NEW BUS FLEET FOR TENERIFE

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Wednesday February 10 2010

From left: Juan Carlos Pérez Frías, Manuel Ortega and Jacobo Kalitovics

TENERIFE transport company TITSA announced that it would buy 69 new buses over the next year.

by JAMES TWEEDIE

These will include 17 inter-city 15 metre-long buses, 24 12-metre suburban buses – with low floors and disabled ramps – and 28 minibuses to serve low-volume routes.

The new 'guaguas' – as buses are called in the Canaries – will cost over €12 million.

They are part of TITSA's fleet renewal plan and will replace vehicles purchased in 1999 with more than 2 million kilometres on the clock.

The buses will be fitted with safety and comfort features such as ABS anti-lock disc brakes, air conditioning and LED information displays already seen on some buses.

Their engines will conform to the latest European Union emissions regulations for smoke, hydrocarbons and nitrous oxide.

TITSA manager Juan Carlos Pérez Frías said that the new vehicles would reduce fuel consumption and other costs to the company.

Tenerife Cabildo government general coordinator of mobility and safety Manuel Ortega insisted that the purchase of more minibuses did not mean that routes would be cut.

But he said that the system of routes in the Santa Cruz-La Laguna area were under review.

Mr Ortega said they were part of a “change in philosophy” toward lower costs per kilometre and more rapid transport in order to “capture more users.”

But he added that fares would not be cut, as ticket income was still well below TITSA's operating costs.

Asked if the firm still planned to buy hydrogen-powered 'green' buses, TITSA technical director Jacobo Kalitovics said that the scheme was “fairly ambitious” and would not be implemented in the near future.

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