Hermes recently unveiled its new line of Citea buses to the public.
With a further 32 Citeas expected to be delivered later this year, VDL Bus & Coach has successfully deployed an initial 32 of the new zero-emission Hermes vehicles in North Brabant, half of the total order.
The new vehicles come equipped with a slew of safety features, including Hermes’ own ‘Brainport’ technology, which encompasses various safety systems such as Forward Collision Warning and a Blind Spot Detection system.
With room for up to 92 passengers, the buses are powered by an all-electric powertrain, with battery packs installed in the floor of the vehicle itself and motors integrated into its wheel system.
Martijn Mentink, Regional Director of Hermes, said:With these new zero-emission city buses, we are taking the next step towards a completely emission-free fleet in Southeast Brabant. The development is also fully in line with the vision of the commissioner of public transport, the province of North Brabant.
It is good news both for them and for the residents of our region. It fits seamlessly with the goal of offering completely emission-free bus transport by 2030. And in doing so, our traveller is the main winner because we’re convinced that these new buses will contribute to an even finer travel experience.
Hermes plans to deploy the new generation of buses along routes in Eindhoven and its surrounding municipalities, with a free ‘Zero-Emission off-peak day card’ being offered to prospective passengers until 30 June. This card will allow travellers a day of free bus travel from 9:00 local time on participating city lines 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 114
Richard van den Dungen, CCO VDL Bus & Coach, said:We are extremely proud that our new generation Citeas will be filling the streetscape of Eindhoven and the surrounding area. Hermes and Eindhoven have therefore achieved a first in the Netherlands. The traveller and the driver are going to experience an extremely comfortable travel experience, also in the knowledge that this journey is more environmentally friendly than travelling with the previous generations of buses.
