For Volkswagen Truck & Bus, the year of 2023 is full of reasons to celebrate, with three decades of success in the Volksbus family, in a trajectory that includes several chassis that marked an era and continue to inspire passenger transportation in Brazil today. Among them is the iconic model that served as the basis for VWTB's success in the Caminho da Escola program, a federal program to provide transport to schools: the Volksbus 16.180 off-road version, known as the jungle bus.
"Back in 1993, years before the Caminho da Escola program was created, VWTB pioneered this off-road configuration, which basically consisted of a reinforced suspension, with a higher chassis to protect the components, correct entry and exit angles for off-road operation", explains Mauro Simões, the company's Senior Manager of Pre-Development Engineering.
He proudly recalls that this project was the birth of the Volkswagen tailor made concept for buses. "This was our second model and the first chassis built specifically for a customer, the result of our partnership and close relationship. The fleet owner ran half of his route on a dirt road, on a route between the Federal District and Bahia, but he did not have a suitable product. We created this solution and were recognized in the market for it. Since then, our newly launched Volksbus brand has already become a reference of robustness in the market", he emphasizes.
This success has become a model for export. The Volkswagen jungle bus arrived in several countries in Latin America and also in Africa. Units have often been seen in rugged applications such as mining or even rural transportation and even in the Amazon. When the Caminho da Escola program was launched to give children and young people from all over the country access to education, Volkswagen Truck & Bus had already gained experience and recognition.
"We remain the largest supplier of vehicles to the initiative, with a volume that will exceed 30,000 units sold by the end of 2024. But the jungle bus's legacy doesn't stop there. To this day, every new development of our buses is based on a close relationship with the customer, listening to their needs and meeting them with the agility and excellence that are the hallmarks of the Volksbus family", celebrates Mauro Simões.