| Parent | Pallavan Transport Corporation Ltd |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1947 |
| Headquarters | Pallavan House, Anna Salai, Chennai |
| Locale | Chennai |
| Service area | Chennai Metropolitan Area |
| Service type | Normal, Limited-stop (LSS), Express, Deluxe and Volvo |
| Routes | 724[1] |
| Depot(s) | 25 |
| Fleet | 3421[1] |
| Daily ridership | 55,840,00 |
| Operator | Government of Tamil Nadu |
| Web site | www.mtcbus.org |
The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Tamil: மாநகர் போக்குவரத்துக்கழகம்) (formerly known as Pallavan Transport Corporation Ltd.) is the agency that operates the public transport bus service in Chennai, India. It covers a maximum of 50 km radius around Chennai.
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Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai - Dn.I) Ltd was established on 1 January 1972 with a fleet strength of 1029 buses. The operational jurisdiction is the Chennai Metropolitan area. The Pallavan Transport Corporation was split into two and a new Corporation, namely, Dr. Ambedkar Transport Corporation Ltd. started functioning from 19 January 1994. Pallavan Transport Corporation was renamed as Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai Division –1) Limited, Dr. Ambedkar Transport Corporation was re-named as Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai Division-II) Ltd., on 1 July 1997.
In order to make the Corporations viable, and for better administrative control, Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai Division II) was amalgamated with Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai Division I) Ltd in 10 January 2001. The fleet strength of the Corporation at 1 March 2009 was 3260 with 25 depots, a body building unit at Chromepet, a ticket printing press at K.K.Nagar and Reconditioning Unit at Patullos Road. During the year 2002-2003, 117 buses have been purchased for replacement. After 2007, thousands of number of buses are purchased for new services as well as replacement for old buses.
Single-deckers
All the buses in the MTC are from either Ashok Leyland or Tata Motors, with the former having a vast majority. These buses were launched since 1990s and even today many of those old-fashioned buses continue to receive overwhelming response. Most of the buses are BS-III compliant while the newly ordered Ashok Leyland Viking SLFs are BS-IV Compliant.
Semi-Low floor buses
The corporation has also introduced huge number of semi low floored and deluxe buses with improved passenger amenities like improved lighting, plastic moulded seats and driver operated pneumatic, doors into its fleet from February 2007. These buses are from Ashok Leyland, with the body built by various body building shops which Ashok Leyland has partnered with - Prakash Coach (SM Kannappa Automobiles, Bangalore), Veera Vahana Udyog Ltd, Irizar-TVS, G.S.Body works etc. and account for the majority of the buses. The newer range of these semi-low floor buses supplied under JnNURM feature BS-III engines and LED display and majority are from TATA Marcopolo while the older buses are Ashok Leyland BS-II compliant. The total number of buses in this segment is over 1800.
Vestibule Services
Apart from the regular and low-floor buses, MTC also runs articulated buses from Ashok Leyland to traverse the most-congested routes. The fares are similar to those of ordinary and express services. These buses have 2 conductors, plastic moulded seats and LED boards (Some of these buses still continue to have regular boards). However these buses do not have pneumatic doors nor feature the chassis of the semi-low floor buses.
Air-conditioned buses
MTC has launched the Volvo AC Bus services in Chennai on selected routes. It is expected that the number of AC buses running in the city is likely to increase many folds in the upcoming years. These B7RLEs have high-tech features such as ABS, Retarders, Kneeling, etc. and relatively better interiors. There about 100 of these buses running on select routes at regular intervals. All the busses are Euro V compliant. These buses are so popular that a 30 of them have been transferred to TNSTC and make trips to Pondicherry, Vellore, Coimbatore, Tiruchirapalli and Hosur.
Advertising facilities are available on these buses, which can be availed at reasonable costs. Advertisements are mainly print visuals that can be arrayed in the interiors and the exteriors.
MTC services are identified by the colour of the route board*:
| S.No. | Board type | Service | Description | Base fare (Rs.) + per 4 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White board | Ordinary service - Replaced by M service | Stops at all bus stops | 2+0.5 |
| 2 | M | M service | Same as ordinary with higher fare | 3+1 |
| 3 | LSS | Limited stop service | Stops at alternate bus stops | 2.5+0.5 |
| 4 | Express | Express service | Stops at few bus stops | 3+0.5 |
| 5 | PP | Point to point service | Similar to express | 3+0.5 |
| 6 | Deluxe | Deluxe service (Yellow/Blue/White/Orange lines) See list of deluxe routes | Stops at EXPRESS bus stops, deluxe buses | 5+2 |
| 7 | Black board | Night service | LSS service after 10pm | 4+1 |
| 8 | Ladies | Ladies special | Ordinary services during peak hours for Ladies | 2+0.5 |
| 9 | LED board | All Volvo buses | 10 + Stage |
Commuters can lodge their complaints and suggestions to GRIEVANCE CELL[2], Metropolitan Transport Corporation Limited over the cell phone number +91-9383337639 round the clock.
Complaints may also be lodged to the Wireless Control Room using Telephone Numbers +91-44-23455858, +91-44-23455859 or +91-44-23455801 - Extension - 239 between 10.00 hrs. to 17.45 hrs.
