APSRTC to set right killer buses

Driving behind an APSRTC bus comes with its own perils. The APSRTC fleet is besieged with myriad problems like malfunctioning indicators and defective tail lamps that create problems on road as bus drivers often have to use hand signals which the motorists behind can’t see. Also drivers coming from the opposite direction get confused when the buses turn.

Mr T. R. S. Mukund, a senior service engineer said, “The indicator lamps don’t blink, which lead to accidents. The drivers sometimes show hand signals, but it is not possible every time to watch out for the hand.”

Mr N. Narayan Murty, a businessman said, “I travel by car and sometimes when buses take an unexpected turn it result in accidents. The accident might be a minor one but it is not safe to follow an APSRTC bus.”

Non-functioning tail lamps and brake lamps are also some of the problem areas.

A college student, Mr Narendra Reddy, said, “During the night tail lamps don’t function and you never know when the bus is going to stop. So there are chances of the vehicle behind colliding into the bus.”

Admitting to the problem, Mr Purushottam Naik, the regional manager of RTC, city region, said, “We are in the process of rectifying the problem and a special drive for lights is been carried out. In the coming few days things are going to be fine.”

Other problems have also surfaced regarding fitness tests, pollution control and braking system.

Responding to the cases, Mr Ravindra Babu, regional manager for Ranga Reddy region, said, “The APSRTC conducts fitness tests on all buses every year and a smoke test every month. We are ensuring that all buses meet the standards. We are also focusing on the braking system,” he added.