Ashok Leyland 13.5M intercity buses under scanner for quality issues
The Ashok Leyland 13.5M intercity bus, sold in chassis format, is said to have reported numerous niggles and mechanical failures, resulting in critical breakdowns that stake passenger and road safety.
Intercity bus operators in Mumbai have expressed their displeasure with Ashok Leyland for the abysmal quality of their 13.5-meter buses rendering them unreliable for passenger operations, also for not honoring their warranty claims in a timebound manner.
Media reports suggest that about 68 of these buses, which are not even six months old yet were involved in frequent breakdowns, were returned to the manufacturer on warranty claims and are parked at the company’s workshop in Naigaon.
Also Read: Ashok Leyland 13.5m CNG coach: Quirky design, frugal intercity option
The bus operators, who are part of the Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana (MBMS) and Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI), have claimed that the manufacturer is intentionally sitting on their warranty claims and delaying action, resulting in huge losses for them.
The Ashok Leyland 13.5M intercity buses, sold in chassis format by the manufacturer, is reportedly facing numerous niggles and mechanical failures, resulting in critical breakdowns that stake passengers and road safety. Operators have reported abrupt failure of the wheel hubs and the braking system in large numbers, among other issues.
They have also opined that while the new 13.5M variants have largely carried forward mechanical aggregates from the existing 12-meter chassis, with no technological improvements and fool-proof testing and certification, despite higher chassis cost of about INR 38 lakhs.
The operators must have spent another INR 34 lakhs (on average) for sleeper coach (body) building, resulting in a cumulative purchase cost of about INR 72 lakhs for each bus on an average. The 12-meter buses, on the other hand, might cost some INR 15-18 lakhs less than these longer-wheelbase buses.
The 13.5M chassis variants were launched by Ashok Leyland in 2022. The 18.5-tonne GVW buses are powered by 248 HP A-Series (A4) 4-cylinder diesel engine mated to a 6-speed gearbox. This chassis also underpinned the Ashok Leyland 13.5m CNG intercity sleeper coach, although with a H-Series 6-cylinder, turbo-charged natural gas engine instead of the diesel mill.
