Passenger commercial vehicles in India serve different transportation needs for people moving between locations. They range from small tempo travellers to large tourist buses, covering every vehicle size in between. A number of factors determine the selection of suitable transportation options, like passenger capacity, distance, comfort requirements, and, of course, the financial budget available.
While the diversity of passenger commercial vehicles is vast, one common thread for businesses considering these vehicles is the need for financing options. With many types of vehicles available, businesses need to understand how financing works and what options are available to them.
This article provides an overview of India's types of passenger commercial vehicles, including their characteristics and seating arrangements. Understanding these categories helps people choose transportation options that best match their requirements while also considering the most suitable financial solutions to support their purchase.
Passenger Commercial Vehicle Categories and Their Financing Options
The collection of commercial vehicles that carry passengers consists of three distinct types. Light vehicles, including auto rickshaws, taxis, and vans, constitute the first commercial vehicle category. These vehicles operate journeys limited to urban regions.
The second type is medium-passenger utility vehicles. These are slightly bigger vehicles like tempo travellers and minibuses. They transport passengers over medium distances from one city to another.
The third category is heavy commercial vehicles. These are large passenger transport vehicles, such as intercity buses and luxury coaches. They take passengers on long-distance journeys between cities that can take many hours or days of travel time.
For businesses looking to acquire any of these passenger commercial vehicles, financing options such as passenger commercial vehicle finance are available. These loans are tailored to help businesses manage the upfront costs of purchasing or expanding their fleets, with flexible repayment terms that make it easier to integrate passenger vehicle purchases into their financial plans.
Exploring the Various Kinds of Passenger Commercial Vehicles
Here are some of the famous types of passenger commercial vehicle categories available for the passengers:
1. Ordinary Buses
These buses usually have bench seats instead of reclining seats and basic amenities. State transport corporations widely use ordinary buses for intrastate public transportation in towns and villages.
2. Deluxe Buses
Generally, deluxe buses have increased comfort and amenities compared to ordinary buses. The seating capacity ranges from 20-45 passengers. Reclining seats with leg space, individual reading lights, charging points, and entertainment systems are some features. Private operators widely use deluxe buses for interstate routes between major cities.
3. Sleeper Coaches
Usually, sleeper coaches are long-distance buses with bunk beds that allow passengers to sleep during overnight journeys. They have around 12-30 sleeping berths along with additional seating capacity. These buses have restrooms, blankets, entertainment systems, etc. Many private bus operators offer sleeper coach services between different states.
4. Tourist Buses
Tourist buses are a special type of bus used for sightseeing trips. They allow tourists to easily view landmarks and scenery. These buses have oversized glass windows, and some even have open rooftops. This gives better views. They are outfitted with public announcement speakers. These let tour guides easily share facts.
5. School Buses
They have the core purpose of safely transporting children from home to school and vice-versa. However, they are easily recognisable by the “SCHOOL BUS” signs and flashing lights to alert other drivers. Usually, school buses have a seating capacity of 30-50 and extra safety features like traffic barriers and emergency exits.
6. Airport Transfer Buses
Generally, airport transfer buses provide transportation services from airports to hotels, cities, and other destinations in the region. They offer luggage carrying facilities and on-board amenities for passenger comfort.
7. Minibuses
Vehicles between 8 to 25 seats are classified as minibuses. Mini-buses serve as suitable vehicles for moving groups between nearby locations. The tourist, employee transport, and hotel minibuses make up some of the most common minibuses while offering adjustable seating and cargo options, which large buses lack.
8. Tempos
Generally, tempos refer to three-wheeled passenger vehicles (eg: Vikram tempos) with 8-12 seat capacity. They usually serve as an affordable mode of local transportation over short distances within cities and towns.
9. Taxis
Typically, passenger taxis are hired commercial vehicles with a driver that can seat 3-6 passengers at a time. They allow point-to-point transportation services on a time and distance basis or a fixed rate model.
10. Tempo Travellers
Passenger commercial vehicles start their size classification with tempo travellers as their smallest variant. These vehicles begin as passenger vans, which undergo modifications to create seating sections for carrying groups of passengers.
11. Auto Rickshaws
The primary purpose of auto rickshaws is for city and town transport, which people use for short trips. Most vehicles in this category stand as affordable three-passenger vehicles. The urban and semi-urban environment features these easy-to-use vehicles as a fast transit option.
Financing Passenger Commercial Vehicles
When considering the purchase of any of these passenger commercial vehicles, financing can play a key role in easing the burden of upfront costs. Passenger commercial vehicle loans from banks and Non-banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) are available for businesses looking to expand their fleet or purchase a new vehicle.
These loans are designed to offer flexible repayment terms and competitive interest rates, ensuring that business owners can manage their cash flow effectively. Whether you're investing in a fleet of buses for public transport, a few taxis for city operations, or a set of minibuses for tourism, financing options allow you to spread the cost over time, making it easier to maintain a stable financial footing while growing your transportation business.
Conclusion
There are various types of passenger commercial vehicles that play a vital role in India’s transport system. They are usually essential for local and long-distance travel, catering to millions of passengers daily. Understanding passenger commercial vehicle categories helps people choose suitable options based on their travel needs. Overall, passenger commercial vehicles are a crucial part of India’s transportation landscape, generally supporting economic growth and daily life. Financing these vehicles plays a pivotal role in making them more accessible, and specialised institutions offer a variety of tailored loan products to suit different types of passenger vehicles.
