Chennai MTC Volvo City Buses-Photos, Timetable and Route Info
This post gives you all available information related to newly introduced Volvo City Buses by MTC Chennai. Since my earlier post on Bangalore Volvo City buses was extremely popular I thought I'll write a similar post on Chennai Volvo. So here we go. [Quick jump to Routes|time-table section ]
It’s the same B7RLE variant of Volvo transit bus which is rocking Bangalore roads that has hit Chennai roads. If you ask me, the dashing red coloured Volvo in Bangalore, covered further with advertisements, looks a bit more attractive than the pale white colour Chennai Metropolitan has chosen. Nevertheless, it should be a good experience to Chennai commuters. (Even Singapore and several other countries use this same model...)
MTC has purchased 10 Volvo B7RLEs as of now(Rs 78 lakh each, expensive than B7R inter city coaches). Only 5 are operational as of now-2 on 21G (Tambaram to Broadway), 2 on E-18 route (Broadway to Guduvancheri) and one on Route number 19 (Broadway to Kelambakkam). No official time table has been released. They keep plying on the designated routes. Ticket prices are at par with Bangalore (though diesel is cheaper in Chennai) starting Rs 10. (Makes more economical than unruly overpriced meter less autos in Chennai)
APSRTC: Are you watching?
Timetable: MTC Chennai has not issued any consolidated Time Table for Volvo Services, but I noticed that they have placed some boards displaying departure timing of the Volvo buses at each bus terminal where a Volvo service originates/ends. Two such boards, found at Central and Broadway station can be seen in the images below. But please note, these Volvo buses are under no obligation to honor these timings. When I took these photos at Broadway at 1120 hours I was thinking I have to wait for another 45 minutes for next bus. But surprisingly at 1130 a Volvo bus of route number 21G came in and it left the station at 1140. I’m not sure if the 1105 bus came in late or 1215 bus came in early, but verdict is that timetable is not reliable. Also I could see no mention of E-18 route time table (Broadway to Guduvancheri)
Bangalore has a SMS based location identification service for Volvo city buses. Hope Chennaities can expect similar service (details here). Right: Timetable found at Central. (Excuse me for bad photography, image was taken in a hurry), Below: Timetable at Broadway.
Ticket Fare: From Broadway to Chamiers Road did cost me Rs. 23 (Rs 5 in ordinary bus), Thiruvanmiyur to Chennai Central costs Rs 25 (Rs 10 in a Deluxe bus). While Bangalore BMTC Volvo conductors speak fluent English, Chennai MTC Volvo conductor with whom I spoke managed to utter few English words. The bus was running with less than 25% occupancy with which MTC might just be breaking even.
Other observations:
Emergency Exit door is positioned at an unusual place-the ventilator on roof top. Not sure how practical it will be to use that door for emergency exit because if it is very inconvenient to exit through that tiny door. (It is more practical to break those gigantic windows and escape in case of emergency, assuming one manages to break them!)
Cameras and Fire alarms have been provided. The central floor is extremely spacious to accommodate luggage, people with wheel chair or even a stretcher. Journey is smooth and comfortable. The driver steers the Volvo as if he's driving a car!!
Almost everyone on the roadside-Other drivers, traffic police, general public, everyone turn their head and stare at Volvo as it passes by. If you sit near Window you can hope to gain some popularity.
Chennai MTC (Metropolitan Transport Corporation) Official website:(The website is not yet updated with Volvo related information)
Full list of all Chennai route numbers can be found here: (not yet updated with Volvo routes)
No Volvos yet on Chennai's IT superhighway (Madhya Kailash to Sholingnallur). This sector can get good commuters for Volvo.
Some more photos for you.
Related posts: Why BMTC is faring better than its rivals| Bangalore Volvo City Buses|Bangalore-Hyderabad by Bus
November 2010 updates: Did learn recently that BMTC in Bangalore has introduced free internet service in its select Volvo fleet (Vayu Vajra Service that caters to airport passengers and ITPL route that services to IT employees. Need to see if Chennai catches up fast. Other posts: Chennai Roadies * MMTS local train ride *
It’s the same B7RLE variant of Volvo transit bus which is rocking Bangalore roads that has hit Chennai roads. If you ask me, the dashing red coloured Volvo in Bangalore, covered further with advertisements, looks a bit more attractive than the pale white colour Chennai Metropolitan has chosen. Nevertheless, it should be a good experience to Chennai commuters. (Even Singapore and several other countries use this same model...)
MTC has purchased 10 Volvo B7RLEs as of now(Rs 78 lakh each, expensive than B7R inter city coaches). Only 5 are operational as of now-2 on 21G (Tambaram to Broadway), 2 on E-18 route (Broadway to Guduvancheri) and one on Route number 19 (Broadway to Kelambakkam). No official time table has been released. They keep plying on the designated routes. Ticket prices are at par with Bangalore (though diesel is cheaper in Chennai) starting Rs 10. (Makes more economical than unruly overpriced meter less autos in Chennai)
APSRTC: Are you watching?
Timetable: MTC Chennai has not issued any consolidated Time Table for Volvo Services, but I noticed that they have placed some boards displaying departure timing of the Volvo buses at each bus terminal where a Volvo service originates/ends. Two such boards, found at Central and Broadway station can be seen in the images below. But please note, these Volvo buses are under no obligation to honor these timings. When I took these photos at Broadway at 1120 hours I was thinking I have to wait for another 45 minutes for next bus. But surprisingly at 1130 a Volvo bus of route number 21G came in and it left the station at 1140. I’m not sure if the 1105 bus came in late or 1215 bus came in early, but verdict is that timetable is not reliable. Also I could see no mention of E-18 route time table (Broadway to Guduvancheri)
Bangalore has a SMS based location identification service for Volvo city buses. Hope Chennaities can expect similar service (details here). Right: Timetable found at Central. (Excuse me for bad photography, image was taken in a hurry), Below: Timetable at Broadway.
Ticket Fare: From Broadway to Chamiers Road did cost me Rs. 23 (Rs 5 in ordinary bus), Thiruvanmiyur to Chennai Central costs Rs 25 (Rs 10 in a Deluxe bus). While Bangalore BMTC Volvo conductors speak fluent English, Chennai MTC Volvo conductor with whom I spoke managed to utter few English words. The bus was running with less than 25% occupancy with which MTC might just be breaking even.
Other observations:
Emergency Exit door is positioned at an unusual place-the ventilator on roof top. Not sure how practical it will be to use that door for emergency exit because if it is very inconvenient to exit through that tiny door. (It is more practical to break those gigantic windows and escape in case of emergency, assuming one manages to break them!)
Cameras and Fire alarms have been provided. The central floor is extremely spacious to accommodate luggage, people with wheel chair or even a stretcher. Journey is smooth and comfortable. The driver steers the Volvo as if he's driving a car!!
Almost everyone on the roadside-Other drivers, traffic police, general public, everyone turn their head and stare at Volvo as it passes by. If you sit near Window you can hope to gain some popularity.
Chennai MTC (Metropolitan Transport Corporation) Official website:(The website is not yet updated with Volvo related information)
Full list of all Chennai route numbers can be found here: (not yet updated with Volvo routes)
No Volvos yet on Chennai's IT superhighway (Madhya Kailash to Sholingnallur). This sector can get good commuters for Volvo.
Some more photos for you.
Note the automatic transmission-the D, N and R buttons-driving volvo is as easy as driving a scooty, except for the estimation skill you need while turning, owing to huge dimensions of the vehicle. But if you ask me, I love the manual transmission better-The sheer fun of changing gears manually-I feel like a handicapped while driving automatic-your left leg and hand has almost no use... What is your take on that? Let me know.
As of now no advertising is to be found on these Volvos while BMTC is caching in on that front too.
A cheap travel insurance is superfluous for a one time vacation. Rather, try saving on the airline tickets as well as go for cheap hotels. You will be able to spare more that way. Also only if you are getting cheap cruises, should you pursue the package.
A cheap travel insurance is superfluous for a one time vacation. Rather, try saving on the airline tickets as well as go for cheap hotels. You will be able to spare more that way. Also only if you are getting cheap cruises, should you pursue the package.
Related posts: Why BMTC is faring better than its rivals| Bangalore Volvo City Buses|Bangalore-Hyderabad by Bus
November 2010 updates: Did learn recently that BMTC in Bangalore has introduced free internet service in its select Volvo fleet (Vayu Vajra Service that caters to airport passengers and ITPL route that services to IT employees. Need to see if Chennai catches up fast. Other posts: Chennai Roadies * MMTS local train ride *
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