Polish largest bus operator expands eco-friendly policy, orders 70 NGVs
Representatives of the management board of public transport operator Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe (MZA) in Warsaw and Solaris have signed a contract for the delivery of 70 low-floor city buses powered by natural gas. The new fleet consist of 40 Solaris Urbino 12 CNG and 30 articulated Solaris Urbino 18 CNG buses. In the 12-meter buses the total capacity of tanks will be over 1,500 liters, and in the articulated 18-meter buses it will be 1,700 liters.
“The purchase of Solaris CNG buses is a continuation of our ecological policy, consisting in introducing large numbers of zero-emission and low-emission buses into the rolling stock,” said Jan Kuźmiński, President of the Management Board of Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe sp. z o.o. “We already have 91 electric and 145 CNG buses. After completion of all planned deliveries by the end of 2022, it will be 160 electric buses and 305 CNG buses, respectively. This will account for almost 50% of buses departing on the streets of Warsaw on a weekday.”
The newly commissioned vehicles feature a high equipment standard. The most important components enhancing passengers’ comfort will include: air conditioning in the whole vehicle, USB ports that make it possible to recharge mobile devices, a comprehensive passenger information system and a video surveillance system with cameras monitoring the passenger compartment as well as the driver’s cabin and the area in front of the vehicle. Another component increasing safety of passengers in public transport will be a breath alcohol ignition interlock. It requires the driver to undergo a breathalyser test. If the test result is positive, the device prevents the engine from being started.
These Solaris Urbino buses will also be fitted, as a standard feature, with closed driver’s cabins with a separate entry. This cabin will work perfectly throughout the epidemic as it limits driver’s contact with passengers, thus minimizing the risk of infection. In the 12-meter buses the total passenger capacity amounts to 90 people, whereas articulated buses offer room for 135 passengers.
Following the contract, the first Solaris Urbino CNG buses will make it to Warsaw in April next year. The deliveries of all 70 vehicles are to be completed in mid-2021. Once they are completed, the total number of Solaris buses in the fleet of Warsaw operator MZA will go up to over 1,100 vehicles.
“Buses that are to be delivered to MZA will be first Solaris CNG-fueled buses in its fleet, but not the only ones of that type cruising the streets of Warsaw. We know this safe technology very well as we have been implementing it in our vehicles since 2004. Nearly 1,400 vehicles of that type drive around over a dozen European cities. Natural gas serves as one of the alternatives for low-emission public transport,” said Petros Spinaris, deputy CEO of Solaris.
