Volvo Buses and Famco Al Futtaim Auto & Machinery Co (Famco) have been selected supplier of 373 city buses to Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). This is Volvo’s largest chassis order to date in Dubai, and the largest ever purchase of Euro VI city buses in the Middle East region.

The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has ordered 373 city buses from Volvo and their local importer Famco. With this latest order, the Volvo bus fleet of Dubai RTA will amount to 571 vehicles. The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority is investing heavily in public transport, with the goal to make it the first choice for mobility in Dubai. The number of buses in the emirate will increase by nearly 30% from 2018 to 2020.

The B8RLE Euro VI chassis will have a Sunsundegui SB3 body. These will be the first ever Euro VI city buses to operate in the region. Deliveries are planned for Q3 2019 to Q2 2020. The delivery includes a 10-year comprehensive maintenance contract that also covers tires and batteries.

“We are very proud and grateful for the confidence the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority once again places in Volvo Buses. This tender was evaluated based on a 10-year Total Cost of Ownership comparison, including fuel and operational costs, and Volvo came out as the most competitive alternative. The order is a recognition of the long term relationship we have built and the value we deliver to the RTA”, said Håkan Agnevall, President of Volvo Buses.

“The Euro VI Volvo B8RLE is a well proven platform and continues to set the industry standard for fuel efficiency, drivability and lifecycle costs,” he said.

The buses are designed to meet high demands on comfort and safety for passengers, drivers and road users. The standard equipment includes the Volvo electronic brakes and ESP (Electronic Stability Program). The buses will have the highest level of Intelligent Transport systems (ITS) for fleet tracking, as well as new age innovations like interactive screens.

The buses will also be fitted with modern driver assist and monitoring systems such as driver fatigue, driver RFID and the Volvo I-coaching package. Passengers will experience premium interiors with luxury ergonomic seats and comfort accessories like USB charging. The buses will be ITxPT compliant, a system that enables interoperability between IT systems in public transport.