Forty-four of the eighty-seven “MAN” buses are already in Yerevan. The other batch will arrive in February. The new buses were purchased by the loan means of EBRD and E5P fund, the largest donor of which is the European Union. The First Deputy Mayor of Yerevan Levon Hovhannisyan, Deputy Mayor Tigran Avinyan and the ЕU Ambassador to Armenia Andrea Wiktorin visited the new bus fleet station and then had a short test drive in the city traffic.
Levon Hovhannisyan went into some details about the buses. Accordingly, total costs of the “MAN” buses is approximately 12 milliard drams. Besides, the community spent about 6,5 milliard drams on the purchase of 150 “Zhong Tong” buses, plus 2 milliard drams on 15 new trolleybuses. This purchase has become possible due to taxpayers of Yerevan.
The problem of transport in Yerevan needs an urgent solution. The Municipality puts lots of effort to solve it systemically. Import of new buses is an important component of the reforms. According to Tigran Avinyan, the problem can be solved in a couple of years after taking several follow-up actions. The new buses will start working in March.
The EU Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin claimed that it is the first economic investment agreement aimed at having a “green” city which they had signed. She expressed hope that due to such buses the air in Yerevan will significantly improve.
The head of the EBRD Armenian office George Akhalkatsi stressed that they attach particular importance not only to procurement of new buses but to the programs aimed at general development of infrastructures in the city as well.
The buses are comfortable, equipped with cameras which are to be connected to the management centre.
Some bus drivers got refresher courses in Germany.
The transport reforms also involve gradual installation of ticket systems.
Tigran Avinyan informed that the city already has a company which is engaged in the installation of the unified ticketing systems not only on buses but also in the underground.