FRANCE
Bordeaux has ordered 36 VDL New Generation Citea LF-181 buses to be delivered from early 2024, marking the Dutch manufacturer’s first e-mobility project in France. The new buses will operate a new electric BRT service in the conurbation of Bordeaux, which is home to some 800,000 people. The new route will focus on commuter traffic, linking the city’s Gare Saint-Jean and Saint-Aubin de Médoc.
“We are extremely proud that VDL, after a long and thorough selection process, has been selected by one of the most important metropoles in France to introduce such a demanding bus line,” said Marcel Jacobs, Commercial Director of VDL Bus & Coach. “A great result for our VDL Bus & Coach sales organisation in France, where we intend to take even bigger steps in the field of public transport in the near future. This is a true recognition of our qualities as a European frontrunner in e-mobility. The principles of the new Citea bus concept, which offers solutions without any compromise, fit seamlessly with the sustainable ambitions of the metropole of Bordeaux.”
Work has already begun to implement the bus line that will be served by the new buses. The new service will replace two existing bus routes, and promises to provide a ‘reliable and high-quality public transport service’ for urban commuters from the commune of Saint-Aubin de Médoc, to Saint-Jean railway station in the city’s historic centre. Dedicated bus lanes with traffic light priority are planned along the 21 kilometre line, which will be operated by TBM.
The TBM (Transports Bordeaux Métropole) network includes four tram lines and 78 bus routes on which more than 400 vehicles cover almost 30 million kilometres per year.
