Whippet Coaches has taken delivery of seven Wrightbus Eclipse 3-bodied Volvo B8RLEs to use as part of the company’s new contract with the University of Cambridge.
The buses will be used on the University’s bus service, branded as ‘Universal’, which will now operate along part of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway.
Satnam Cheema, Group Engineering Director for Tower Transit Group, the holding company for Whippet Coaches, said: “Having recently secured this new contract, we needed to replace the temporary vehicles with brand new low-emission buses capable of using the guided busway.
“By the end of December 2016, Tower Transit will have replaced more than 70% of the Whippet Coaches bus fleet since purchasing the business in November 2014.
“This includes 17 Volvo B7TL vehicles cascaded from our London operation, and these important changes will slash the average age of our vehicles in Cambridgeshire.
“The majority of our fleet is made up of Volvos and we had no hesitation selecting the company once again for this latest order.
“Reliability, fuel consumption and the operating experience, have all been very good in the past, and we are confident this latest order will be no different.
“The existing Volvos used on the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway provide a great travelling environment for our passengers.
“The ride quality is superb with smooth gear changes and comfortable suspension. The turning circle is also very impressive, which is great for moving around inside our depot, but is also very important when the busway is closed for engineering work and vehicles need to take some tight turns to gain access to and from normal roads.”
The seven new vehicles offer air-conditioning, free WiFi access and seatback USB charging points, making longer distance journeys more comfortable and convenient for passengers.
Phil Fletcher, Fleet Sales Manager for Volvo Bus, commented: “Whippet Coaches has been a valued Volvo customer for a number of years now.
“It is great to continue our relationship and we are confident they will be very pleased with this latest order.”
