BMTC gives Suvarna buses a branding experiment

Meher Khanna - Televisionpoint.com | Bangalore
A number of buses in the Bangalore city are changing colours by the day. In fact, they are so camouflaged by popular brands adorning their sides, that commuters are at a loss to identify the class of bus behind the advertisements.

Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has given Suvarna buses plying from the city to Bangalore International Airport (BIA), and on other routes, for a branding experiment.

"The exercise is merely experimental, and 43 Suvarna buses have been given for branding. The experiment will soon end and the buses will regain their original look." said Garg, projects director, BMTC.

The tenders were passed in August this year in favour of an advertising agency, for a period of five years. Under the arrangement, different companies have put up advertisements on 22 Suvarna buses going to BIA and 21 on other routes.

However, BMTC sources said the ad agency is likely to discontinue the exercise due to lack of takers. The global recession has hit many companies hard and not many are keen on hiring a bus at a cost of Rs 8 lakh for one year. Sources added this is a high price in the given economic conditions and the agency is not "feeling very comfortable."

The BMTC, which risked incurring losses by introducing BIA special bus services, Vayu Vajra and Suvarna, is also confident of breaking even in three years. The corporation received an average offer of Rs 17 lakh per bus for 40 Vayu Vajra coaches, and Rs 8 lakh per bus for 43 Suvarna coaches.

The BMTC will also implement the long awaited passenger information system (PIS) from January next year. Keltron India has bagged the rights to set up the PIS, planned as a pilot project, in approximately 80 bus shelters en route the BIA.

It maybe noted that BMTC operates 4,500 buses on 1,400 routes to carry 3.7 million passengers every day across Bangalore, while 4.5 million passengers travel on 3,380 buses owned by BEST on 335 routes in Mumbai.