MoU on skill development signed to qualitatively upgrade State’s public transport ecosystem
Volvo Buses India, a part of VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), has delivered 10 Volvo B8R 12 m coaches to the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC).Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha, dedicated the new coaches to the State at a special event held in Bhubaneshwar.
Sharing his comments during the coach hand-over ceremony, Diptesh Kumar Pattanayak, Chairman cum Managing Director, OSRTC, said: “We look forward to deploying these premium buses on a range of long-haul inter-State routes radiating from Odisha to adjacent States. Our objective is to leverage Odisha’s strategic location to provide connectivity to the whole region.” OSRTC is one of the leading State transport undertakings in the country and currently has a fleet of over 600 buses.
Akash Passey, President – Bus Division, VECV, shared: “Our class-defining B8R coach is a proven performer on a diverse array of routes and duty cycles across the globe. We are confident that the bus will provide the highest levels of comfort and safety that Odisha’s discerning passengers deserve.”
The fully built Euro-VI compliant coach is powered by Volvo’s proven 300HP, D8K six-cylinder, direct injection diesel engine. This assures customers of best-in-class power to weight ratio. Ride quality is optimised through the Electronically Controlled Suspension (ECS) System, while safety is bolstered by the Electronic Braking System (EBS).
MoU on Skill Development
On the occasion, Volvo Buses also signed an MoU on skill development with the OSRTC. “OSRTC invests heavily in skill development of the public transport landscape in Odisha. Access to VECV’s knowledge-base and facilities will help to broaden our in-house programmes”, shared Pattanayak.
“By joining forces with a progressive organisation like the OSRTC we intend to continue with our contribution to the upskilling of the public transport community with global and Indian best practices”, added Passey.