MG ‘Starz' Sleeper Coach The Star Of The Future

The leading bus maker MG Bus & Coach has won its way into the premium multi-axle sleeper coach segment in India, with the launch of ‘Dreamz’ last year and the all-new ‘Starz’ this year.

- Dhiyanesh Ravichandran

We investigate the guiding principle behind this new sleeper coach built on the Volvo B11R chassis and how it is measuring up to the likes of fleets and passengers.

The sleeper buses we see in the Indian market these days are truly a local innovation. Of course, they are found elsewhere across the globe and have come a long way since the old days. They are called as ‘entertainer coaches’ or ‘nightliners’ in North America and Europe and are predominantly seen as exclusive rides, more on the lines of an RV, exceptionally equipped with passenger comfort and entertainment features for a limited number of passengers.

However, in India, things are different. Sleeper buses here are everyday workhorses (overnight workhorses, perhaps!) catering to long-distance inter-city travel for the masses. The segment has a wide range and variety to boast for since decades, with products to strike every fare or class of passengers, while also making a right balance in terms of comfort and frugality at all classes for passengers. Lately, the sleeper buses are fast catching up with the market evolution, becoming more premium and safer these days.

In particular, a new sub-segment of multi-axle sleeper coaches is gaining enormous traction across the country, since passengers are ready to throw an extra buck if some value in terms of in-cabin comfort beyond air-conditioning and entertainment is assured. Moreover, the much-needed standardisation of design and constituent of sleeper coaches through governmental regulation is in place with the enforcement of the AIS 119 code. Hence, the segment is off to a whole new start!