Transport solutions business and operator Vectare has demonstrated its approval of the EVM Cityline low-entry accessible minibus by placing an order for a further 10 of the type. They are to be delivered from late this year into 2023.
The £1m investment comes as Vectare continues to grow its reach across the Midlands and the East of England via contracted work. Five of the new Citylines are destined for use on the new NovusLeicester network, which Vectare took on from 1 August. The remainder will be split across its operations in the East Midlands, Essex and Norfolk.
On the NovusLeicester application, Vectare is working with The Drummond Estate and Go Travel Solutions to deliver what the operator describes “a high specification service.”
That will see two Citylines work a fixed-route NovusDirect service between the New Lubbesthorpe sustainable urban community and Leicester city centre, partially succeeding an ArrivaClick offering. Complementing that with two more of the new vehicles will be the NovusFlex demand responsive service, which operates in the same zone as ArrivaClick did.
Vectare Commercial and Operations Director Peter Nathanail says: “The EVM Cityline ticks all the boxes for us. Leather seats, USB chargers, wood-effect flooring, air-conditioning – it is a luxury coach, but designed for local bus and demand responsive transport applications.”
Vectare already counts 12 existing Citylines in its 50-strong fleet. The operator adds that while the Cityline is out of scope of PSVAR by dint of its 16-seat capacity, the model comes with all the features that the Accessibility Regulations would call for in a larger coach or bus. Vectare additionally plans to take its first zero-emission vehicles in mid-2023 as part of its strategy for service delivery.
Speaking about the repeat order, EVM Sales and Marketing Director Peter Flynn says: “Our continued focus on giving our customers the best possible experience with both the best product and the best aftersales service is something we found mirrored in the team at Vectare, and thankfully that keeps it coming back for more of our Citylines every year.”
