Busworld India 2018
The eighth edition of Busworld India (2018) attracted CV OEMs, bus body builders and other stakeholders in larger numbers.
The eighth edition of Busworld India (2018) attracted CV OEMs, bus body builders and other stakeholders in larger numbers.
Opening to clear skies and a nice weather, the eighth-edition of Busworld India attracted OEMs, bus body builders and various other stakeholders against a backdrop of sweeping changes taking place in almost all the bus segments. Organised by Busworld International with Tata Motors as the platinum sponsor, the exhibition, held at Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre, between August 29 and August
31, 2018, turned out to be a suitable platform for the Indian bus industry to come together and discuss and debate on the opportunities and challenges they incur. Attracting 115 participants from India as well as various other countries in the world, the show saw bus body builders, suppliers, service providers and various organisations display their technologies, capabilities, and talk about ways to collaborate.
Proving to be a good platform for discussions and debates on topical issues like pollution and efficiency of operations among others, Busworld India 2018, according to Didier Ramoudt, President, Busworld International Ltd., has come to attract the bus industry stakeholders in big numbers. “Not because of the global pressure but because of the global demands for alternate fuel vehicles in public transportation, we have gathered here. We face the same set of issues and challenges that the industry in the other parts of the world faces,” he said. Supported by
Bus Operators Confederation of India (BOCI), Association of
Road Transport Undertakings (ASRTU), ICAT and ARAI, the expo reflected trends like the rise of efficient public transportation systems, focus on alternate fuel technology, electromobility, automation, comfort, convenience and safety.
Tata Motors showcased five passenger commercial vehicles in the form of a 22-seater Starbus Ultra AC, 12-seater Starbus AC, 12-seater Winger, Tata 1515 MCV staff bus and Magna inter-city coach.
Announcing its foray into the midi-bus segment, Force Motors showcased the 33(41)-seater bus called the Traveller Monobus. Touted as India’s first monocoque bus, the Traveller is powered by a 115 hp, 3.2-litre common-rail diesel engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The bus features disc brakes on all wheels with a uni-booster hydraulic braking technology, ABS, EBD and an engine drag torque control. MG Automotives displayed three luxury coaches in the form of a 43-seater ‘Glider’ and 30-berth ‘Glider Z’ sleeper bus on the BharatBenz 12 m front-engine chassis. The crowd puller was the 30-berth ‘Glider Z’ sleeper coach based on the Mercedes-
Benz SHD 2441 multi-axle chassis. Making its first big public appearance after changing its name from Goldstone Infratech to Olectra Greentech Ltd., the company showcased an electric 11-seater AC bus with premium interiors. A variant of eBuzz K6 city-bus that is doing duty at Mumbai with BEST, the 11-seater AC bus is aimed at corporate and tourist applications. Olectra Greentech has been bagging many STU orders for electric buses, including an order to supply 80 ebuses (60 K9 and 20 K7) to Bengaluru Transport and 40 ebuses (K9) to Hyderabad.
Prakash Automobiles launched a 45-seater bus ‘Vega’ based on a Ashok Leyland chassis. It also displayed a 30-berth ‘Capella’ sleeper bus based on the BharatBenz 12 m front-engine chassis. If the Prakash built ‘Capella’ and the MG Automotives built ‘Glider Z’ on BharatBenz and MercedesBenz bus chassis respectively, highlighted the trend of modernisation that is sweeping through the Indian bus industry, the supplier displays seemed to endorse it like no other. A good number of bus HVAC system suppliers found their way to the show. These comprised of Valeo Motherson, Subros Ltd., Eberspaecher Suetrak Bccs India Pvt. Ltd, Trans ACNR, Bitzer India Pvt. Ltd. and Emtech Songz. In the alternate fuel space, Agility Fuel Solutions and Neuton Auto Pvt. Ltd. displayed their products. These included CNG cylinders capable of supporting long-haul bus operations of up to 800 to 1000 kms.
International exhibitors from Germany, Belgium, Turkey, China, Belarus, Korea and Austria made their presence felt at Busworld India too. They put a strong display of products, pointing at the best and the most recent the industry has to offer. With most products at the event pointing in the direction of improving mobility, it did not come as a suprise when G Parameshwara, Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka, in his inaugural address expressed a need to build an efficient public transportation system. “Over 70 lakh vehicles run in Bengaluru every day on roads that were not built to handle the density of traffic seen today. To address this issue, the requirement is for an efficient public transport system that includes buses,” he mentioned. Parameshwara hinted at a proposal to replace the current bus fleet in Karnataka with ebuses in about five years of time, and to lower the tax rate. Bigger than the earlier edition that was held two years ago at the same venue, the Busworld India 2018 managed to generate a good pull. A comprehensive article on Busworld India 2018 will follow in the next issue.