75 new buses join BMTC's airport fleet

Scaling up its operations to attract more passengers on the airport route, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has deployed new Volvo buses with upgraded security and safety features.

The BMTC has received 75 of the 150 Volvo buses sanctioned under JnNURM till March this year. “The remaining 75 will be inducted as and when the buses arrive. We expect all the buses to be delivered in the next two months,” a BMTC official said.

“There are 95 buses running on the airport route and we have replaced 40 with the new buses. The remaining 35 are used for chartered service to companies in the mornings and evenings, besides regular service in the remaining time. The next batch of buses will cater to the public on other routes,” a BMTC official said.

Attracting more passengers on the airport route has become a challenge for BMTC with some app-based cabs, preferred for their door-to-door service, providing ride-sharing option.

The cabs charge five times more than the BMTC fares to the airport, which range from Rs 170 to 230. However, they turn out to be almost the same and sometimes even cheaper when a family or group of four are travelling together.

The corporation recently tweaked the fares of AC and non-AC buses. However, the fares for the airport service have remained unchanged. Considering that app-based cabs are likely to increase fares in the coming days, the new buses may as well win more commuters for BMTC.

The new buses are Bharat Stage IV-compliant and have CCTV surveillance and a panic button for each seat. The video screen on the dashboard gives real-time feed from cameras at the tail and on the sides. In addition to the fire alarm, the bus has two fire extinguishers for use in case of emergency.

“More importantly, for the first time, the BMTC is set to be disabled friendly as the new buses come with collapsible ramps at the doors. The feature will also help aged persons,” an official said.