Global Yutong People | 48 Hours in Chile: Endeavor Moments Beneath the Andes

Crossing time zones: while it is deep into the night in China’s UTC+8 time zone, Chile in UTC-4 is in broad daylight. Upon receiving the vehicle handover mission, an intense race against time quietly began. A Yutong team, consisting of 22 service engineers, 4 technical specialists and 5 account managers, was formed at once. They conducted site surveys, mapped out routes, coordinated resources and much more.

Sun Yadong, a 40-year-old service engineer from Henan, has been stationed in Chile for eight years. Li Zhuoyuan from Mexico, Wang Xiangyang from Venezuela, Li Jipeng from Peru and Yang Yanju from Colombia arrived in Chile ahead of schedule, ready for deployment. Guillermo, a 46-year-old technical consultant with more than a decade of experience in the Latin American market, rushed to the site overnight. To the client, they share one collective identity — Yutong People.

The real challenge began once the buses arrived at the port.

Chile features an extreme temperature difference between day and night. Blazing hot sunshine beats down by day, while piercing sea winds sweep through at night. The team split up responsibilities and worked in shifts around the clock: installing rear-view mirrors, carrying out PDI inspections, relocating vehicles and more.

A temporary charging station five kilometres from the port stayed brightly lit. Yutong team members shuttled nonstop among the vehicle fleet and took turns on duty to ensure every bus was fully charged. “Our work group chat kept buzzing nonstop those two days,” said Ding Guanpeng, an engineer who joined the overseas team half a year ago. “I even dreamed about simulating vehicle transit routes.”

Santiago, home to one-third of Chile’s population, hosts the sprawling operational network of VOY. Buses here operate almost nonstop around the clock.

“5-minute initial response, 1-hour on-site arrival within the city, 2-hour arrival outside urban areas, and 24/7 standby.” This is more than a service promise; it is a responsibility ingrained in every Yutong team member. Whether it is an emergency rescue in the dead of night, regular driver training, routine vehicle health checks, or troubleshooting unexpected faults, they act as operational consultants, quietly safeguarding the city’s public transport network.

To guarantee high-quality delivery, they worked rotating shifts, mobilized resources to quickly meet spare parts demands, and coordinated staff to conduct commissioning in line with Yutong standards. Through joint efforts, the team ensured product consistency and high-standard vehicle handover.

Yutong service staff kept busy at charging stations, repair workshops and training rooms. They adopted a 24-hour shift system to make sure customer requests were addressed without delay. Sunlight marked their skin and sweat stained their work uniforms, yet they maintained professional performance at all times.

Song Zhenqiang, Yutong service engineer, shared his feelings: “Every time I watch the buses we maintain depart on schedule, carrying morning commuters to their destinations, all our hard work feels worthwhile.” When the last bus pulled into the charging station in Santiago, the setting sun fell gently on its body. Team members exchanged quiet smiles. There was no cheering, only silent admiration for what they had accomplished.

During this delivery project, the Yutong team earned respect through professionalism and friendship with sincerity. The 130-kilometre journey from San Antonio Port to Santiago witnessed far more than a vehicle transfer; it was a heartwarming journey built on trust and companionship.

The successful completion of this mission has accumulated valuable experience and laid a solid foundation for the subsequent full-process independent delivery of more than 300 new buses in the market. It also delivered an exceptional service experience exceeding customer expectations, carrying far-reaching significance and brand influence for the further promotion of direct sales and direct service in this market.

Up to now, Yutong has built 7 authorized service stations, 1 self-owned service station and one national central parts warehouse in Chile, with an average service radius limited to 120 kilometres. Most touching of all are the emotional bonds that transcend commercial contracts.