Colombia Volvo Bus Latin America has sold 200 hybrid buses to the public transport network of Bogotá, Colombia.
The vehicles will operate on the city’s BRT system – TransMilêmio. The chassis are being manufactured in Volvo Buses’ plant in Curitiba, Brazil, while the bodied are provided by Busscar and Superpolo in Colombia.
The buyers are Consórcio Express, acquiring 156 vehicles; and GMovil, acquiring 44 vehicles. The deal includes, in addition to the chassis, a 12-year battery protection contract and a five-year service agreement.
The hybrids are scheduled to start operating in Bogota in December 2013, expanding the coverage of the city’s network. Part of the route is on the TransMilêmio trunk lines (dedicated lanes) and part will be on the regular street grid, where there currently are no feeder lines. The buses have doors with access steps on the right hand side and bus-floor level doors on the left side, to allow level boarding and alighting at the Transmilêmio stops.
The sale of the hybrids includes a maintenance package, featuring total vehicle maintenance, from filter and oil changes to repairs.
The company signs a battery contract for monthly installment payments to cover any form of battery repair or changes until the end of the vehicle’s lifecycle. It ensures a linear cost.
