SuBus, operator of the Santiago de Chile Metropolitan Mobility Network system, which is in charge of the Business Unit 2 corridors, continues to work on renewing its bus fleet. To continue with this update, it has once again opted for the combination of the Marcopolo bodywork with the Volvo chassis and will soon receive an additional 80 articulated buses, bodied in Colombia by Superpolo.
These new buses are added to the 200 that were bodied in 2020 at the Marcopolo-Superpolo facilities, at its plant located in Cota, on the outskirts of Bogotá. The process related to confirming the order and preparing the details of the production line has been defined by the end of 2021 and the buses are practically ready to be shipped to Chile.
The vehicles have the same chassis-body configuration as the previous 200 units built in Colombia. The Volvo B8R LEA platform (low entry – articulated) is coupled to the Marcopolo Gran Viale BRT body. The engines comply with the Euro 6 emission standard, recalling that Chile was the first country in Latin America to implement this standard in 2017, making it a standard for the incorporation of new buses in the BRT system of the capital Santiago.
The low entry chassis promotes accessibility and adapts to the height of the stop stations, complemented by the kneeling system and the electronically leveled air suspension. The Euro 6 D8K diesel engine with 7.7 liters of displacement delivers 350 HP and 1,400 Nm of constant torque between 1,200 and 1,600 laps. To comply with all chemical reactions and release the least amount of emissions into the atmosphere, it is equipped with: SCR aftertreatment system (Requires AdBlue), DPF particulate filter, DOC oxidation catalyst and improved nitrogen monoxide reductions NOx, with the ASC component.
To deliver the power to the wheels, the B8R is equipped with the Voith DIWA 864.6 automatic transmission, with torque converter and 6 gears for maximum smoothness, comfort and productivity. Also, if you want to take advantage of all the functions of the bus and professionalize operators, Volvo I-Coaching contributes by informing about opportunities to improve driving habits and integrate with a good deal of telematics and fleet management functions. Volvo.
Another outstanding component is the air conditioning system developed by the Colombian company Transaire, which has a system installed for 12-meter buses in one wagon and another for 9-meter units in the second. This makes it possible to deliver a cooling capacity that exceeds 200,000 BTU/hour, allowing adequate heat extraction and the emission of fresh, dry air inside, which can accommodate 34 seated passengers and 116 standing.
The front and rear optical units incorporate LED technology, which are very easy to replace in the aftermarket, and are used in other Marcopolo models such as the Torino, helping to lower operating costs. Access is very easy thanks to the low platform and for people with reduced mobility, at the central door, there is a manual access ramp, which is very simple to operate and offers great practicality, and also communicates directly with the spaces provided inside for those traveling in a wheelchair.
The driver is totally isolated from the passenger room, thanks to the complete cabin division, which was improved by changing the arrangement of some windows, which generated reflections. The light and chassis controls are at the right hand of the operator, who from this position can control the multiplex system and climate control.
The chairs are equipped with armrests and padding, numerous handles and grips for the support of those who travel standing up. There are also different color codes and textures for the handrails and handles near the preferred seats in red. In this area, the bell buttons have braille language for the blind.
The interior also has USB ports to recharge mobile devices, spaces to store the cell phone and great luminosity taking advantage of natural light. Cameras arranged throughout the passenger lounge and in the operator’s position to report everything that happens during the trip, internal amplification system and microphone connection. It is also equipped with signage and warning messages about the height of the bus, the handling of the air conditioning, and access to the vehicle.
SuBus, the Chilean operator that will receive them, is a company that began activities in 2004, has about 5,600 employees and 1,300 buses, to serve more than 50 routes through the Chilean capital. Made up of Colombian capital, since it has the support of Fanalca, since its inception it has relied on Volvo chassis for its fleet of standard and articulated vehicles. On the other hand, the buses have been bodied mostly by Marcopolo, coming from both the Caxias do Sul plant (Brazil) and the Superpolo factory in Cota (just outside Bogotá).
This order for eighty units reaffirms the capacity of the Colombian facilities to serve large volumes of foreign operators. Let us remember that in 2011 Marcopolo Superpolo delivered about 1,200 buses for the MiBus system in Panama on Volvo chassis. Other important orders followed, such as the 80 bi-articulated Torinos for Quito, which were shipped in 2016, and the 200 articulated ones that left the Cota plant for SuBus in Chile, all of them with many local suppliers and workforce, which contributes to the generation of quality jobs.