A Chinese bus manufacturer will invest 6.23 billion pesos (US $326 million) in an assembly plant in Nuevo León that will produce buses that burn natural gas.

Mexican bus company Golden Star 4000 partnered with Zhongtong Bus Holding Co. Ltd. to build the factory in the municipality of El Carmen.

The plant’s capacity will be 4,800 vehicles a year.

Golden Star 4000 already has 17 of the eco-friendly buses — that were assembled in China — operating on routes in Mexico.

Nuevo León Governor Jaime Rodríguez Calderón said Mexican-built buses have already been contracted for an express route to connect Monterrey to García, some 40 kilometers to the west. The route is expected to begin operating on November 15, and will connect with Monterrey’s Ecovía rapid transit system.

He said the municipality plans to create other routes for the buses the plant will produce, connecting with Juárez and Cadereyta.

The buses are equipped with high-tech amenities such as interior and exterior cameras, air conditioning and wireless internet.

The plant will take three years to build and will employ 2,800 people when it is fully operational, said Golden Star 4000.

Source: El Economista (sp)