Solaris to deliver 70 CNG buses to Warsaw operator Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe

On Tuesday, 4th August, the representatives of the management board of public transport operator Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe (MZA) in Warsaw and Solaris signed a contract for the delivery of 70 low-floor city buses. The vehicles will run on CNG, i. e. compressed natural gas. The total value of the contract settled at over PLN 116 million.

MZA Warszawa ordered a total of 70 buses, consisting of 40 Solaris Urbino 12 CNG and 30 articulated Solaris Urbino 18 CNG buses. All vehicles will be equipped with CNG engines. In 12-metre CNG buses the total capacity of tanks will be over 1500 l, and in articulated 18-metre buses – 1700 l.

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. 

Solaris Urbino buses for Warsaw operator MZA will also be fitted, as a standard feature, with closed driver’s cabins with a separate entry. A closed driver’s cabin will work perfectly throughout the epidemic as it limits driver’s contact with passengers, thus minimising the risk of infection. In 12-metre buses the total passenger capacity amounts to 90 people, whereas articulated buses offer room for 135 passengers.

„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," says 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 percent of buses departing on the streets of Warsaw on a weekday.”

Following the contract, the first Solaris Urbino CNG buses will make it to Warsaw in April next year. The deliveries of all 70 units 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 1100 vehicles.

“Buses that are to be delivered to Warsaw operator MZA will be first Solaris CNG-fuelled 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 1400 vehicles of that type drive around over a dozen European cities. Natural gas serves as one of the alternatives for low-emission public transport. I am convinced that both employees of MZA and passengers will appreciate the benefits of new vehicles. At the same time I would like to express my gratitude to the biggest public transport operator in Poland for its trust placed in our brand”, said Petros Spinaris, deputy CEO of Solaris, when signing the contract.

In the pictures (from the left): Paweł Jankowski (MZA Warszawa), Tomasz Sygut (MZA Warszawa), Petros Spinaris (Solaris Bus & Coach), Jan Kuźmiński (MZA Warszawa), Leszek Ruta (MZA Warszawa).