Under a contract announced on July 3, Volvo Buses, through its local partner Al-Futtaim Auto & Machinery Company (FAMCO), will supply 76 double-decker buses to Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA).
The buses are based on the three-axle, low-entry variant of the rear-engined Volvo B13R chassis. This marks the first appearance of Volvo’s globally marketed coach platform on the roads of the United Arab Emirates’ most populous city.
Events have rapidly progressed at RTA, responsible for Dubai’s public transport: we recently reported on the order of 400 MAN Lion’s City solo buses, and now another similar announcement follows. This completes the composition of the new 636-bus fleet being procured in line with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. In addition to the mentioned vehicles, the company is also purchasing 50 diesel and 40 fully electric Zhongtong buses, as well as 70 diesel-powered Anadolu Isuzu articulated buses.
The Volvo double-decker fleet, primarily serving daily commuters, is expected to be delivered by 2026. Although the factory visualization accompanying the news, also serving as our cover image, shows 1-1-0 door configuration Volvo 9700 DD double-decker buses, the press release states that the aluminum alloy bodywork will be manufactured by Malaysia’s Gemilang Coachworks, which has previously supplied double-decker buses on MAN chassis to the RTA.
According to Volvo, the newly ordered units will feature a brand-new exterior and interior design, although no details have been shared yet.
The new double-decker buses will be equipped with the latest Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), which include real-time fleet tracking, automated passenger information, integrated traffic management, and predictive maintenance support functions. With this order, the number of Volvo buses in the RTA fleet rises to 592, likely including the 143 Volvo-chassis Sunsundegui SC5 units purchased in 2018, which are also built on the Swedish manufacturer’s engineering. More
