[Journey Review] ASTC AC Jan Bus LE Khanapara - Jalukbari
Category : Low Entry LE (Low Floor) City Service
Regd Number : AS20 2010
Journey Route : Khanapara to Jalukbari and Jalukbari to Khanapara
Date of Journey : 6th January 2016
Departure (Khanapara) : 11:50 Hrs Arrival (Jalukbari) : 13:45 Hrs
Departure (Jalukbari) : 14:10 Hrs Arrival (Khanapara) : 15:55 Hrs
Amenities : N/A
Fare : Rs 40 INR (One way)
Journey Scheduling :
It was a moment of happiness for me when I heard about, much awaited ASTC Air Conditioned Jan Bus LE (Low Entry) Services getting started in my native city of Guwahati (Assam). I had made my plans of making a review journey before reaching Guwahati this time.
I decided to undertake an end to end journey from Khanapara to Jalukbari on 6th January 2016.
Journey Day :
It was a winter morning of 6th January 2016, I walked on my way to try out the ASTC AC Jan Bus Low Floor City Service. Since i wanted to try the service from the initial start point, I travelled from Down Town to Khanapara, I finally reached Khanapara, and saw an empty seated ASTC Jan Bus waiting for passengers to board and depart. Being delighted I approached the crew of the bus and asked permission to click some photographs. The crew happily allowed me to click snaps.
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
The bus got filled up with seating capacity almost full. It left Khanapara at 11:50 hrs in the morning. The AC temperature inside the coach was ambient, with the outside winter temperature being 25 degree C. We approached Ganeshguri with the bus taking and dropping passengers at regular stops like 6th Mile, Down Town, Assam Secretariat.
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
The bus was new and well maintained, and being sitted at the middle row of the bus I could feel the good suspension of the coach on the city roads. There were electronic route display boards fitted on the front windshield and the rear glass of the bus.
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
But the attitude of the general public in the bus was very pathetic. Most passengers could not recognize it as an air-conditioned bus and were complaining high fares. Although there was no branding on the sides or window panes mentioning "AIR-CONDITIONED BUS", but i guess it was there was a need for the same as because people were confusing it to be regular NON AC bus. I found people doing verbal fights with the crew of the bus, as they were unwilling to pay AC bus fares which were comparatively higher as compared to a non ac bus on the same route.
The exit door of the bus was kept half opened as the stoppages were at very small distances, due to which the AC cooling was not efficient, as it was during the start of the journey.
As we approached paltanbazar, the mid-day city traffic was a headache. The bus was moving dead slow through the narrow lanes of paltanbazar.
Soon we crossed paltanbazar overbridge and headed towards Bharalumukh. The enchanting view of the Brahmaputra from the road makes it a delightful sight to witness. The ASTC Jan Bus was cruising at a good average speed and the exit door now was kept closed properly as there were few stops after Bharalumukh on way to Jalukbari via Kamakhya Gate and Maligaon.
The Jan Bus was facing pick up problems during uphills, with the driver requiring to give extra throttle to the accelerator. the engine sound was audible as the Jan Bus is a Front Engine Coach. I would rather prefer a Rear Engine coach in future on part of Ashok Leyland.
At 13:45 hrs, we reached Jalukbari after crossing a busy Guwahati City Traffic.
After all passengers got down, I approached the crew of the bus and introduced myself. I shared views with them and asked about their experiences. The crew share the same passenger complaint issues and expressed concern over the ASTC's required intervention to solve the problem.
I decided to travel back on the same bus back to Khanapara. Meanwhile i took some some interior and exterior pics at Jalukbari. While the crew prepared for its return journey.
Here are some pics :
Interior Pics of the ASTC Ashok Leyland AC Jan Bus LE :
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
Provision for physically handicapped passengers (unfortunately blocked by a Spare Tyre)
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
Exterior Pics of the ASTC Ashok Leyland AC Jan Bus LE :
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
Some more pics :
Fire extinguisher near middle exit door :
Two hammers placed near Emergency Exit Window
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
Two hammers placed near Emergency Exit Window
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| Add caption |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
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| ASTC AIR CONDITIONED JAN BUS LE |
Ashok Leyland Jan Bus is enriched with many features and functions. The bus is 650 mm above the ground which gives it a uniform floor height - from the driver cabin to the rear of the bus. Its wide doors and single step entry make boarding and alighting easier, while the stylishly cantilever mounted seats and seat mounted stanchions allow for ample legroom and also make cleaning and maintenance easier.
The trademarked Automated Manual Transmission - LEYMATIC - makes for a smoother drive, saving the driver the stress of strenous gear shifts and difficult clutch operations. Jan Bus is powered by a 235 HP turbo charged BS4 compliant engine that provides superior acceleration and makes for more efficient travel. Especially pedestrian safe, the front fascia of the Jan Bus is more shock absorbent reducing the degree of impact. Intelligent and high tech, the Jan Bus is complete with multiplexing, electronically controlled engine and gear shift.
Return Journey :
Summary and Ratings :
Crew : Not in Uniform. Well behaved. Rating : 4/5
Bus Maintenance :
Speeding : Sedate driving with city driving speed limit. Rating : 5/5
OVER ALL RATING : 4.17/5
Conclusion and Feedback :
After a photoshoot of the ASTC Ashok Leyland Jan Bus, with the co-operation of a very helpful crew it was time to return back to Khanapara on the same bus.
We started our journey back to Khanapara from Jalukbari at 14:10 hrs. I predicted, I encountered the same complaints of high fares, from passengers with frequent verbal arguments over fare with the crew. I personally felt that some measures can be taken on part of ASTC by proper branding of buses for the information of the passengers which will make it convenient to identify an Air Conditioned Bus. I would also like to suggest the ASTC authorities to display to and fro fares between end to end initial and last stops and from initial to major stops in between, so that there will be no point of confusion or argument between passengers and crew of the bus.
The hassle of the traffic kept on buzzing at paltanbazar narrow lanes upto ganeshguri. Finally i reached Khanapara at 15:55 hrs.
I bid goodbye to the crew of the ASTC Jan Bus at the last stoppage and thanked them for their valuable feedback and co operation during my to and fro review journey from Khanapara to Jalukbari and back.
Summary and Ratings :
Crew : Not in Uniform. Well behaved. Rating : 4/5
Bus Maintenance :
- Well maintained, but one of the RVM (Rear View Mirror) on the driver side was missing.
- Bus had seating provision for physically handicapped passengers, but the alloted seat was blocked by a spare bus tyre, which is not commendable.
- Fire extinguisher in place
- Emergency hammers well placed near Emergency Exit window
- Front seats reserved for Ladies and Senior Citizens
- Issues for pick up of the vehicle at Uphills
Speeding : Sedate driving with city driving speed limit. Rating : 5/5
OVER ALL RATING : 4.17/5
Conclusion and Feedback :
- Lack of information in General Public. Requirement of more publicity for awareness regarding fares of the AC service between stops.
- Proper branding should be done on window panes sideways as "AIR CONDITIONED BUS", for public convenience. Many passengers were unaware of it being an AC bus and complained of high fares.
- Exit Doors kept open partially most of the time in Busy City Area stoppages. It effects the AC cooling efficiency. Number of stoppages in between where there are less frequency of passengers can be reduced if required.
- Current route selection through paltanbazar is not preferred due to narrow lanes and busy traffic, leading to increase in traffic, leading to increase in travel time.
Will I recommend travelling on the service again : YES!!!!
Thanks for reading my journey review.....
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Hello Biswajit, You have mentioned the to and fro fare as INR 40. If this is correct, I dont think it is a very high fare for an AC bus! Or, was it a typo error?
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