24 new ultra low-floor buses, designed to be accessible to elderly persons and people with disabilities, will replace red buses that were in operation for 15 years in Coimbatore city from next week onwards, according to sources. 

The plan is to replace 100 out of the 180 old low-floor red buses in Coimbatore with these new ultra low-floor buses. The new ones will have ramps for easy boarding and alighting by wheelchair users. Like the ultra low-floor buses introduced in Chennai, these buses that will be available in Coimbatore shortly is also expected to come with a dedicated space for differently-abled wheelchair users to occupy during their travel.

The boarding steps in these buses will be at a height of 400 mm, so it would be easier for the elderly passengers to board and deboard the buses. These new vehicles are also equipped with speakers and LED display boards to announce the arrival of a stoppage priorly.

The first 24 of these buses in TNSTC-Coimbatore will operate on Gandhipuram - Somanur, Annur, Karamadai; Gandhipuram - Walayar, Velanthavalam and Gandhipuram - Thudiyalur via Saravanampatti routes, as per sources.