The Sofia Municipality has signed a contract for 42 long articulated buses for lines 94, 204 and 280. The buses will be delivered in the fall of this year and will serve some of the busiest lines, the press center of the Sofia Municipality announced.
The goal is to deliver the buses by November in order to provide additional capacity on the busiest lines this fall.
The buses are between 18 and 20 meters long, completely low-floor and with high capacity – at least 45 seated and 120 standing seats. They will have air conditioning, heating and the necessary accessibility equipment, including space for a child or wheelchair. Their dimensions and maneuverability are tailored to the specifics of the routes they will operate on, and field tests will be carried out when the first one is registered, the Municipality informed.
It is important for us to increase the capacity of public transport where people need it most, and at the same time to continue renewing the fleet. That is why we are looking for solutions that can yield results right now, while we are also preparing large deliveries of new vehicles, said Deputy Mayor for Transport and Urban Mobility Viktor Chaushev, quoted by the municipal press center. He assured that the Municipality continues with major investments in new buses, trams, trolleybuses and electric buses for a lasting change in the quality and reliability of public transport in Sofia.
We are planning an investment of 367 million euros, secured through a new long-term debt of the Sofia Municipality, with which we will provide 200 new buses, 75 trolleybuses, 20 trams and 50 electric buses. 20 boulevards and main streets, 400,000 sq. m of sidewalks and a 10-kilometer rail track will be modernized, said Deputy Mayor for Finance Georgi Klisurski in early August.
High requirements have been set for the technical condition and history of the vehicles during the selection. The buses have been previously serviced by an authorized service, and upon delivery, the Sofia Municipality will carry out the necessary additional checks. Each bus will be accompanied by full service documentation.
The purchase of the 42 buses is part of the Sofia Municipality's overall strategy for the renovation and development of public transport. By the end of the year, it is planned to purchase another 13 used tourist buses and 20 short buses, bringing the total number of purchased used buses to 75. They will allow for the improvement of the condition and reliability of the bus fleet in the short term.
In parallel, the Sofia Municipality is implementing and preparing a large-scale program for the renovation of public transport - 75 new trolleybuses, 20 trams and 50 electric buses are already part of the specific investments in electric transport, and the purchase of another 200 new buses is also planned. The goal is to gradually phase out the oldest vehicles and increase the capacity, reliability, comfort and accessibility of public transport in Sofia.