When the MTC bus on route 17 M ran off the Anna Flyover on Wednesday, public attention was turned to a key question — does Chennai’s monopoly bus operator maintain its buses in good condition?
Many of those who regularly ride the ‘new’ or ‘refurbished’ services of the MTC, paying enhanced fares since November last year, are certain to reply with a resounding ‘no’. ‘Deluxe’ buses with non-working doors, ‘ordinary’ buses with metal sharps protruding from windows, broken seats, rattling stanchions and overhead railings, creaking wipers, stubborn gear-boxes and clutch systems, and a mostly-dead instrument panel for the driver, are what they see. This is the passenger experience, but the MTC paints a rosy picture of itself.
To the Ministry of Urban Development, it sent the following in a commissioned report sometime ago in order to claim Central grants for bus purchases: “Maintaining city buses in good condition has always been a tough task, but the MTC is known for its ability to successfully face this challenge... The traditional MTC culture has been very positive when it comes to maintenance of buses in classic condition.”
If the Centre had any questions about how the grant buses would be kept, the Corporation assured it that its systems and processes would “ensure that the vehicles procured will be maintained in top class condition” throughout their life-cycle period.
Regular users can cast their vote on the condition of the buses, but the toppled-over 17M and the hint that it might have been travelling faster than the desirable speed should prompt a thorough review. The general answer to the problem, says professor Dinesh Mohan, Volvo Chair Professor Emeritus at IIT Delhi’s Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Programme, is to ensure that city services do not speed beyond 50 km per hour.
“Take all pressure off the driver,” he says, pointing to the fact that transport corporations often put a great deal of stress on drivers through unrealistic trip schedules. If bus companies track the actual time taken to cover all routes in normal traffic, it would result in a trip schedule that is humane for the driver, and thus safe. Of course, that would mean investment in many more buses to cater to demand, something that the MTC appears in no hurry to do, despite newfound prosperity.
On the question of safety, it is now easier to record driver behaviour, thanks to cheaper technologies. Applications for basic smartphones record the progress of a vehicle using GPS and provide spreadsheet output or transmitted data. Obviously, that would make it difficult to conceal bad driving. Will our transport corporations use such tools to good effect?
The Corporation should strictly adhere to the Automotive Industry Standard code for bus body design and approval, which will improve commute for all — because the code favours lower floor height and boarding steps, comfortable seating, and wider gangways. It is worth pointing out that some sections of the bus industry have been resisting the key provision on floor height and have even persuaded important officials in New Delhi. So what you may get is an obsolete design from the past.
Modern buses need not be expensive. The expert view is that, shorn of frills, it should be possible to build a code-compliant semi-low floor bus for about Rs. 20 lakh, and a low-floor bus for Rs. 40 lakh. The answer to bus safety lies in sensible trip timings and capped speed. MTC needs to be subjected to an independent audit in this regard. That would perhaps prevent more buses from leaping off flyovers.
Keywords: Anna Flyover bus accident, MTC buses, public transport, Automotive Industry Standard code, bus design
worst ever attitude by driver.The king of speed was on mobile phone.
what is the action against driver??why is the matter is silent as of
now.
The accident must have taken place due to driving error.Since the curve
and narrow road of gemini fly over, the driver should be Cautious to
turn the steering wheel meticulously to compensate the centrifugal
force.The high ways should provide speed breaker to control the
speed.The parapet wall should strengthened by RCC not with PCC.
"‘Deluxe’ buses with non-working doors, ‘ordinary’ buses with metal sharps protruding from windows, broken seats, rattling stanchions and overhead railings, creaking wipers, stubborn gear-boxes and clutch systems, and a mostly-dead instrument panel for the driver, are what they see."
Might help if the commuters Name and Shame them..
Why not the commuters record the above as digital images and make them widely available for both the authorities and the rest of the commuters..The Hindu can co-ordinate a website for the commuters to post these images.
Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,said some one.The
transport corporations under the'supervision' of elected
representatives,cannot escape the effects of rampant corruption.In
the columns of your Madurai edition,I read the observations of a reader,that in two hours,when he kept a watch on buses stopping at an important point, Vilakku Thoon,the buses going past the 'non'stop,while the share autos were doing roaring business!That was retail 'loot',while those who can, would take care of their 'Macro' interests,while 'capital' investments would be made in these corporations.Repeated use of RTI and the publication of the outcome >alone would keep the operations of these corporations in check.Till then the commuters should strengthen their bonds with the gods and accident insureres!
The MTC should maintain its buses in good condition since the government has increased the bus fares all over Tamil Nadu from November 2011. Now we can see the buses including MTC are painted and looking as new ones. But the conditions of buses remain same. Even Chennai city facing huge traffic all over the city particularly in main areas, still some of the MTC buses are running in high speed.
And MTC is having services such as Deluxe, Express and White board but people are not able to figure out the differences in terms of comfort, travel time among these services.
Hence request to the MTC management to look into these painful issues to make the passengers happy during travel on MTC buses. And also the stoppage and comfort of these services need to be reviewed and accordingly the actions should be taken so those passengers feel satisfied for the fare they are offering.
Agree with Mr.Kumar. Apart from the condition of the buses, the
condition of the road matters. 90% of the drivers are indiciplined
lot. Thanks to the Union. They have no fear of losing job
Their job is secured irrespective of their conduct with public,
officials, rash driving, causing accidents. They are spoilt lot. How
you will explain their scant respect for traffic rules. Unless
otherwise
the government does cleansing act, the general public will continue to
face all the inconveniences.
Sorry, I beg to differ. MTC buses average very low speeds, by crawling for most part of their journeys, because most of the buses are underpowered and overloaded, apart from being rickety and mechanically unsound. Hardly 10% of MTC buses have functional speedometers. Hardly 1% of them have fully functional instrument clusters. Most of the repairs are unprofessional tasks, particularly when it comes to driver usability.
With autorickshaws parking merrily in bus stops, buses stop in the middle of the road, bringing about traffic snarls in an already slow passage.
Drivers also have incentive for fuel savings, which is why they drive in high gears using very low acceleration. They are under pressure because of this, not because they are asked to drive fast to make more trips.
If anything buses must speed along smoothly and safely. Speed is an ally and is very often touted as some sort of demon, while it is pure common sense that if traffic moved faster, we'd have less congestion.
Excellent points: "The answer to bus safety lies in sensible trip timings" and body construction as mentioned by Mr. Bala. I would add to it: Educating the drivers. Also, providing yoga or some sort of training to have calm minds. Capping speed at 50 will be very very effective (as can bee seen in some lorries on highways).
Wishful thinking there! But this article brings to light an interesting question - aren't there any govt rules on the design and operation of buses? The article states that 'Corporation should strictly adhere to the Automotive Industry Standard code for bus body design and approval' - don't they? If individual citizens transgress the law, they are penalised. If the govt does that, can't any citizen forum charge the govt on the lapse?
Too many things has worked against the perfection of bus service. 1. Any govt contracts bleeding with bribe and bitter quality(deterioration of bus quality). 2. Bad road structure and high traffic jams. 3. Ever growing or doubling population. 4. Qualification of govt employee not based on experience in work and satisfying superiors with good work but knowing higher officials and satisfying with money!! 5. Last of all -We all talk all the time about it but very little to nothing happens!!
the quality of bus body construction in tamilnadu be it government or
private buses does not meet safety norms. at a little impact the body
comes apart exposing the occupants. it is not steel monoquocue
integrated body to withstand impact as followed by andhra and
maharashtra buses. Though they may be esthetically appealing they are
death traps at time of impact and collision. let IIT CHENNAI INSPECT THE
QUALITY OF BUS BODY OF TAMILNADU BUSES. ANYBODY LISTENING?
Please Email the Editor