Next Bus Day - new things to do and try
Its time for next Bus Day, and we assume BMTC is game to convert this to a monthly tradition. With time, the Bus Day should become:
- The "release day" for new products, services or features from BMTC
- A day to try out any new experiments, specific to a locality
- Excite commuters from a given region or on a given trunk route towards taking the bus
- Converting any resulting negativity ("I don't like the bus because ...") into work item for BMTC via feedback collection.
Some new things to try could be:
- Dedicate Bus Lanes in small small parts of target corridors
- Pick just 2-3 big bus exchange points (Silkboard, M'halli, K R Puram types), and provide extensive signage and information about what all bus exchange possibilities
- Pick every 4th or 5th Bus stand in one corridor, and put out bus route information with approximate frequency
- Shuttles to new locations - this is a hard one, will BMTC be willing to run shuttles to "off-trunk route" job areas like Bagmane Tech Park, Global Village etc? I personally think BMTC can't promise 100% coverage like that, but can perhaps try only on Bus Day.
- A mobile phone based survey this time (we can set it up for them if needed). Send SMS to a given number to mention your top problem or suggestion for BMTC. Can have short codes for the 12 reasons we think to be.popular.
- Specially printed tickets for Bus Day, and 3 randmoly picked tickets get prizes :)
What else, more ideas? Please be as specific as possible, motherhodd suggestions would be hard to try via this release vehicle of Bus Day, for us citizens as well as for BMTC.
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Prize should be 1 month free BMTC Vajra Ride!!
SB, prize should be 1 month free Vajra ride!
Similar to prizes given to
Similar to prizes given to monthly pass holders even day pas holders can be given some or other prizes. This will also ensure BMTC that pass resale comes down a bit(Atleast around 10%).
BMTC's major flaw is the non-announcement of the new routes that has been commenced by it. MBS routes and soem trunk routes failed inspite of advertising. 600 series became an hit for only one reason that it gave good conenctivity to electronic city from banashankari which otherwie has only pvt buses.Not all routes can becoem an hit.
BMTC also had a few extentions but was never known to many. 210G from Shivajinagar to ISRO layout was extended to Vasanthapura. Similarly introduction of volvoes like 375A,500KC,600KA ,340T,356Q,and ordinaries like 348B,343B,410C,500M,were never announced-people saw them running and boarded it. If BMTC can atleast provide proper information regarding this,it will help people understand the services much better.
Middle Loop Suggested - Can it be tested on Bus Day
We posted the Big Circle and Middle Circle Loops. Can the middle loop be tested. I found more traffic Middle Loop especially on Koramangala IRR mainly due to EGL.
EGL being a combination of many small companies, do not have any transportation service. Please correct me if I am wrong. So many cars, lot more than ORR SEZs and ITPL. ITPL being far off, people are reluctant to use cars, but this being nearer, people have they tendency to take cars.
Always there will be a jam from EGL till Sony Junction in Koramangala.
By the way, bus lane can be tested from Sony Junction to Domlur on Koramangala IRR.
IRR proposal
Always there will be a jam from EGL till Sony Junction in Koramangala
Sony world jam could be because of the traffic turning for the mall at Ejipura signal but at peak times could also be because of the U turn in the middle(see map) of the IRR
They should create an exclusive turn lane and put up a signal for EGL traffic to take a U turn towards old airport road. A tram/bus lane (pic below) can be run from Madivala (silkboard) to Byappanahalli Metro station as proposed here. But if you put a center track bus/tram stops need to be island stops with pedestrian crossings.
What worked and what did not.
SB,
Maybe some collective thinking along with passengers on what worked and what did not.
What worked
a) Publicity - newspapers, e-mails, etc. Some anecdotal evidence from my side - lots of people working in ITPL, E-City were talking about it.
b) Police support - I think Mr.Sood's team supported this. Apparently there were cops at Marathahalli Bridge aiding traffic and ensuring buses stopped properly. True or not?
c) Extra schedules on routes
d) Whitefield local loops?
What did not
a) Call centre ?
b) Website with update routes and timings not functioning
Srivathsa
Drive safe. It is not just the car maker which can recall its product.
What next
First thing - change from 4th of every month to first Thursday (i am sure this will eventually happen)
Second - From Bus day move to No-Car/Car-Free day. To discourage ppl from using cars on those day,
1. Sell daily passes for both Volvos and Normal buses at subsidized rates.
2. Have bus priority lanes on those days.
3. Traffic police could enforce "drive by the rules" policy - police can be extra vigilant on these day and book drivers for even minor road offenses - and probably double the fines too.
4. Increase parking tariffs across the city - both in private and public spaces.
Third - Lets make make Cubbon park a traffic free zone on every Sunday. BMTC can run mini shuttles inside the park to ferry ppl around - if not for free atleast at very nominal rates. The parks could be open for street vendors, woodstock festivals, street plays, cultural events - every things thats missing in this city on those days.