TransJakarta Set to Start Operating New Volvo Buses This Month
Jakarta. City-owned bus operator TransJakarta has signed a deal with Swedish truck maker Volvo for the purchase of 122 buses, some which will enter service this month.
The Rp 366 billion ($26.5 million) deal was inked last year by Steady Safe – one of TransJakarta's operators – through the government's online procurement system and authorized by the Services Procurement Policy Institution (LKPP), according to Eka Lovyan, chief operating officer of Indotruck Utama, Volvo's distributor in Indonesia.
Eka spoke with the Jakarta Globe on the sidelines of the Gaikindo Indonesia International Commercial Vehicle Expo in Jakarta on Saturday (03/03).
TransJakarta shares its concession rights with several operators, including independent bus transportation providers Kopaja, Mayasari Bakti, Pahala Kencana and Eka Sari Lorena.
"It was very transparent. We reached the deal through the LKPP e-catalog system," Eka said. "We want to officially introduce TransJakarta's new Volvo buses to the public during this event. This is the first formal introduction after a long period of road testing."
The Volvo B11R has a wider interior, allowing it to accommodate a maximum of 90 passengers. It reportedly also offers a safer and more convenient ride, thanks to the implementation of various advanced technologies and an air suspension system.
The Volvo B11R is equipped with a 370-horsepower engine, delivering 1,770 Newton meters of torque.
TransJakarta will gradually introduce the new Volvo buses, with a first batch of 30.
"Within the next two weeks, we'll see the first batch of these buses being operated by TransJakarta and then we'll supply the total of 122 units ordered for this year, term by term," Eka said.
TransJakarta operates more than 1,500 buses from various manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, Hino, Scania and Zhong Tong. The company's buses made 144 million trips last year.
The bus operator claims that it has transported 26 million passengers so far this year on its 113 routes, with 260 bus shelters on 13 busway corridors stretching over 251 kilometers in the capital and surrounding areas.
Tags: Keywords: