The 600th Volvo manufactured hybrid bus for the UK and Ireland has been registered by London Bus operator Metroline Travel, as part of a larger order of 34 B5LH double-decker vehicles. The vehicles are specified for key Transport for London (TfL) routes.
With registration plate LK64EHZ, the landmark 600th bus is specified with Wrightbus Gemini bodywork and joins 74 other Volvo hybrids operating for Metroline Travel on TfL routes in London. A total of 17 of the vehicles in service are Euro 5 standard and the other 58 are Euro 6 standard.
Metroline Travel’s Euro 5 vehicles were delivered in 2012 and 2013, while the Euro 6 buses, including the 600th hybrid, are from 2014 and 2015.
“It is a significant landmark for us to have registered the 600th Volvo hybrid bus for Metroline Travel,” explained Ian Foster, Metroline Travel Director of Engineering. “More significantly, this vehicle is just one part of a much larger and important order of new Volvo hybrid buses for us.
“The development work that Volvo Bus and Wrightbus have carried out to reduce the overall weight of their buses is crucial for us in terms of vehicle capacity and competitiveness. With Volvo we know we are getting a tried and trusted product that has proven reliability and that the drivers like.”
Volvo Bus Fleet Sales Manager, Phil Fletcher, said: “We have a strong association with Metroline Travel and this is another significant order. Included in that is the 600th Volvo hybrid bus and it’s fitting for that particular vehicle to go to one of our loyal operators.”
Phil Owen, Volvo Bus Commercial Sales Director, commented: “These deliveries form part of a wider agreement between Volvo Bus and Metroline Travel.
“We have recently signed a vehicle supply agreement which runs from 2015 to 2017. The agreement means that all new hybrid buses purchased by Metroline Travel will be through Volvo Bus. This is a significant agreement and ensures a strong Volvo Bus presence in London over the next few years.
“As part of our ongoing customer commitment we work closely with operators to find solutions to their operational requirements. Working in partnership with Wrightbus, we have once again met Metroline Travel’s requirement for an optimised specification for their TfL contracts.”
The B5LH features the Volvo D5K 240 four-cylinder 5.1-litre Euro 6 engine rated at 240hp with a maximum torque of 918Nm at 1200-1600rpm. The bus also features the fully automated 12-speed I-Shift gearbox.
