The dealers said a reliable bus service has become essential for schools and colleges to attract students amid growing competition in the education sector. They said the sales were growing 15-20 percent annually.

“We have witnessed encouraging sales compared to normal days,” said Sushil Subedi, sales and marketing manager of Sipradi Trading, authorised distributor of Tata motors. “In January, we sold 25 units and have targeted to sell more than 300 this year.”

“As school buses have become a primary mode of transportation for students, schools and colleges are giving more importance on quality and comfort,” he said.

The company is selling four models — Tata Marco Polo LP 410, LP 712, LP 912 and Winger micro van. Twenty-six-seater Marco Polo LP 410 is priced at Rs 25.95 million, 36-seater LP 712 costs Rs 29.15 million and 40-seater LP 912 comes for Rs 32.75 million. The company has priced 13-seater Winger at Rs 23.15 million.

According to Subedi, all vehicles include basic comfort and safety features such as bottle holder, notice board, safety bar, emergency exit and fire extinguisher, among others. Suraj Bhattrai, deputy general manager of Eastern Motors, authorised distributor of Eicher, said they are seeing a significant growth in sales. He said January-April is the peak season for school bus sales. “More than 50 percent of the sales take place during this period,” he said.

Eastern Motors sells two models of school buses — Skyline and Starline. The company has priced the 32-seater Skyline and Starline at Rs 28.25 million and Rs 26.45 million, respectively, while the 40-seater Starline costs Rs 29.20 million. “There is high demand for the Skyline as it comes with maximum safety standards and stylish looks,” Bhattarai said. “Windows are fitted with safety bars and it has padded seats to make seating comfortable for the students.” He said these vehicles include other safety features like first aid box, fire extinguisher and emergency exit, among others.