New "Solaris" buses start carrying passengers
As reported earlier, the bus purchase procedure was completed in 2013, and the offer of "Solaris Bus&Coach S.A." was recognised to be the most advantageous according to the requirements. The contract provides for the delivery of 175 buses for a total amount of EUR 58.3 million, which is due to be repaid in 10 years. The first 35 buses will be received until the end of this year, but the remaining ones – in the coming four years.
From the new buses, 60 will be 12 meters long and 115 will be 18 meters. All buses will be low-floor vehicles. The buses have a lifetime of 12 years provided they run 70 000 km per year, 2-year guarantee or 150 000 km run. Each bus will be equipped with an electromechanically driven retractable platform (for disabled persons), heating, aeration and air-conditioning systems, integrated vehicle information system etc. The extra equipment includes internal LCD information monitors.
„Rīgas satiksme” provides 53 bus routes, with buses running in total more than 27 million kilometres per year. „Rīgas satiksme”runs a fleet of 432 buses, of which 140 are 18 meters long, 72 are 15 meters long and other 220 buses are 12 meters long or shorter (Ikarus E 91). The new buses will replace those vehicles whose service life (12 years) has run out. There are 121 such buses now, but in 5 years the service time of the remaining 311 buses will also expire.
According to statistics, in 2010 „Rīgas satiksme” buses carried 57.6 million passengers, in 2011 – already 62.2 million, in 2012 – 64.4 million, and in 2013 – 68.5 million passengers. Thus, in just four years the number of passengers carried annually increased by almost 11.
For more information about the services provided by "Rīgas satiksme", public transport routes and schedules, types of tickets and other news, please visit our webpage at www.rigassatiksme.lv or social networks "twitter", "facebook", "draugiem.lv".
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