Volvo Buses has received an order for 92 coaches from the operator Viação Garcia in Brazil. “We chose Volvo because safety is a priority for our company,” says José Paulo Garcia Pedriali, Manager at Viação Garcia.
Viação Garcia is one of Brazil’s largest operators, and the order consists of the Volvo chassis B9R and B12R with bodies from Marcopolo. All coaches will be equipped with the ESP safety system that sharply reduces the risk that buses will skid or roll over.
“ESP is the most important tool for reducing the risk of accidents on the roads,” says José Paulo Garcia Pedriali.
ESP contains a number of sensors on the coach that detect if speed is excessive in a curve. The system then automatically reduces the engine’s speed and brakes the wheels required to prevent the coach from skidding or rolling over.
The coaches will also be equipped with Volvo’s I-shift gearbox. This is a mechanical gearbox that is controlled electronically. There is no clutch, meaning that the driver only needs to apply gas and the brakes. The gearbox itself selects the optimal gear, thus contributing to excellent driving characteristics and lower fuel consumption.
“I-shift also contributes to increased safety, since the driver can concentrate on the road and traffic,” says Per Gabell, president of Volvo Bus in South and Latin America.
Viação Garcia will use the new coaches for medium and long distance traffic between different cities in the state of Parana in southern Brazil. This is the state in which the city Curitiba is located and the home of the Volvo plant where the chassis will be manufactured. Deliveries are expected to take place during 2010.
