Colombiabus newsroom – William Marroquín / Marcopolo Brasil
TWO UNITS HAVE 180° BED SEATS
Very gradually, road passenger transport companies are beginning to prepare for when restrictions that have prevented them from operating 100% are removed and the time it may take for economic recovery to be reduced. That is why they have decided to invest to modernize equipment, renew fleet and especially incorporate greater comfort in buses.
Chile is characterized by road transport companies that are integral owners and managers of their fleet, which facilitates the standardization of the service, the unification of purchases, the economies of scale and the care of the vehicles during their useful life. Also, many companies tend to have a remarkable level of comfort and attention in the vehicles, with sleeper seats, catering, individual entertainment and other much-needed amenities on long-distance routes.
Eurobus is one of the ETM (Empresa de Transportes de Maullín) brands that is preparing for its 60 years of activities, starting in 1962 in the city of Maullín, belonging to the Los Lagos region more than 1,000 km from the capital Santiago. Its first stage was to consolidate a route to Puerto Montt and later to reach the center of the country, for several years offering buses with great luxury and comfort services including 180° bed seats.
And reinforcing that level of service is what ETM has sought by ordering 15 new double-decker buses with the Scania K440 chassis that have been bodied in Brazil by Marcopolo, with its Paradiso 1800DD New G7 model. Thirteen units can transport up to a maximum of 43 passengers in a 2 + 1 arrangement on both levels, with wide “leito” armchairs and 160° recline. The vehicles will also have the Eurobus currency, to distinguish those with a higher level of comfort.
Two other vehicles have been configured to carry up to 32 passengers, with 12 occupants on the first floor and 20 on the upper floor. Those on the second level stand out for the incorporation of 180° reclining bed chairs that will be an oasis for the long-distance traveler.
ETM seeks to continue leading passenger transport on long routes from Santiago de Chile and support tourism to the south, as well as the Los Lagos region. For this reason, the new vehicles will surely be reaching the towns of Castro, Ancud, Puerto Montt, Maullín, Puerto Varas and Osorno.
ETM only has double-decker buses for all its interurban routes, having routes that additionally go to Valparaíso and Concepción. Additionally, for many years they have standardized the fleet, choosing the Marcopolo-Scania binomial and always seeking to incorporate state-of-the-art vehicles.
