Solaris to supply 225 buses to Dubai

Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. in co-operation with its Dubai-based join-venture company Al Ghurair & Solaris Middle East Bus Trading L.L.C. has won the tender to supply 225 buses for the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority. In total

the contract is worth over €112 million.

In the autumn of last year the Dubai bus operator announced a tender to supply a total of 620 city buses. Solaris Bus & Coach entered the tender via establishing a join-venture company, together with its Dubai-based Al Ghurair Group.

In the event, the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) decided to split the order and award the contract to two manufacturers. Solaris will supply a total of 225 buses to the operator in the United Arab Emirates. Deliveries are scheduled to commence in November, with the order due to be completed in the middle of 2008. The total value of the contract in the United Arab Emirates currency is over 500 million dirhams (over 112 million euros). The fixed UAE currency exchange rate is pegged to the U.S. dollar.

Due to the sheer size of the contract (620 vehicles in total) RTA plans to build new bus depots. Apart from the supply of the actual buses, the Solaris contract also provides for the servicing of the buses over the next five years. The Solaris service station will be housed within the RTA bus facilities. Until local technicians have been employed to look after the Bolechowo-built buses, servicing and training will be carried out by a group of Solaris Bus & Coach specialists from Poland.

The batch of 225 Solaris buses for DRTA will comprise two models. The Solaris fleet in Dubai will include 150 Solaris Urbino 18 articulated buses and 75 Solaris Urbino 12 units. Due to special climate and cultural demands, the Solaris buses will have a number of Dubai specific features.

One such feature is the so-called female and family section, especially delimited within the interior. This means that the area between the front door and the second door is separated from the rest of the vehicle by means of glass divisions. This section are designed for the use by women, children and families only.

All labels, legends and descriptions on the driver‘s instrument panel and legends next to all passenger buttons will be given in two languages, Arabic and English.

Also the messages in the passenger information system will be displayed both in Arabic and English. The messages will be shown on LCD displays. The buses will be fitted with a monitoring system.

Other innovative features include special engine protection against excessive dust and sand storm effects. For the same reasons selected air conditioning equipment will be fitted with special high performance filters.

With the hot climate in Dubai, where maximum temperatures may near 55°C, it has been deemed necessary to fit special „air curtains” (with cold air) above the entrances to prevent hot air from entering the vehicle.

The buses will be powered by DAF diesel engines. The Solaris Urbino 12 will feature 228 kW power units, while the Solaris Urbino 18 articulated buses will be fitted with more powerful 265 kW engines. This will be a special batch of engines specially tailored to run on fuel with higher sulphur content as used in the United Arab Emirates.

“In the recent years Dubai has become one of the most modern cities in the word. The city has become famous for its luxury hotels, excellent golf courses, and for the fact that despite the hot climate a special dome makes it possible to indulge in skiing indoors. Now the time has come for Dubai to turn to the most modern bus transport solutions. For a young company such as ours it is a great privilege to be able to supply buses to the United Arab Emirates,” said Krzysztof Olszewski, Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. Chairman and Chief Executive. “By signing this important contract we have opened a new chapter for the company. Now we operate not only in Europe, but also in the Middle East. We trust that the successful completion of his contract will certainly help us to establish presence in the region and gain access to the markets of the neighbouring countries.”