Volvo buses introduced in the US and Canada

Volvo Buses is now taking a further stride in its global expansion through the launch of the Volvo 9700 in the US and Canada. For the first time in more than 20 years, buses with the Volvo brand are being sold in North America.

The Volvo Bus Corporation has already substantial operations in North America through its Canadian subsidiaries Prevost and Nova Bus. However, it is first now, in conjunction with the large UMA coach trade show in Orlando, Florida, that the company is launching Volvo branded buses in North America.

“Prevost offers the most luxurious coaches available in North America today,” says Tore B?ckstr?m, Senior Vice President responsible for Volvo Buses’ North and South America business area. “By launching the Volvo 9700 in the segment slightly below the Prevost coaches, we foresee good possibilities to further enhance our penetration within tour & charter and line haul traffic.”

He estimates that the total market in these segments is about 1,500 to 2,000 coaches annually and that the Volvo 9700 has the possibility of capturing a good share of this market within a few years.

“As a result of high gasoline prices combined with the financial crisis and recession we are now suffering, more Americans are leaving the car at home and taking the bus,” he says.

The Volvo 9700 for North America is manufactured in Volvo Buses’ plant in Mexico, where the coach model is the market leader in line haul traffic. The engine is completely assembled in Volvo’s plant in Hagerstown, Maryland, in the US. The bus is also equipped with the Volvo Group’s renowned I-shift gearbox that contributes to lower fuel consumption.

The Volvo 9700 will be sold through Prevost in the US and Canada. The entire aftermarket will also be handled by Prevost through the company’s extended network of certified service centers and spare parts inventories.