Volvo Buses
UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND
The ex-demonstration vehicle is already in operation across Ratho Coaches Ltd’s extensive tour programme. The Scottish company run over 800 UK and continental tours out of London, catering for all variety of tours, particularly American holiday groups.
“This new 9700 makes it five Volvo coaches in our fleet,” explained Ratho Coaches Ltd’s Managing Director, Andrew Cowan. “We took a brand new 60 plate 9700 last year and it has proved extremely reliable.
“Not only that, but the customer feedback on the vehicle has been excellent and our drivers like it as well. All of those factors undoubtedly played a part in our decision to specify Volvo Bus again.
“In addition with Volvo Bus you get the on-the-road support across the UK network and abroad, which is massive for us operating continental tours,” continued Andrew Cowan. “It’s vital to our operations and reputation that if something goes wrong it can be sorted quickly and efficiently.”
Andrew Cowan also praised Volvo Bus North and Scotland personnel and Regional Sales Manager, Jim Newman. “Everything Volvo have done during the purchase process has been good. Jim was great and we know what to expect from the Volvo team at Broxburn.”
This latest 51 seat 9700 two axle coach joins another Volvo 9700 of the same specification in Ratho Coaches fleet along with two further larger 55 seat 9700s on tri-axle chassis. The Prestige Plus blends distinctive exterior restyling and interior detailing with class-leading safety features and driveline technology.
Benefitting from the power of Volvo’s 13 litre engine, the 9700 combines performance and driveability. The vehicle is fitted as standard with the Volvo I-Shift gearbox, which helps to minimise both fuel consumption and emissions.
Internally the vehicle is equipped to an extremely high specification with theatre style half leather seating, TV screens, CD/DVD system, centre servery and toilet.
“Ratho Coaches run their coach tours for ten or eleven days at a time, so reliability for them is absolutely essential,” explained Volvo Bus Regional Sales Manager, Jim Newman.
ENDS
11 June 2013
Caption for image:
Fourth Volvo 9700 Prestige Plus coach for Ratho Coaches Ltd.