including a scanner might be problematic. Further, given BEST’s minimum fare of ₹6 on AC buses, they remain crowded (especially in the absence of trains) and this may not work out well.

This measure, although welcome, should have been implemented at the start of the pandemic.

Let’s hope passengers make good use of it.

Also, don’t forget to follow Pankaj on Instagram: @_____pankaj____16

Also Read: Asian cities virus-proof public transit with smart shelters, thermal scanners by Rina Chandran for Reuters.

Also, if you intend to go out, don’t forget a mask and sanitizer!

Featured image: TMT Volvo on Route 126 (Dharmadhyaksha/Wikimedia Commons)

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This Is Probably The Most Gorgeous Photograph Of The Colaba Depot At Night Ever!

Of all the BEST depots, the most photogenic one of all seems to be the Colaba Depot, mainly due to the location of the Cusrow Bagh Parsi Colony located right next doors.

I’ve posted two aerial pictures of Colaba so far, both clicked by Ujjwal Puri aka Ompsyram on Instagram.

Here is one of the Colaba Depot and Electric House clicked at night and man does it look gorgeous with all those lights around it!

Absolutely gorgeous isn’t it? Don’t forget to follow Ujjwal on Instagram!

Also Read:

Give Me Red: Drool Over Yet Another Picture Of Colaba Depot And Its Mini-Buses

Feast Your Eyes On This Photograph Of Electric House And Colaba Depot

That’s all from me for the time-being. Do consider backing me up on Patreon!

Become a Patron!

Also, if you intend to go out, don’t forget a mask and sanitizer!

       

Featured image: Mini-buses parked at Colaba Depot by Nikhil Sawant

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MSRTC Lal Paris Dot Mumbai Streets On BEST Routes

In the last one month, BEST has been junking some of its buses that are over 15 years old, resulting in a shortage of buses. Simultaneously with metro and monorail services shut and suburban services restricted, the undertaking is facing a severe shortage of buses. In order to augment its capacity temporarily, BEST has decided to rent out buses from its younger sibling the MSRTC at a rate of ₹75 per kilometre. MSRTC (or ST) will also provide drivers and conductors as part of the agreement. The buses in question are primarily ST’s fleet of red Parivartan buses, also known as Lal Dabbas or to some fans as Lal Paris.

While 200 buses were initially rented, MSRTC is expected to supply a total of 1,000 buses of its 18,000 buses. Note. Prior to its bifurcation in 2014, the APSRTC had India’s largest fleet of buses, entering the Guinness Book of World Records in 1999 with a fleet strength of 22,000 buses. Post the split, APSRTC has been left with 12,000 buses while TSRTC was given 10,000 buses, making MSRTC the current largest.

The BEST committee is however not enthused with this move. The BMC has decided to cut ₹500 crore for BEST but is going ahead to paying MSRTC. At the same time, 450 of BEST air-conditioned mini and midi buses that have been acquired on a wet lease are lying unused at various depots. The Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana, a body of private bus owners has offered to lease their buses at ₹55 per kilometre, and the decision to not use these private buses has also been questioned. There are also allegations of possible scams under the Uddhav Thackeray-led government in the purchase of body bags and procurement of food packets.

Anyway, scams aside, here are some photographs of the buses on several routes.

Some ST buses don’t have route markings and the conductor is shouting out the route number and destination on reaching the stop.



That’s all from me for now.

Let’s hope BEST purchases new buses soon.

Featured Image: An ST bus on a BEST route by Karthik Nadar via Twitter.

P.S: If you’re venturing out, please do ensure that you are wearing a mask. Do try Peter England or Van Heusen on Amazon below.

     

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BEST Partners Up With PhonePe For Contactless Ticketing

Nearly two and a half months after BEST announced that it too would get on to the QR code-based payments bandwagon, the undertaking has now announced that it will partner up with Yes bank-backed PhonePe to provide all conductors with QR codes. Commuters can however use any app to pay for the tickets.

According to a Mid-Day report by Rajendra Aklekar, BEST has provided 10,000 QR codes to its conductors on all 3,000 buses across 27 depots. While initially limited to the Colaba and Wadala depots, it is now available across the city.

However, another report by Aklekar did underline the importance of proper training being provided to bus conductors, in the absence of which, cash reigns supreme.

BEST has also put up banners and advertisements inside buses to promote the new payment system. It has also put up instructions for commuters at a few bus stops.

Let us hope that BEST is able to get its commuter base to switch to cashless methods.

P.S: If you’re planning to step out and take a bus, make sure you’re wearing a mask. I’d personally recommend these disposable masks by Würth.

Also Read:

With Bags of Change Lying At Depots, BEST Too Joins QR Code Bandwagon

Electronic Ticketing Systems: Who got it right and how

Once This Pandemic Is Over, We Should Look At How We Transact

Featured Image: Conductor punching tickets for A-257 at Esic Nagar

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After Pioneering Rolling Cloth Destination Boards, BEST Now Switches To Dust-Written Displays

The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking, which has pioneered the use of rolling cloth displays for its destination boards on buses for decades since inception, has finally found a solution to a problem that has plagued it for the last decade. Thanks to the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM; whose logo is a jurm for being ugly), most buses got themselves route indicator boards that were LED (light emitting diode) displays.

In the first five years since LED route indicators were introduced (2007 onwards), they stopped working. While BEST did try to fix them and look for alternatives including using a chalk board, the culprit was soon identified. The displayed began malfunctioning when buses were washed. Rumour has it that BEST contacted its southern counterpart, the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) in 2013, asking them how LED display units were functional after washing the bus. They allegedly received a very simple response: “What does washing a bus mean?“.

Keeping all this in mind, BEST has now decided to go a step forward and get a new technology using one of the most abundant elements available – dust. Yes, that’s right, BEST is now using Dust-Written displays now. Below is an image of one such display on Route 200 from Shrawan Yeshwante Chowk (Kala Chowky) to Versova Yari Road Bus Station.

After pioneering Rolling Cloth displays for decades, BEST buses are sporting a new technology: Dust Writing Displays.
After pioneering Rolling Cloth displays for decades, BEST buses are sporting a new technology: Dust Writing Displays.

We got in touch with freelance dust expert and garbologist Rajgira Khamandhokle to learn more. Readers may be reminded that Rajgira Khamandhokle is a frequent traveler on buses, having not once, but twice learnt a valuable lesson from a conductor. (You can read here and here)

We learnt that a dust-written display is extremely power efficient and eco-friendly. When we asked what would happen if the writing gets washed away in the rains, we were told that the amount of dust being kicked up on Mumbai’s roads would easily settle on the glass panel, making for an easy re-drawing.

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) through BEST is sensitising the need of washing hands and that fans of the MCGM are seeing this as an eye opener campaign to bring down Covid19 (Wuhan Virus) cases in the city. An MCGM spokesperson who wanted to remain anonymous said that anyone who writes the destination on a bus would be given free sanitizer. Though he wanted to remain anonymous and that we over here don’t care about such a concept, we would like to informe that he doesn’t work at the Ghatkopar Depot and his name is not Mahesh Sakhalkar.

On noticing Tanu loves Manu written on one of the buses, Tinder was trying to capitalise on the new system and save the sinking Titanic.

Note: The above article is meant to be humourous. Please don’t register a police complain or send goondas to the writer’s residence.

Featured image: A cloth display on Bus 342 from Goregaon Station (East) to Kokan Vikas Mandal via New Zealand Hospital by Bhavik Vasa (via Twitter)

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A Sneak Peak Of Wadala Depot And Its Red Minis From Above

BEST’s Wadala Depot, located at the border of Wadala (West) and Dadar (East) is among their oldest ones. It is also the depot where people need to go to get their spare change returned.

The depot is home to several types of buses, including the converted non-AC Cerita fleet and also the mini-bus fleet belonging to MP Enterprises (MPE).

Have you ever wondered what the Wadala Depot looks like from above? Or at least partially? Look no further, well, actually a little further.

While the image captures most of the areas south of the depot, you can see the tail end of the depot, with its buses and the minis visible.

This image was clicked by Akshay Mane; you can follow Akshay on Instagram here: @mane_aky.

That’s all from me for now. Featured image: Wadala Depot by Suyash Padekar on Google Earth.

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Take A Look At Gorai Depot From Behind

Okay, by now I assume you’ve either bookmarked my blog because you love the aerial shots or you have decided never again would you visit because your bored. At my end, it’s becoming difficult since there are fewer and fewer images that I can find.

Here is an image of the Gorai Depot, BEST’s northernmost depot as well as the second westernmost depot. As stated earlier, the westernmost depot is the Malvani Depot.

These two pictures were clicked in May 2018 and January 2019 by Rupesh Ghadge. Do follow Rupesh on Instagram here: @the_black_advento.

Here is the first one, clicked at night in May 2018.

And here is the second one from January 2019.

This image was clicked during the December 2018-January 2019 strike by staffers of BEST. The strike ultimately prompted then Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi to allow BEST to tap in to the MCGM’s budget.

I don’t support bus strikes (or strikes of any kind for that matter); do read my earlier article on why: Strike It Off! (yes, the title was inspired by Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off).

Featured image: AS-461 bound for Gorai Depot waiting at Mulund Check Naka Bus Station (Picture clicked by Srikanth Ramakrishnan in April 2015).

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