The Department of Transport of Abu Dhabi (DoT) has ordered 168 Magnus.E interurban buses from Grupo Castrosua built on Volvo B11R Euro VI chassis through Famco Al Futtaim Auto & Machinery Co (FAMCO). FAMCO is one of the companies belonging to the Al-Futtaim Group, a conglomerate made up of around 250 companies and more than 50,000 employees.
With this new batch of 16 units currently being delivered, a total of 135 units have already been delivered since the end of 2019, all of them high-floor and homologated for Class III, and they are already operating in the urban and peri-urban areas of Abu Dhabi and in the city of Al Ain through the operators City Transport and Hafilat Industry LLC.
These units, like the previous ones, are 13 meters long, feature two doors, 47 seats, and one wheelchair space. Their equipment includes a high-capacity Eberspächer air conditioning system, 3 air purifiers to improve air quality inside the vehicle, a Fogmaker automatic fire extinguishing system, Hanover destination displays (1 front display, 1 side display on the right-hand side and another on the left-hand side, and 1 rear display). They also feature a lifting platform supplied by Hidral to facilitate access for passengers with reduced mobility.
The driver’s seat is fully ergonomic, with lumbar adjustment, left armrest, seat belt, and an integrated microphone, as well as a warning system for the driver in case the seat belt is not fastened. The vehicles are equipped with a rear-view camera connected to a monitor at the driver’s station, USB ports in the passenger area, exterior lighting panels above the doors, and 3 monitors distributed throughout the interior of the vehicle providing information for passengers.
The driver’s door includes a semi-vandal-proof protection partition, and the rear-view mirrors are electrically adjustable and heated. The luggage compartments feature pneumatic opening systems, and the vehicles are equipped with LED low-beam headlights.
This order for the United Arab Emirates is the largest international order to date for Grupo Castrosua and is the result of a line of work initiated years ago with the aim of consolidating our strategic internationalization plan. We are very proud to be able to meet the demanding requirements of such a distant market, as well as of the perfect coordination with Volvo throughout the entire process. We have been capable of winning a tender in the United Arab Emirates, complying with all local regulations and delivering a fully customized design.
