JBM to roll out city buses in March

As the commercial vehicle segment gets set to return to growth after a two-year slowdown, JBM Motors, part of the $1.2 billion JBM Group is all set to launch its city buses in March. The company has showcased the Citylife, as the bus is called, at the Delhi Auto expo in February 2014.

The JBM Group has invested Rs 500 crore to manufacture these buses with its technological partnership with European bus maker BredaMenarinibus (BMB). According to Nishant Arya, executive director, JBM Auto, “The bus project has received an overwhelming response from customers due its unique features including monocoque structure, disc brakes and safety system with aggressive pricing”.

The Citylife is 12 meter-long bus and comes with six variants in both in diesel and CNG options, a fully low-floor variant with 340 mm entry without step and a 41 seating capacity.

In the initial phase, JBM is targeting customers in the north, west and southern parts of the country with customers that include state transport undertakings (STUs), airport authorities and schools. Without revealing details, Arya said that the company has received orders from customers will begin deliveries next month.

He also said the company is looking order from various STUs under the JNNURM II funding as it has participated in few tenders and have received order from customers. These buses will be made in two plants - one at  Kosi in Utter Pradesh and the other in Faridabad in Haryana, with installed capacity of 2000 buses.

Though deliveries commence next month, actual volumes are expected to start from the next fiscal.

JBM has managed to localise up to 85 percent and has designed them completely for Indian road and weather conditions. To offer strength and longevity, the buses have a monocoque structure, complying European standards for safety for front and side collision or rollover accident.  “Our competition is not with the mass market players, but with a few MNCs here and we will give them tough competition because we have better specifications, better application at 5-10 percent lower price than competition,” said Arya.

Talking about the company’s bus plans Arya said that in 5-10 years, the company is targeting a complete line of buses aimed at different segments including inter-city buses.