Tata Motors Bags Orders For Over 5,000 Buses

On September 6, 2016, Tata Motors, India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, announced that it has bagged orders for over 5,000 buses from 25 City/State Transport undertakings (STUs) in the country. The manufacturer further added that it has seen such a surge in bookings for the first time in nearly four years.

Tata Motors shared that the kind of orders that it has received from the transport undertakings showed a noticeable shift towards adopting new technology, safety, comfort features and connected, IT-enabled buses. 

It was a matter of time before commuters demanded buses that were technically advanced and met their daily needs.

Some of the buses that have been ordered have asked for better commuter safety and connectivity, and so will include GPS, automatic ticketing system, CCTV cameras, Wi-Fi and electronic destination boards. Other buses, which focus more on consumer comfort, will include features like HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems, wider and lower doors, automatic transmission, lower NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) levels, and air suspension.

Apart from state transport authorities that purchase buses for their cities and states, schools and the tourism industry too rely heavily on buses and are perennially on the lookout for safer and more reliable ways to commute. Buses with more creature comforts and better fuel efficiency are the need of the hour. While cars are in a transition period and moving towards pure-electric or hybrid drivetrains, public transport will have to follow suit, sooner or later. Tata Motors has also developed electric hybrid buses with the future in mind. Both types, Tata Motors said, will soon be seen on Indian roads.