SCANIA MOMENTS

Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer, Scania commenced its entry into the Indian bus and coach market with its Metrolink range of buses



The Metrolink HD 45-seater is a 12-metre 4x2 model and features a 9-litre, 314PS, Euro 3 engine mated to a 8-speed automated gear box.



Metrolink HD 53-seater is a 14.5-metre, 6x2 model featuring 53 semi-sleeper seats. The HD-53 employs a 8-litre, 416PS mill which is equipped with a 8-speed auto box. For ease in maneuvering the third axle is hydraulically steered.


Scania Metrolink 14.5 m 
                                              
Width 2.6 m
Height 3.7 m
Chassis
6x2 with hydrauli­cally steered tag axle
Engine 410 hp Euro 3

Fuel tank 465 litres


Scania Metrolink 12 m

Width 2.6 m
Height 3.7 m
Chassis 4x2
Engine 310 hp Euro 3
Fuel tank 465 litres

RNC 775- BANGALORE - THRISSUR

Date: 28-02-2013
Trip: Bangalore - thrichur
Bus: RNC 775 SUPER EXPRESS
Boarding: SATELLITE BUS STAND
Departure: 10 PM (10 PM)
Arrival: 08:00 AM (9 AM) SHAKTAN STAND
Seat No:  6,7
Fare: 768 FOR 2

My trip was sudden and din decide much which bus to opt.. checkin redbus , the Volvos were charging 1000+ . I din wanna try those paying so much . finally my friend too said he will be going to his native and he too will join. He suggested the 11pm tcr deluxe as it reaches early at tcr, which is via nilumbur. Long since had a ksrtc ride too , I too decide to choose it. We went to satellite stand to book ticket on tuesday. The tickey guy said the bus maybe stopped at check post. As it happened the previous day and they left the bus only at 6am. So again we got stuck which to book. We asked for a bus which is via salem and he said the 10 pm super express. Finally opted that without thinking anything.

Later we though about Kasrtc. Why we dint book in it.. we could hav taken the rajahamsa. As tickets were booked then we finally decided to continue in this

On the day of journey.

We reached satellite stand at 9 pm. Had our dinner .later I did some  bus fanning . the tcr and Calicut deluxe were parked in their parking spot opposite side of stand.. in the bay the 10 pm nilambur deluxe reached to board the passengers . nearby it , the Calicut , vellore and kanchipuram rajahamsa was busy boarding passengers. TNSTC’S bound to various places too was parked . Calicut bound corona sleeper just arrived at bay. Next to it was parked the tottilpalam super express ( RAK 99) and thalashery super express ( RAK 315) . time was 9.40 ,  my bus came in to the bay. It was RNC 775 ( tata) bearing regn no . KL15-9196. We boarded the bus, placed our luggage’s and stood out.. saw conductor verifying tickets . I got in and showed him the ticket. He marked and returned the ticket. Saw the chart then. Only some 15 members had done advance booking . rest of the passengers boarded then. 

Finally the bus departed at 10 pm.. crawled all way till kr maket.. time was 10.20 pm. Went further , picked passengers from st.johns and madiwala police station. Time was 10.42 pm.. there was hectic traffic after silk board towards the flyover. Expected the bus would take the elevated flyover. But happened the opposite. He went all way till electronic city below the flyover. No passengers boarded. It was just a waste of time. Reached BETL toll gate at 11.13. almost half an hour to cover the stretch. We casually asked the conductor what time the bus would reach thrissur. He said 9am.. I was shocked.. 11 hours to thrissur. lost all impression. After BETL the bus was fast. He was pushing the bus to maximum. Reached attibele toll at 1130.  There was again traffic block at zuzuwadi  check post.. we passed by the ekm Hindustan b9r there. Crossed hosur flyover at 11.45 pm.  He was driving normal then. 

A Hindustan ac sleeper just overtook us at hosur in a flash.. within minutes the bus was out of sight. The driver stopped the bus at a hotel behind CCD/McD (shoolagiri). Time was 12.10. dinner break lasted till 12.30. saw  a lot of KaSRTC buses , sleepers and airawats filling fuel at that pump. There was a long queue of these buses, around 8 buses. Finally departed after dinner at 12.30. bus was goin good speeds on the krishnagiri stretch. Time was 12.35pm. a black benz of bharathi overtook us .it just went like a rocket. Time was 12.39 and we saw an airawat ACC bound to unknown destination , goin ahead. The driver was constant with his speed and easily overtook the bus. ACC was never seen till salem after that.

Reached NHAI toll at 1 am.. overtook a Kasrtc non ac sleeper at 1.16 am.. later I dozed off. Later when I woke up the bus was at salem stand.. time was 3 am. I dozed off again.. later when I woke up , the bus reached Coimbatore stand. Time was 6 am. Stopped at cbe for 15 minutes. Lot of passenger boarded and the bus was full . departed at 6.15.. crossed walayar at 7. Finally reached Palakkad at 7.30. the bus stopped to fill diesel . 10 mins later , bus departed. Took the alathur , kuthiran stretch to thrissur.. finally I was dropped at shaktan stand at 9 am.. 

Its my first trip on a SUPER EXPRESS in my life.. and am seriously confused how to rate it. 

 PIC COURTESY : KSRTC IMAGE DATABASE

BHARATHI - PATHANAMMTHITTA TO BANGALORE

Date: 03-03-2013
Trip: Pathanamthitta - Bangalore
Bus: BHARATHI B9R - KA-07-A-1000
Boarding: PATHANAMTHITTA
Departure: 3.45 PM (03:45 PM)
Arrival: 06:00 AM (6:21 AM) SILK BOARD
Seat No: I 2
Fare: 1050

My trip was planned all of sudden, it was Wednesday and almost all the return ticket were full leaving the last row few seats.  At last I called up gold class for a ticket and he finally arranged a seat for me in bharathi from Pathanamthitta .thanks a lot to gold class.

The day of journey :

Reached Pathanamthitta at 3.35. The bus was parked in front of travel Centre. Went to office asked for the seat which gold class arranged. The agent said the ticket charge was 1200. Then I said gold class said the ticket price is 1050. He called him up and confirmed it and my boarding pass was issued. My seat was I2. 3 passengers boarded here. The bus was fitted with many musical horns . the driver was trying each horn testing which is better and finally set to one tune. Interiors were clean but outside the bus had few dents , cracked windshield and broken side window. Bus was not even washed.

The bus left at the scheduled time 3.45. ac was set to 21 degrees. The bus went straight through walkers. 3 more boarded in. it took prakanam route towards kozhenchery. Shawls were alrady placed on the seats . it had a lot of rattling sound and some screeching sound when brakes are applied.. the driver was a tamilian. Lot of honkings . took left from elanthoor towards kozhenchery. He was goin on 60-80s on the t.k road. Lot of traffic too was there , so had to slow down frequently. Reached kozhenchery at 4.10. 6 passengers boarded here. Finally proceeded towards thiruvalla. Stopped at tvla for 5 minutes and departed at 4.37. a white S.Kallada kl-45 regn bus passed by . proceeded to changanashery . reached MM travels at 4.50 and municipal stand at 4.52. bus did not go inside, one passenger boarded from der .

 reached kottayam kodimatha at 5.15. bus entered the stand . kottayam g4 was getting ready there and S.Kallada departed when we reached. Few passengers boarded and finally waited til 5.34 for two passengers. They were not picking call too. Finally they said they are waiting at bakers junction. Reached bakers jn at 5.39. few passengers boarded from there. The bus running to pta was the ex- bng-mum/manipal bus. Reached ettumanoor at 5.55. movie was played after ettumannor. It was MASTERS.  bus took a  right after ettumanoor towards muvatupuzha . reached kuruvilangad at 6.11 , monipally at 6.22. bus was maintaining consistent speed on this stretch. Not so fast though. Reached koothattukulam at 6.35 and finally muvattupuzha at 7.04. rear tv was not opened all through the movie. Sharma non ac ( atlas) reached mvtpa at 7.15. finally we departed from there was 7.28

reached perumbavoor at 7.50 . there was a bike loading there. Pproceeded to angamaly and finally reached there at 8.15. there was just one passenger to board. But the bus wasted 7 minutes there and left at 7.22. unnecessary time wasting. Maybe collection talks with the agent there . reached richus for dinner break at 8.26. the bus took a reverse and parked in. kottayam S.Kallada and the atlas sharma was already parked there. After dinner waited for the drivers . in the mean time, ksrtc garuda reached there at 8.45 followed by a sharma non ac and SONA b9r and A1 travels. Left after dinner at 8.53

apart from the default tubes, the bus was fitted with extra led lights , fitted near the tubes. And the sleeping lights were yellow compared to the blue ones seen in most Volvos now. Felt it a bit disturbing. Reached chalakudi at 9.03. use of dippers was less. Tooo much honkings . crossed thrichur nhai toll at 9.21. took left towards thrichur town at thalore. Reached thrichur at 9.35 and departed at 9.40. the bus occupancy was full by now. Five minutes later , the bus entered a pump beside city centre. Fueling took place for 15 minutes and finally left at 10 from there. 

Book took shornur –ottapalam route.. the driver was slow on this route. At some places he picked up speed. reached Palakkad at 11.20. walayar at 11.45. Left walayar at 11.54. since sitting in the last rows I dint feel to continue watching what’s happening next. Finally dozed off.  Had no idea which route the bus took. Was it palladam or the direct one.. it was 5.22 in the morning. And the cleaner shouted hosur with lights on. one passenger alighted there. The bus took the NH via krishnagiri not the rayakottah road. A lot traffic after hosur . reached attibele toll at 5.43. after passing the toll the bus stopped for 4 minutes. Went further towards narayana hrudayalaya hospital. The bike was dropped there. Finally reached BETL flyover toll at 6.07

The kottayam G4 ( 5738 – yellow ) was on the side lane on the toll. Followed by Skallada’s B11R. I felt it’s a late arrival for a bus leaving kollam at 5. Left toll plaza at 6.12. moved ahead and a passenger was dropped there. Took over the flyover at 6.13.  minutes later , SRM passed us overtaking through the left. Finally we were dropped at 6.21 at silk board.. we stopped behind SRM . it was 3340. Alighted at silk board and walked ahead to catch a bus. Then saw the G4 ISHIFT reaching silk board at 6.25. followed by some ksrtc ACC’s and sleepers. 

 ksrtc garuda pic taken during dinner break

19 minutes at kytm , 25 minutes at muvatupuzha , 7 minutes at angamaly, 5 minutes at thrichur/tvla, 10 minutes at walayar. Almost one hour of time wastages apart from the 30 minutes of dinner break and 15 minutes of fueling. The bus would have reached easily by 5.30 -5.45 leaving the unwanted time wastages.

Ratings :

Cleanliness: 4/5
Punctuality: 4.5/5
Staff Behavior: 5/5
Overall: 4/5