Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai) - Fleet

Fleet

• Number of MTC buses as on 24/08/2010

Single-deckers

All the buses in the MTC are from either Ashok Leyland or Tata Motors, with the former having a vast majority. These buses were launched since 1990s and even today many of those old-fashioned buses continue to receive overwhelming response. Most of the buses are BS-III compliant while the newly ordered Ashok Leyland Viking SLFs are BS-IV Compliant.

Semi-Low floor buses

The corporation has also introduced huge number of semi low floored and deluxe buses with improved passenger amenities like improved lighting, plastic moulded seats and driver operated pneumatic, doors into its fleet from February 2007. These buses are from Ashok Leyland, with the body built by various body building shops which Ashok Leyland has partnered with - Prakash Coach (SM Kannappa Automobiles, Bangalore), Veera Vahana Udyog Ltd, Irizar-TVS, G.S.Body works etc. and account for the majority of the buses. The newer range of these semi-low floor buses supplied under JnNURM feature BS-III engines and LED display and majority are from Ashok Leyland, with a few TATA Marcopolo buses also in service, while the older buses are Ashok Leyland BS-II compliant. The total number of buses in this segment is over 1800. The new lot of 150 BS-IV buses are in operation now, they are from Ashok Leyland.

Vestibule Services

Apart from the regular and low-floor buses, MTC also runs articulated buses from Ashok Leyland to traverse the most-congested routes. The fares are similar to those of ordinary and express services. These buses have 2 conductors, plastic moulded seats and LED boards (Some of these buses still continue to have regular boards). However these buses do not have pneumatic doors nor feature the chassis of the semi-low floor buses.

Air-conditioned buses

MTC has launched the Volvo AC Bus services in Chennai on selected routes. It is expected that the number of AC buses running in the city is likely to increase many folds in the upcoming years. These B7RLEs have high-tech features such as ABS, Retarders, Kneeling, etc. and relatively better interiors. There about 100 of these buses running on select routes at regular intervals. All the busses are Euro V compliant. These buses are so popular that a 30 of them have been transferred to TNSTCVillupuram Division and make trips to Pondicherry, Vellore, Coimbatore, Tiruchirapalli and Hosur.

Advertising facilities are available on these buses, which can be availed at reasonable costs. Advertisements are mainly print visuals that can be arrayed in the interiors and the exteriors.