It’s almost two years since Tata Motors entered into a JV agreement with Marcopolo of Brazil to set up a project to manufacture buses both for the domestic and export markets. The 51:49 JV between Tata Motors and Marcopolo had agreed on an investment of Rs. 150-200 crores on the project. After initial delays in setting up the manufacturing facility, the new JV started building buses at Tata Motors’ existing plant at Lucknow.
The new company Tata Marcopolo Motors Ltd. (TMML) is setting up the world’s largest bus manufacturing facility at Dharwad in Karnataka and is expected to start commercial production by the first half of 2009. The new plant will have capacity to manufacture 1,50,000 buses at the end of five years.
TMML has developed two new models for the Indian market, Starbus LE and a 28-seater Starbus which is also called the Microbus. The chassis supplied by Tata Motors and the bus bodies are built at Lucknow with the help of engineers from Marcopolo.
The Starbus LE has already been commercialized in India, and the DTC order for 525 buses for the new system of public transport in New Delhi has been executed by the Lucknow plant.
The Starbus LE has a low floor and air-conditioner developed to satisfy the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) of New Delhi. The floor with only 380 millimeters of height from the soil and the large doors make it easy for passengers to get in and out, reducing the time at stops, shortening the time taken for a trip and increasing the service efficiency.
Internally, the Starbus LE is equipped with air-flow curtains over the doors to keep the interior temperature low and improve the riding comfort. The rear engine helps reduce the noise level. The vehicle has special safety features like sonorous signals for opening and closure of doors, safety belts, pneumatic control that does not allow the bus to leave while the doors are open, manual ramp for the disabled, and a sonorous system that informs the destination and the bus stop (station). The rear and front of the vehicle are built in stamped steel.
In 2008, TMML plans to manufacture 1,000 units of Starbus LE to cater to the needs of DTC in Delhi and other cities. The company also plans to manufacture 2,000 units of the Starbus Microbus.
The Microbus has an outstanding style and capacity to transport 28 seat passengers. The model has low noise level, vibration and discomfort (NHV) of its category and is the first in India to offer higher comfort standards for the passengers, with a wide internal space and larger capacity for luggage. Other convenient and safe items are the door with pneumatic work, controlled by the driver, and the anti-slipping floor. The vehicle will be the first to satisfy the specifications of the new legislation that will take effect in India.
Tata Motors has done well in the bus segment and thanks to its association with Marcopolo, its only getting better.
Globally, Marcopolo manufactures bus bodies for 15 different chassis brands worldwide, including those of Mercedes-Benz, Agrale, Volkswagen, Scania and Volvo. The other brands are Mitsubishi and Nissan of Japan, Isuzu/GMC of Colombia, Daewoo and Hyundai of Korea, MAN of Germany, DAF/VDL of the Netherlands, Iveco of Italy, Tata Motors of India and Voldai of Russia.
Marcopolo currently has 11 plants globally in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, South Africa, Russia and India. Together Marcopolo manufactured its record high of 17,800 bus body units in 2007. During the last 58 years of its operation, it has produced a total of 200,000 units. Marcopolo has set a target to manufacture 20,000 buses all over the world in 2008.
