Blue & white battle on roads - NBSTC takes patent for colour scheme to counter wannabe private buses

An NBSTC bus and a private bus (below) with the same colour scheme and with
NBBT written in front at the Tenzing Norgay bus terminus. Pic:Kundan Yolmo

TT, Oct. 27: The North Bengal State Transport Corporation has patented its blue-and-white colour scheme and logo for buses after several private transport operators painted their vehicles in the same hues to attract more passengers.

The NBSTC, whose monthly revenue has touched Rs 11 crore of late, compared to less than Rs 1 crore in 2011, wants to protect its business from the private operators, sources said.

"For the past few months across the north Bengal districts, private bus owners are painting their vehicles the same blue and white and using abbreviations that are similar to NBSTC. A section of passengers is getting duped by the colours and abbreviations and mistaking the private buses for NBSTC vehicles," said Sourav Chakraborty, the NBSTC managing director.

"This is being done by private bus owners to attract passengers. Recently, NBSTC services have improved. We have introduced several new buses, including air-conditioned ones," he said.

Some of the private buses have NBPT or NBSPT painted on the front window of the bus.

During Left Front rule, the NBSTC incurred losses and services to different routes had been withdrawn because of lack of new vehicles and maintenance of the existing fleet.

But for the past three years, several new buses and routes have been introduced.

On average, 550-600 NBSTC buses ply across the region every day.

"It would not be an exaggeration to say that for the past one-and-a-half years, private bus owners have been facing a challenge from the NBSTC. The services, new and improved buses and new staff of the NBSTC have left many private bus owners worried. Many owners had to buy new buses or repair the old ones to provide better services," a private bus owner based in Siliguri said.

Also, many private bus owners had stopped running buses on routes where the highways were in poor condition to avoid wear and tear to the vehicles.

In north Bengal, where in some areas train connectivity is less, buses are the reliable means of mass transit.

A few months ago, the NBSTC applied to the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks to get its colour scheme and abbreviation logo registered. NBSTC got the patent in August.

"We have got the patents from competent authorities and from now, none of the buses, other than those belonging to the NBSTC, can use the colours or the abbreviation," Chakraborty said.

During the Left regime, NBSTC buses were painted red and blue or red and white.

After Trinamul came to power, chief minister Mamata Banerjee's favoured colours - blue and white - became the NBSTC's signature look.

Chakraborty said: "We have identified private buses that are blue and white. A chart with details of all these buses has been prepared. We have sent the details along with copies of our patents to the regional transport officers and police officers of all districts. Soon, the RTOs and the police officers would call the private bus owners and ask them to change the colour scheme of their buses and refrain from using any abbreviation that is similar to NBSTC. If they do not pay heed, we will take necessary legal steps."

A case can be lodged against someone guilty of violating the patent rule and depending on the severity of the case, a fine or a jail term or both may be slapped.

Although NBSTC and the private buses charge the same fare, private buses usually take more time to travel the same distance as they halt in several undesignated stops.

Private bus owners in north Bengal said they had not received any instruction.

"As far as private buses are concerned, any owner is free to paint the bus in any colour. No instruction has reached us from the administration saying private buses cannot be painted blue and white," Plabon Pramanik, the president of Uttar Dinajpur Bus and Minibus Owners' Association, said. "If such an instruction reaches us, we will convey it to our members."

He added: "NBSTC has taken patents for the colour and abbreviation. But there are several buses of the NBSTC which are not painted in this colour. Many NBSTC buses, painted blue and yellow, or red and blue or red and white, run on several routes daily. Now that they have the patent, we hope the authorities will paint all buses in that colour."