Ashok Leyland and Tata Intercity Buses

[chaitanya]

tata motors seems to be taking the private body builders head on . Comes up with a very good bus customized for stage carrier purpose , A private operator in kerala picked up the bus for ernakulam-kumily route. sleek and good looking

http://buses.tatamotors.com/products/pdf/Starbus-57.pdf

the bus is a 57 seater with 2 doors 135 bhp engine, Srtcs should look into this bus for their express services.

 

[venkateshk]

SVR is charging Rs950 for Non AC and i think they take 19-20hrs to reach vizag as Volvo is taking 17-18hrs now due to road works in ongole-Vja sector. and continous truck traffic between vja-eluru and TNK-Rajamundry and also city traffic in vizag for 30km from steel plant. in south AL is the prefferred chasis for bus be it a RTC or private operator.

Svr is operating Bangalore - Raichur service with 2+1 Sleeper and also Non AC. they also operate Kakinada to Gangavati via Hyd, Raichur.

Thanks deepak.yerr for the info! For the distance 950 is decent. But without AC 19-20 hrs journey will be very tiring. Passenger will feel the pinch.

Is power steering optional while buying a chassis from AL or TATA?

---------- Post added at 12:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:05 AM ----------

The private operators using AL because of the ALs versatile 12 m platform its an awesome platform and tata doesnot have 225 bhp engine on offer in cowl chassis form , earlier their used to be a belief that AL chassis was rugged.

And these AL 12 M engines are also smooth. The silencer sound is smooth, and lot of sound is cut down inside the cabin. I observed this when use to travel in Kesineni non a.c frequently. I'm not if sure those were 225 hp engines!

but tata has come along way ,Tata is focussing more on fully built segment where AL is considerable lagging.

This has helped TATA to get larger pie in JNURM scheme.

The neptune engines from AL are quite smooth.

Are these same 225 HP engine we are talking about?

Nothing like only south indian RTCs use Al, RSRTC , GSRTC , MSRTC,PRTC,JKSRTC, himachal roadways , upsrtc all use AL buses in considerable nos.

But in APSRTC both AL and TATA are in equal numbers. If there is any difference that should be marginal. In coastal AP, there are more TATA buses. In Telangana region there are more AL buses. I don't about Rayalaseema region.

Hyderabad use to have only AL city buses. Thanks to JNURM scheme, now there are considerable number of TATA buses in Hyderabad.

 

[chaitanya]

Thanks deepak.yerr for the info! For the distance 950 is decent. But without AC 19-20 hrs journey will be very tiring. Passenger will feel the pinch.

Is power steering optional while buying a chassis from AL or TATA?

---------- Post added at 12:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:05 AM ----------



And these AL 12 M engines are also smooth. The silencer sound is smooth, and lot of sound is cut down inside the cabin. I observed this when use to travel in Kesineni non a.c frequently. I'm not if sure those were 225 hp engines!




This has helped TATA to get larger pie in JNURM scheme.



Are these same 225 HP engine we are talking about?



But in APSRTC both AL and TATA are in equal numbers. If there is any difference that should be marginal. In coastal AP, there are more TATA buses. In Telangana region there are more AL buses. I don't about Rayalaseema region.

Hyderabad use to have only AL city buses. Thanks to JNURM scheme, now there are considerable number of TATA buses in Hyderabad.

power steering is available from a long time , all the city buses these days are with power steerings, al /tata introduced long back but market didnt pick up that time, tata even had a suspension for driver seat back in 80s . Neptune is a series of engines developed inhouse by AL, and i suppose 225 crs is a neptune engine(i stand to be corrected). Well that engine is just a master piece from AL , Except for the torque the engine is very much capable to catch up with b9r, u can see svr,diwakar ripping their sleepers overtaking their own multis on the routes they serve. I have seen kesineni sleeper overtaking KPN b9r at 100kmph effortlessly, Well apsrtc in rayalaseema has some eicher coaches 2 but more or less tpty,chitoor,madanapally,kadapa,nandyal,kuppam ,sri kalahasti,kurnool etc have more tata buses, nol al 225 has entered these depots with Indra,

 

[ignis_s]

Palakkad to Chennai is around 570km via Salem, Krishnagiri.



32 seats in a 12M is a real luxury seating. ARC and ABTX Travels have 36 seater AshLey 12M AC buses, which offer better leg space than Volvos. I think KPN's bus was a Viking, as 12M can take 4 more seats without affecting the leg space

One correction,to my experience ABTX doesnt have any 36 seaters. They run only 39 and 40 seaters. and of all private travels ARC is the only bus with 36 seaters where as ABTX runs the same coach with 40 seater. which makes the leg space the max.And ARC is one of the most comfortable bus in terms of space

 

[pramodp]

Is power steering optional while buying a chassis from AL or TATA

Power steering is mandated by CMVR for HCVs such as buses and trucks. Believe me, the steering of buses is far better than those found in cars - in terms of road feedback, and power-assistance.

And these AL 12 M engines are also smooth. The silencer sound is smooth, and lot of sound is cut down inside the cabin. I observed this when use to travel in Kesineni non a.c frequently. I'm not if sure those were 225 hp engines!

All the 6-cylinder H-series engines used in AshLey buses are very smooth. Low NVH in the passenger saloon is made possible by the Front-engine configuration, where the engine and driver cabin has a sound-insulating partition wall. This is one aspect where rear-engined buses cannot improve beyond a certain point.

Are these same 225 HP engine we are talking about?

The Nepture engines are currently available only with the Defence products, such as the Super Stallion. They're yet to be made available in buses. However, I do hope they make their way to buses, especially the 300+hp Neptunes

One correction,to my experience ABTX doesnt have any 36 seaters. They run only 39 and 40 seaters. and of all private travels ARC is the only bus with 36 seaters where as ABTX runs the same coach with 40 seater. which makes the leg space the max.And ARC is one of the most comfortable bus in terms of space

I agree that they're one of the most comfortable in terms of space, AND ride quality. Even better than many Volvos and Mercs.

 

[venkateshk]

tata motors seems to be taking the private body builders head on . Comes up with a very good bus customized for stage carrier purpose , A private operator in kerala picked up the bus for ernakulam-kumily route. sleek and good looking

http://buses.tatamotors.com/products/pdf/Starbus-57.pdf

the bus is a 57 seater with 2 doors 135 bhp engine, Srtcs should look into this bus for their express services.

Fully built buses help RTCs. They need not have to take the pain of choosing a design, following with bus body builder for delivery of buses etc.

---------- Post added at 07:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:17 AM ----------

Off late we have been hearing from our fellow forum members in other thread about the speeds at which AL 225 hp buses are driven. Many cases even over taking Volvo and Merc buses.

What would be the mileage of these buses?

Will the mileage not be compromised if they are driven at high speeds?

What is the CC of these engines?

 

[pramodp]

What would be the mileage of these buses?

Will the mileage not be compromised if they are driven at high speeds?

What is the CC of these engines?

Those engines are of approximately 6L capacity, but using common rail technology. This improves the power and torque. I would guess their mileage to be between 3.5 and 4, assuming they run with AC on all the time

 

[gideon1000]

Few years back, both AL and Tata are in a single level. Both the buses sucked big time as they struggled to match with international buses like volvo, mb, isuzu, corona... Now AL has improved a lot in their engine design and they are ready to face the competition. When is Tata going to improve their capacity? They can still be compared with bullock carts only. Unless tata take the transportation seriously, they will fail miserabely. Their down era has already started as AL started to dominate the bus sector.

 

[venkateshk]

Those engines are of approximately 6L capacity, but using common rail technology. This improves the power and torque. I would guess their mileage to be between 3.5 and 4, assuming they run with AC on all the time

Thanks for the info pramodp! 3.5 to 4 is pretty good mileage.

---------- Post added at 07:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:37 PM ----------

Few years back, both AL and Tata are in a single level. Both the buses sucked big time as they struggled to match with international buses like volvo, mb, isuzu, corona... Now AL has improved a lot in their engine design and they are ready to face the competition. When is Tata going to improve their capacity? They can still be compared with bullock carts only. Unless tata take the transportation seriously, they will fail miserabely. Their down era has already started as AL started to dominate the bus sector.

Yes, Gideon. Only last 3 years I have seen change in AL and TATA buses. Though Ashley has developed pretty good 225 12M chassis saw success in intercity routes, TATAs have been focusing on City transport solutions and they been successful. They bagged biggest pie in JNNURM scheme especially for city buses. Now TATA is one largest seller of fully built buses.

 

[vignesh]

KSRTC sleeper is built in house by their regional bus bodying workshops (like apsrtc has at miyapur) the quality is quite good but their designs are clones of either volvo or corona .
The private operators using AL because of the ALs versatile 12 m platform its an awesome platform and tata doesnot have 225 bhp engine on offer in cowl chassis form , earlier their used to be a belief that AL chassis was rugged but tata has come along way ,Tata is focussing more on fully built segment where AL is considerable lagging . The neptune engines from AL are quite smooth . Tata is extensively testing their multiaxle bus chassis and started selling fully built city buses (hybrid) in spain. If tata comes up with the multiaxle chassis in India before AL you can see a considerable shift from AL to tata from private operators.
Nothing like only south indian RTCs use Al, RSRTC , GSRTC , MSRTC,PRTC,JKSRTC, himachal roadways , upsrtc all use AL buses in considerable nos.

one of my friend worked in Tata has now moved to Volvo Construction equipment. I asked the same question and he said, AL has better mileage than tata. also the level of breakdown is considerably less in AL compared to high power 1618. so they are not able to sell in good numbers even the existing ones.

---------- Post added at 10:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:17 PM ----------

tata motors seems to be taking the private body builders head on . Comes up with a very good bus customized for stage carrier purpose , A private operator in kerala picked up the bus for ernakulam-kumily route. sleek and good looking

http://buses.tatamotors.com/products/pdf/Starbus-57.pdf

the bus is a 57 seater with 2 doors 135 bhp engine, Srtcs should look into this bus for their express services.

That's a nice to see private operator taking fully built buses

---------- Post added at 10:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:24 PM ----------

Thanks deepak.yerr for the info! For the distance 950 is decent. But without AC 19-20 hrs journey will be very tiring. Passenger will feel the pinch.

Is power steering optional while buying a chassis from AL or TATA?

---------- Post added at 12:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:05 AM ----------



And these AL 12 M engines are also smooth. The silencer sound is smooth, and lot of sound is cut down inside the cabin. I observed this when use to travel in Kesineni non a.c frequently. I'm not if sure those were 225 hp engines!




This has helped TATA to get larger pie in JNURM scheme.



Are these same 225 HP engine we are talking about?



But in APSRTC both AL and TATA are in equal numbers. If there is any difference that should be marginal. In coastal AP, there are more TATA buses. In Telangana region there are more AL buses. I don't about Rayalaseema region.

Hyderabad use to have only AL city buses. Thanks to JNURM scheme, now there are considerable number of TATA buses in Hyderabad.

Tata is not having major share in JNnurm. its only AL and had about 50%. rest are with Tata, Volvo. today AL buses carry more than twice the amount of passengers carried by Indian railways which means they have close to 60% shre in RTC's.

---------- Post added at 10:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:26 PM ----------

Few years back, both AL and Tata are in a single level. Both the buses sucked big time as they struggled to match with international buses like volvo, mb, isuzu, corona... Now AL has improved a lot in their engine design and they are ready to face the competition. When is Tata going to improve their capacity? They can still be compared with bullock carts only. Unless tata take the transportation seriously, they will fail miserabely. Their down era has already started as AL started to dominate the bus sector.

Corona is not a foreign bus company. its indian only