buses

Mass public transit: 5 mantras to learn by rote - Or, how to answer other people's questions 1. Why do we need suburban rail in Bengaluru? #ModaluTrainBeku because suburban train connects the suburbs around the core of the city without needing to pass through the city. Circular commute, similar to a ring road. Suburban trains in India are also much cheaper than the Metro. This enables people who may be lower income earners with no choice but to live farther away from the core & commute, to do so efficiently, effectively, affordably & without causing congestion & pollution. 2. Why…

...Mostly, without any courtesy, is my sad answer. I do not own a car, and use public transportation (read buses...the Metro is yet to be within useful reach for me). I know that senior citizens are entitled to a 25% discount on all BMTC fares, except on Vayu Vajra (presumably, the assumption is that if I can afford to take a flight or even visit the airport, I can pay the full fare!). I also know that there are two seats reserved each for women and men senior citizens. However, over the two-plus years that I have been using the…

...Mostly, without any courtesy, is my sad answer. I do not own a car, and use public transportation (read buses...the Metro is yet to be within useful reach for me). I know that senior citizens are entitled to a 25% discount on all BMTC fares, except on Vayu Vajra (presumably, the assumption is that if I can afford to take a flight or even visit the airport, I can pay the full fare!). I also know that there are two seats reserved each for women and men senior citizens. However, over the two-plus years that I have been using the…

Manidip Mandal shows how it's more expensive to travel from Majestic (Kempegowda Bus Station) bus terminus to Hulimavu (15 km) than to travel from Mysuru to Bengaluru (148 km).     BMTC has become an exploitative and expensive organization, and urban commuters have no choice. I only use public transport, and as a general commuter and a woman citizen, I generally find the drivers and conductors very rude, harassing passengers.

Manidip Mandal shows how it's more expensive to travel from Majestic (Kempegowda Bus Station) bus terminus to Hulimavu (15 km) than to travel from Mysuru to Bengaluru (148 km).     BMTC has become an exploitative and expensive organization, and urban commuters have no choice. I only use public transport, and as a general commuter and a woman citizen, I generally find the drivers and conductors very rude, harassing passengers.

Reshmi Nagendra writes: Last evening when I was returning with 2 of my friends in my car, I had one of the worst encounters with a BMTC bus driver and the conductor of that bus(K A 0 1 F A 923, route number 213 L). The bus driver overtook us from the left side so recklessly and that left scratches in the front of the car, near the headlight. When I stopped and questioned him regarding the way he spoke , the driver straightway started addressing me in singular and used fowl language. Since I am also a localite I…

Reshmi Nagendra writes: Last evening when I was returning with 2 of my friends in my car, I had one of the worst encounters with a BMTC bus driver and the conductor of that bus(K A 0 1 F A 923, route number 213 L). The bus driver overtook us from the left side so recklessly and that left scratches in the front of the car, near the headlight. When I stopped and questioned him regarding the way he spoke , the driver straightway started addressing me in singular and used fowl language. Since I am also a localite I…

I saw this "repair" of a broken window on a Vajra (Volvo) bus.   Jugaad, or creative solutions, are all very well, but does BMTC really not have money to repair a bus properly, and have to resort to ugly solutions lik this?

I saw this "repair" of a broken window on a Vajra (Volvo) bus.   Jugaad, or creative solutions, are all very well, but does BMTC really not have money to repair a bus properly, and have to resort to ugly solutions lik this?

In spite of my writing to BMTC several times on this topic, I have never received a response, nor has anything been done.  It was a rainy evening, I came out of Goethe Institut, Indira Nagar, wanting to take a bus home. I knew my route number - 201. But, where was the bus stop? In the rain and the dark, I could hardly see the route numbers on the buses that passed (it didn't help that the route numbers were not illuminated in most buses.) There were several stops, but not one had any bus routes on them. I…