Tribus

You can already see it popping up in traffic every now and then: the electric Taxbus from Connexxion. As of July 1, Connexxion officially started using its 36 emission-free partial taxis plus the electric Volkswagen Crafter wheelchair bus.

“Winning the Taxbus and Son & Breugel tenders is so much more than winning ‘only’ a tender. It is a signal that the taxi market is heading in the right direction again, we can start building again. ” Positive words from Wouter Hulskotte, Manager Fleet Management of Connexxion Taxi Services (CTS). For the clients, electric driving in and around Eindhoven was a tough condition in the tender. The air quality in the city has to improve, and from 2026 onwards, only emission-free taxis will be allowed in Eindhoven (The Netherlands). On Monday 29 June, the brand-new electric vehicles that will be used in these concessions were presented to the invited attendees, such as vehicle suppliers, clients and stakeholders from Transdev and Connexxion, in a Eindhoven warehouse. “With these acquisitions, we now have the opportunity to realize Zero Emission mobility solutions together with Hermes in Eindhoven and the surrounding area. For example, we combine public transport and taxi transport into a total solution at the service of the traveler, ”says Lucien Brouwers, director of Transport on Demand at Transdev.

Most of the whopping 36 all-electric Kia e-Souls are on display in a semicircle, an impressive sight. The KIAs (supplied by Content Autogroep) will be used for Taxbus, door-to-door transport for people with a Wmo transport indication and for elderly transport in designated municipalities in Brabant. “When choosing new vehicles, there are many different points for attention,” explains Bart Kraaijvanger, manager of the Zero Emissions Program. “We looked at the space in the vehicles, but also at the entry height. It should be comfortable and easy for passengers to get on and off. In addition, since it concerns fully electric cars, the range was an important point. ” Hulskotte adds: “These cars can drive around 400 kilometers on one battery charge and, depending on the type of charger used, are fully charged again between one and five hours. We won this tender because we put a lot of effort into reliability. We can make this happen with these vehicles. ”

The Kias are flanked by a brand new Volkswagen e-Crafter, the very first electric wheelchair bus from CTS, which will be piloting in Son en Breugel. With a range of less than 150 kilometers, it is ideal for urban transport. The bus was supplied by Den Engelsen Bedrijfswagens and converted into a wheelchair bus by conversion specialist Tribus. “Among other things, a lower entrance has been created, a wheelchair lift and holding brackets have been installed. In addition, folding chairs have been installed and an extremely reliable system for securing the wheelchairs, ”says Hulskotte.

The applied wheelchair restraint system TriflexAIR is fully integrated in the floor and tested according to the highest European standards. The 100% mechanical system reduces the risk of malfunctions to zero. “This is how we guarantee safety and comfort for all passengers, regardless of their physical limitations. In addition to the reliable wheelchair restraint system, Tribus also offered us an officially approved vehicle. As a Premium Partner of Volkswagen, Tribus is the only party that can offer an officially approved wheelchair conversion for the Volkswagen e-Crafter. This keeps the extended Volkswagen warranty of 8 years. A wise choice for this test, ”says Hulskotte.

Brouwers expects a good time for taxi transport in the region and in the rest of the country. “The first really large electric fleet of city buses ran at Hermes in Eindhoven. In public transport, electric driving and making the fleet more sustainable has been a good move and we can now participate in its slipstream. With these zero-emission vehicles we take 36 diesel taxis off the road. We hope to be able to make a positive contribution to Eindhoven and the rest of the region with these tenders. ”