Vestibule buses to be back in Hyderabad

After nearly 30 years, Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is planning to reintroduce 10 vestibule buses in twin cities in a fortnight. Each bus will have a capacity of shuttling 170 passengers during the peak hours. APSRTC has bought each bus for Rs 27 lakhs from Ashok Leyland. The bus will have a seating capacity of 68 against 46 in the ordinary buses with more space for standing. “The two conjoint buses can be a good solution to move the public at once in large scale. It will be introduced in places where there will be high population density,” said executive director P V D Jayashankar Prasad. These buses will be introduced only on the routes where the roads are broad. The length of each vestibule bus is 53 feet against the 33 feet of the normal bus. The bus is called vestibule because two buses will be given a coupling at the point where it will be clubbed together. The fuel efficiency of the vestibule bus is comparatively lesser to the ordinary bus. According to APSRTC officials, the fuel efficiency of the vestibule bus will be 3.3 kilo metre per litre where as in case of an ordinary bus it will be around 4.7 kilo metre per litre. APSRTC officials said viability study has already been done on the Hyderabad roads by the engineering wing. Vestibule buses are already in operation in places like Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune and other cities. “The bus is tested and it can take even a 90-degree turn with ease. Since the buses will be operated on the broad roads we do not expect any problem in the operation of the bus,” Jayashankar Prasad said. Vestibule buses used to be operated in Hyderabad till the mid seventies were called ‘Trailer bus’. But, officials said the basic design of the bus was different since a passenger cannot go from one compartment of the bus to other. The rear part of the bus was just attached to a hook and it used to be pulled by the front part of the bus. But, after the mid-seventies it was kept off the roads since it was financially and mechanically not viable. However, APSRTC officials said in the vestibule bus, which is being introduced now, a passenger can move from rear part of the bus to the front part. In this case, the two parts of the bus will be connected by a platform called “Hubner-designed couple”. Vestibule bus will have a two-door opening on the front and one more on the rear part. However, it is yet to be decided whether it will be manned by two conductors or one.