Volvo Buses
UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND
The two new Volvo B8RLE MCV eVoRa 12.1m low entry single deck buses replace Pulham & Sons’ existing 11-year-old models, joining a predominantly 93-strong Volvo fleet. They will primarily be used to run the operator’s high profile 801 service, from Moreton-in-Marsh to Cheltenham, six days a week.
Commenting on the deliveries, Andy Pulham, Managing Director at Pulham & Sons, says: “We bought the first three eVoRas ever manufactured, back in 2012. Their reliability and fuel efficiency over the past 11 years directly influenced our repeat purchase!
“With the vehicles regularly tasked with navigating the Cotswolds’ hilly terrain, capability is a huge factor for us. Experience has proved that these Volvos are more than capable of doing that, over a long period of time, whilst delivering exceptional uptime.”
Both B8RLE MCV eVoRas carry personalised registration plates, DD23 BUS and EE23 BUS, and are powered by Volvo’s powerful D8K engine, regarded as one of the cleanest and most efficient Euro-6 diesel bus engines on the market. Producing up to 320 hp and a peak torque of 1,200 Nm, it provides superior uptime while reducing running costs and CO2 emissions. This is paired with the proven six-speed ZF automated transmission, which features an integral retarder to improve braking performance.
Pulham & Sons eVoRa DD23 BUS in service, photo credit: Pete Cook
Pulham adds: “So far as aftersales is concerned, we’re very lucky to have great support from the local Truck and Bus Wales and West dealership; our engineers enjoy an extremely close relationship with the team there, working seamlessly with them over the years.
“Taking our rural location into consideration, it’s amazing that we can get two deliveries of Genuine Volvo Parts a day, when we need them. I’m sure that’s how the buses these new models replace were able to deliver such great service for an extraordinary length of time, when usually we only keep vehicles like these on the fleet for around seven years.”
Providing generous accommodation, each of the single deck buses can carry up to 95 passengers, with 46 seated and up to 52 standing. Their low-entry design meets all accessibility requirements, offering wheelchair and buggy space, easily accessed via a Compak manual ramp.
The two buses being replaced had covered more than 1,000,000 km over the last 11 years, and the new additions are each expected to clock-up around 100,000 km annually. They will remain in service with Pulham and Sons for at least the next seven years.
Pulham & Sons (Coaches) is one of the longest established coach and bus operators in the UK. It’s been family-owned and operated since 1880, offering 22 bus routes across Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. It also operates school transport services, educational tours, and corporate travel throughout the UK and Europe.
For more information, please contact:
Andy Kunze, Service Market Director, Volvo Bus UK & Ireland
Mobile: 07831 268659
Email: andy.kunze@volvo.com