Chilean city orders 297 buses from Volvo

Volvo gets Chilean order for 297 buses

STOCKHOLM — Volvo said Tuesday that it has received an order for 297 buses to be used for a public transit system in Santiago, Chile.

The buses will be used by the agency Transantiago for a rapid-transit bus network. Volvo’s bus division was given an order for 1,700 buses when the Transantiago system was introduced in 2005.

Bus rapid transit is intended to be a cheaper alternative to rail. Buses travel in dedicated lanes, make frequent departures and have stops designed to get passengers on and off quickly.

The order is for Volvo buses that can carry 90 passengers. The vehicles will be built at Volvo plants in Sweden and Brazil.