Tenerife Launches First Double-Decker Buses
For the first time, Tenerife is launching double-decker buses on key routes to increase public transport capacity by 44% and reduce emissions as part of a major €125 million fleet upgrade.
Tenerife is introducing double-decker buses for the first time, a significant change for the island's transport system and the entire Canary Islands. The Tenerife Island Council says this move aims to greatly boost public transport options and provide a stronger alternative to private cars.
The island's transport company, Titsa, will use these new buses on three busy routes that have seen a big increase in demand: 110 (Santa Cruz-Costa Adeje), 112 (Santa Cruz-Los Cristianos), and 108 (Santa Cruz-Icod de los Vinos). Adding these buses will increase the number of available seats on these routes each year from four million to six million, a 44% jump in capacity.
This new plan comes as Titsa hits a record high, carrying over 87 million passengers. This shows more and more people on the island are choosing public transport. Rosa Dávila, the president of the Cabildo (Island Council), visited Gerona to check on the manufacturing. The first two buses are now ready to be sent to the Canary Islands.
These double-decker buses are part of a larger upgrade project that has cost over 125 million euros. In recent years, 351 new buses have been bought, making Tenerife's bus fleet one of the most modern in Spain, with buses averaging just over three years old.
To start, 13 double-decker buses will be added, with another 70 regular buses joining the fleet this year. The Cabildo expects that by 2027, a total of 18 double-decker buses will be running on the island's main roads.
This upgrade aims to do more than just make bus services more frequent and comfortable. It also helps the island be more environmentally friendly, with a goal to cut bus fleet emissions by over 7%. These new buses work alongside other measures already in place to ease traffic on the North and South highways, such as special lanes for buses and carpools, and park-and-ride facilities.