The honourable Chief Minister of Kerala Mr. Oommen Chandy flagged off 10 Tata Marcopolo buses recently for operation by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) under the newly formed Kerala Urban Road Transport Corporation (KURTC).
Flagged-off from Ernakulam, Thevara Bus Station, the Tata Marcopolo buses are part of the 97 buses KSRTC placed an order for, with Tata Motors, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) phase II.
Tata Motors will supply Tata Starbus Urban 9/12 BS III, from Tata Marcopolo, offering up to 40 seats with a capacity to accommodate standing passengers. Designed for easy entry and exit, the bus is built with a floor height of 900 mm and 12 meters in length, with a wide passage way for easy movement and entry and exit, due to its well-spaced seating in the 2X2 configuration. The bus is also equipped with double overhead grab rods and is airy due to its newly designed long sliding glass windows. A smartly designed new age signature front face will allow easy identification of the new Tata bus from a distance.
Equipped with a proven Tata Cummins ISBe 5.9 BS III engine and 6-speed gear box, the new buses will provide for maximum performance and efficiency, also confirming to the Urban Bus Specifications–II, for faster acceleration of 0.8 minutes per second. These buses are roll-over tested, equipped with air-suspension at the rear and are also built such that lesser noise, vibration and harshness enters the cabin, for comfortable travel.
For additional safety, the buses are well lit, have an emergency exit at the rear and are fitted with fire extinguishers. The buses are also fitted with On-Bus Intelligent Transport System (ITS) like video cameras for surveillance, along with twin on-board LED destination boards, has a GPS system, a public announcement system, along with on board diagnostics. The drivers’ space is also ergonomically laid out for comfortable operations, with a 4-way adjustable seat and a wide angle wind shield for maximum driver visibility.
Tata Motors has also received an order for over 3500 buses nationally, under JnNURM II. Of these Tata Motors has an order of over 900 buses in the Southern region, from Karnataka, Pondicherry, Kerala and North-East Karnataka.