Commonwealth Coaches has taken delivery of the first of two Volvo B8Rs with MCV Evotor bodywork, the first of their type for the West Drayton operator.
The opening arrival is a 53-seater with a centre sunken toilet. The next will accommodate 57 passengers. Once complete, the procurement will leave around 80% of Commonwealth Coaches’ 12-strong fleet having been supplied by Volvo.
Speaking about the purchases, Sales and Business Development Director Ajay Sandhu says: “The most important thing for us when selecting a new vehicle is the aftersales support, and nobody does it better than Volvo.
“We primarily work with Volvo Truck and Bus Centre South and East’s London Heathrow team, and they are fantastic – plus, we have the added peace of mind of knowing we can access the full nationwide dealer network.”
Mr Sandhu adds that the Evotor product “is great,” with the first coach quickly generating positive feedback from customers and drivers. “It is really important to us that both groups are happy,” he observes.
Specification elements in the two vehicles include USB charging points and a premium Bosch audio-visual entertainment system, along with a high-specification driver’s seat.
Power in each of the new coaches is from the 7.7-litre D8K engine developing 350bhp coupled to a 12-speed I-Shift automated manual gearbox with push-button selection.