BMTC Bangalore runs two types of ordinary services – the black board routes covering upto 15 kms (numbered 1 to 209) from city centre and the red board routes covering areas longer than 15 kms from city centre (numbered above 210).
The bus passes cost more for red board buses than those for the black board buses. But in reality – the red board buses are at times cheaper and faster than their black board counterparts. Despite the longer distance, they have lesser stages. However boarding a red board bus might mean walking a few more yards to the appropriate bus stop.
For example, the JP Nagar 6th phase to South End Circle, route No 2 charges Rs 10 for going via Jayanagar for the distance. A red board bus from Kanakapura road charges Rs 6 going via Banashankari and Yediyur. The distance between the 6th phase last stop and Kanakapura road is about 1/2 a kilometre.
The time taken by the red board buses is about 5 minutes lesser and frequency of buses is higher; all buses numbered between 211 and 217 go to K R Market can be used, so lesser waiting tim.
Another example: from Corporation to Mico Checkpost – route no 25E and its variants (364 series) charge Rs 12 for the stretch travelling via Lalbagh and Jayanagar. But route no 365 or 369 for the same strech charges Rs 10 travelling via Shantinagar and Dairy Circle, the charge is less while there are more number of buses on this route.
Despite having a black board pass, a commuter cannot use the red board bus for travelling as the corresponding pass charge is lesser – but the ticket charge of red board bus is actually lesser. Thus the black board pass holder is actually deprived of using a service of lesser charge in these circumstances.
To bring it to a common platform, BMTC must start issuing a common pass for both black board and red board buses. With the advent of LED boards, a new bus user will anyway not be able to distinguish between a black and red board bus.
The number of passes categories must come down to just two – the ordinary pass and Vajra bus pass, now that Pushpaks and Suvarnas too use the ordinary fare itself. ⊕
As a regular commuter from Jayanagar to Sanjaynagar (via majestic, several times a week) I find that there is no logic in the fares (the ticket is sometimes 10, other times 8, or 9 (with senior citizen concession) depending on what the conductor decides. And red-or-black boards have no consistent policy. Have been meaning to write to the CTM seeking clarification….
Sakuntala
‘@Sakuntala
I agree t your point madam- it occurs a lot of times especially with senior citizens because of the jumping of fares by 2(4-6-8-10) instead of one. But the above post is what happens regularly-this also occurs between 171(Black board) and 340-342(Red board) series to Koramangla Water tank/Jakkasandra/Koramangla from majestic/corporation as 171 goes to Adugodi, Forum,NGV,Sony world on its route whereas 340-342 run via Dairy circle.Forum and St.Johns
Siddharth
I agree with your fare difference but it all depends on the stages alloted. However, if you have a detailed look the BMTC is robbing public money. It is prcuring only VOLVO and that too it is cheating IT people too. I stay in jp nagar 5th phase. I know the scam they are doing. The time taken by pushpak is more than th eordinary but the fare is more in the former. Also there is no differnce in the comfort provided by suvarna but it is costiler than ordinary services.
Our bangaloreans are least bothered and no one is reaedy to voice.
The CTM and MD are the ones to blame.
Even the transport minister.
Though BMTC is proud and also the bangaloreans are proud and boast of the BMTC HIGH FI Fleets but by the physical service they offer is worst.
‘@Sadhi kumar
Sir some points to be agreed but looks like its quite some time since you have travelled by BMTC-bow fares of ordinary, pushpak and suvarna are equal in all stages and now BMTC runs only 2 services-the non-ac and the AC’s-the AC having 2 divisions the Marcopolo and the Volvo
Of course the fare is higher but everyone who is in Bangalore for abput 6-7 years now knows the difference in service-though there is a high price the buses are good-we dont want to pay lesser and keep changing buses on account of some brake down or any other causes-maintainnece fleet and coretosuy wise to as far as I hav travelled they are best in Karnataka state(Surprisingly an auto driver spoke about these facts one night while coming from majestic as i was too tired to take a bus)
Hello Siddharth,
Let me inform you that, I’m a resident of JP.Nagar 5th phase and presently monitoring the 215M buses which ply b/w our above mentioned area to K.BS. I’m a frequent traveller.
I’m not commenting/against that BMTC shouldn’t provide HIGH END buses.
Apart from the VOLVO’s, the time taken by the Suvarna, Pushpak nad the Ordinary are same but the fares are high in the former two compared to Ordinary.
If you would like to know the reality, please do board in the former two and see the fares difference and the time journey.
If would like to get the details, I’ll give you the information.
I’d request you to participate in the BANGALORE PATROL event on 28th NOVEMBER regarding MOBILITY. So that we can voice our concerns.
Thank you.
Sir
as far as I have travelled the minimum fare in the Suvarna,pushpak and ordinaries are one and the same. Previously they were very high then they were high in the 1st stages but now everything is one and same- I use BMTC buses everyday and travelled by all types of buses-so kindly please check the facts
As far as i have seen only ordinary services in 215M(I am a resident of J.P.Nagar 6th phase) and there are about 3 buses running on the route all from depot-4 (Sanjay Gandhi Hospital)
The pushpaks actually have a major problem that is issuing tickets and lesser place to stand. So generally I avoid pushpak travel. But suvarnas have been using right from the day their fare were brought on par with the ordinary. Actually many of the suvarnas have now been converted to Big10 and BigCircle buses and some pushpaks have been converted to Atal Sarige and ordinary buses after they were brought on par-bus on route no. 215D(KA-01-F-3xxx) and spare bus of depot 4(KA-01-F-1994) are examples of pushpaks converted to ordinary. So Bangalore has only 2 classes of buses the Non-AC class and AC class. No other class exist
Hi all,
I am staying in Srinagar Bangalore and my office is i Domlur, can i get that Black board BMTC pass??
Please respond to the question urgent
Thank u.
Sunil kumar. You can Black board bus ticket. ur bus no is 190
Sunil Kumar- yes you can obtain a BMTC pass- your bus Nos. generally fall in black board range
hi, now i am staying at madiwal, my office is at kalyan nagar, can i take black board pass
Santhosh Sunku- No sir- since Kalyannagar falls in red board bus area you need to obtain a red board bus pass- also buses from Madiwala to Kalyannagar namely MBS-8 is also a red board bus only
Hi, I stay in kormangala sony world. I travel everyday to Richmond Road. I generally take 171 in the morning but evening since i get into the bus at signal I prefer taking any bus till shanthinagar and then take 171. which bus pass should I be using?
Hi, I am staying in Hanumanth Nagar can I travel from Hanumanth Nagar To Manipal Hospital ( Near Domlur) with Black Board buss pass?