Folks,
Taking things forward from our last Praja meet and to brain storm and plan activities on tracking BMTC initiatives, here's my bit to get things started on a few things that deserve note.
1. Big-10 and HOHO services - scalability and scope for improvements.
Taking cues from ABIDE, BMTC has started gearing up to run “Big 10 Road Services” on trunk roads and “Kendra Saarige” in Central Business District (CBD). We have started to witness good numbers building up on two of the Big-10 routes currently operational Trinity - Whitefield and Vellara - E City. Banneragatta Road Big-10 operations starting Monday would have built up as we speak.
The Blue Lines and the Yellow lines meant to be providing auxilliary services to the Big-10s for transporting commuters to various points in the CBD. There have been posts questioning the handling of each of these services in unision, how a synchronised service of a Big-10 feeding a KS and vice versa. There is a need to track this pilot project, bring to light the loopholes and get some quick wins to expand these services across the city.
2. BMTC Fleet expansion plans
BMTC's take on recommendations by ABIDE towards fleet expansion. There is a need to seek data about routes where there is a need to get more buses to be running. Considerations regarding optimizing the existing fleet without expansion, by effective time management and synchronizing schedules to meet the growing demands in the city. Acertainly viable option over the former.
3. Organised Bus bays and efficient TTMCs
Follow up on BMTC plans to introduce TTMC’s at 45 various locations in Bangalore. We have seen the Shantinagar TTMC operational for quite a while now and how has the public response been this far. A survey might be of help. Have we been able to meet the expecations of the rationale behind launching such TTMCs - this might give impetus to driving similar projects across various other parts in the city as planned. Use of BMTC branded small vehicles to tackle last mile connectivity issues - a well debated topic on this forum.
As per a Hindu report, The Traffic Engineering Cell (TEC) of the BBMP has taken up construction of the bays and has invited tenders for 100 bus bays out of 140 proposed by the BMTC. There has been some evident work under progress ahead of KR circle on Nripatunga Road. It is paramount for the BBMP-BMTC to work together overcoming the inter urban planning authority issues we have faced in the past to get these projects running and help them achieve results.
4. Fleet crew compensation models
Ticket sales based compensation for fleet crew in BMTC. Scope for remodelling the remunetration for the crew - Scope for improvements?
Could we get people involved in debating the compensation models practised in BMTC for its fleet crew. At hind sight it looks like the crew focus more on ticket sales per trip on any specific route rather than on the timing their travel. This results in a slowdown in frequency of operations, buses not being available at expected arrival times and add up to traffic congestion.
5. BMTC Routing and Timing mechanisms
Restructuring the existing fleet routing schedules uniformly for both peak and non peak hour travel and implementing the most suggested Direction over Destination strategy. This if found successful could also address the fleet expansion issues.
Improved user reliability is a direct factor of improved availability and streamlining of services. The 335E/333P (KBS-ITPL), 356C/356N(KBS-E City) volvo routes are good examples to this account. The 319C (KBS-OMR-ITPL) though, proved to be a disaster due to dwindling commuter numbers.
6. Rail Vajras - an option to consider?
The Vayu Vajras after having got off to a slow start have become quite popular amongst the flying community today.
There have been discussions held on the forum here to suggest BMTC to expand such services to the rail travellers as well. The Bangalore City Railway Station, Yeshwantpur and Cantonment serving as major junctions provide a good opportunity for the BMTC to run dedicated services from different parts of the city, modalities of the same could be discussed before taking this proposal forward. And if estimated figures were to be right, around 40,000 commuters per day is remarkably good to convince the authorities of revenue generation related concerns if any.
7. BMTC Advertising strategies
We have off late been seeing BIG Street operated bus shelters across almost all parts of the city. As per a recent report, BIG STREET a division of Reliance ADAG, the company specializing in the OOH (Out of Home) media business in an attempt to expand its reach, has taken the ‘Street Furniture’ route by activating 172 hi-tech bus shelters in Bangalore.
BMTC provides Bus side panels and back panels for putting advertisement by the interested companies/organisations. We have seen this on out Vajras and Suvarnas and specific details have also been put up on the BMTC website.
It would be interesting to get first hand information on the advertising models practised at BMTC and their future plans to improvise on them.