China International Bus Expo

NFI Group Inc. (NFI), a leading manufacturer of buses and motorcoaches and a provider of comprehensive aftermarket parts and service solutions, subsidiary Alexander Dennis, announced that it is working with Volvo Buses to build 60 new tri-axle double-deckers for award-winning Scottish bus operator Lothian Buses.

The operator has placed a firm order with Volvo Buses for 60 new low-emission double-deck buses based on the efficient B8L chassis, which Alexander Dennis will body with its Enviro400XLB design.

Lothian’s new buses will have three axles and a length of 42 feet (12.8m), around 4.3 feet (1.3m) longer than most of the operator’s two-axle double-deckers.

The extra length will be used to offer inclusive and accessible spaces for passengers on the lower deck, including two wheelchair and buggy spaces alongside priority seating. Passengers will board and alight at the front of the bus, allowing a high seating capacity to be maintained.

The majority of the new Enviro400XLB will be used to meet rising demand in the East Coast Buses and Lothian Country operations, which connect East and West Lothian to the Scottish capital. The Airlink 100 service between Edinburgh Airport and the city center will also benefit from the fleet investment.

The collaboration between Lothian Buses, Volvo, and Alexander Dennis builds on successful earlier work between the three companies, under which 78 Alexander Dennis Enviro400XLB on Volvo B8L chassis – built to a different specification – were supplied to Lothian Buses in 2018 and 2019.

Lothian Buses also plans to order 40 zero-emission double-deckers from the two manufacturers, with Alexander Dennis placing its next-generation Enviro400EV body on the Volvo BZL electric chassis. Procurement of these vehicles is subject to confirmation of grant funding allocation to Lothian Buses from the Scottish Government’s third-round Scottish Zero-Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB3).