A bus from Nashik division ferrying BEST passengers in Mulund
How to become a BEST bus? Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus depots from various parts of the state have come up with localised and interesting guidelines for their staff on how to be the best BEST bus.
Over the next year, more than 1,000 buses from the MSRTC, which is one of the largest public transport undertakings in the country with a fleet of 18,000 buses, is in plans to run over BEST local routes in Mumbai by their staff — but guided by the BEST.
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Rule no. one is that the buses need to be in fit condition and less than eight years old. Secondly, a few depots are removing the locking door frames of buses before sending them to Mumbai. In some cases, curtains from long-distance buses are also being done away with.
One more important point is that the buses should have 44 seats just like the traditional BEST and need to be sanitised and cleaned regularly. The depots are sending their own staff of mechanics and bus caretakers so that the buses do not become a liability at the last moment after arriving in Mumbai.
"Who would have imagined that a bus from Kurduwadi, Solapur depot would run on Antop Hill-Goregaon bus route someday? These are unprecedented solutions for unprecedented situations," an MSRTC bus driver said.
Similarly, at Thane east, buses from Mahabaleshwar depot have been running and those from Nashik division have been spotted at Mulund. The BEST provides local staff to guide the bus stops along the route and understanding its ticketing system and process to get the buses started with an entry in log-books.
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