RATBV is the regional public transport operator from the municipality of Brasov and from the Brasov Metropolitan Area. has started two procurement procedures for the purchase of 15 new 18-meter articulated electric hybrid buses for urban transport, and 15 used articulated electric/hybrid or Euro 6 buses for the metropolitan lines, Brasov City Hall announces.

RATBV now has 72 electric buses, 51 trolleybuses, 10 electric hybrid buses, and 149 diesel buses in circulation. It obtained non-refundable financing for another 73 electric buses, through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. RATBV serves 44 urban routes and 19 metropolitan routes.

"The Brasov administration wants to replace articulated buses with Euro 6 engines with articulated electric hybrid buses. At the same time, with the taking over of public transport from Sacele, the Municipality wants to remove from the streets of the city the old Euro 2 and 3 buses that provided transport between the two localities", says the City Hall of Brasov.

In order to achieve the two objectives, the transport operator RATBV has started two procurement procedures for the purchase of 15 new articulated electric hybrid buses of 18 meters for urban transport and 15 used articulated electric/hybrid or Euro 6 buses.

"In recent years, Brasov is one of the cities that invests more and more in environmentally friendly technologies, whether we are talking about mobility, waste collection, or the production of green energy for public consumption, which positions us in the vanguard of the fight against climate change. Public transport is the main axis on which we build environmentally friendly transport. That is why our investments are focused on replacing the diesel fleet with green or less polluting means of transport. Even if we have in circulation or have funding for over 200 electric buses and trolleybuses, there are urban lines that do not have a non-polluting transport solution, such as, for example, line 17, which, considering the load, needs buses articulated. At the same time, we must also get rid of the polluting buses from Sacele, with Euro 2 and 3 engines, which, in addition to the large quantities of harmful substances they produce, no longer offer optimal transport conditions. The solution identified by RATBV to solve these problems, especially since it will also become an operator for Sacele, is the start of two purchases, one for new buses and one for second-hand buses, so as to complete the urban and metropolitan needs", he declared the mayor of Brasov, Allen Coliban.

RATBV thus wants to purchase 15 new hybrid buses, from the 18 m range, with diesel-electric traction, with a fully lowered floor over the entire length, with at least three doors and air conditioning in the passenger lounge, intended for urban passenger transport in the Municipality of Brasov.

The hybrid bus will have a transport capacity of at least 130 people, of which at least 40 seats.

The duration of the normal use of buses is at least 12 years, of which 8 years are without general repairs.

The hybrid bus will be equipped with a platform to facilitate access for people with disabilities.

Each bus will be equipped with an audio speaker mounted on the outside of the vehicle, near the front door, to inform visually impaired passengers. The audio message is played when the front door is opened and contains the number of the bus line and the destination.

Also, the buses will be equipped with a passenger counting system (systems with 3D intelligent sensors and with an analyzer) and will allow tracking and recording of the number of passengers transported over certain time intervals, stations, lines, bus numbers, etc.

The hybrid buses will be equipped with a video surveillance system inside and outside. The system will include a minimum of 8 (eight) color digital cameras, with audio recording, of high resolution, dome type, with anti-vandal housing.

They will be equipped by the manufacturer with a system for free Wi-Fi internet for travelers, being equipped with a separate Wi-Fi router to provide free internet services to travelers. To this is added an electrical installation with continuous and stabilized voltage for charging the electronic devices of the passengers.

The estimated value of the 15 new hybrid buses is RON44.04 million (€8.8 million), a value that also includes the cost of leasing for a period of 5-7 years. The delivery period is a maximum of 12 months.

According to the specifications, RATBV wants to purchase, in financial leasing, for a period of 36 months, 15 used (second-hand) articulated buses, about 18m long, with electric, hybrid, or Euro 6 diesel traction, with a lowered floor, kneeling system at the curb, ramp for unlimited access for wheelchair users, air conditioning, anti-lock braking system.

The offered buses will have a manufacturing year starting with 2015, and the pollution standard will be at least Euro 6. Vehicles with a mileage greater than 500,000 km will not be accepted.

The buses will have a transport capacity of at least 125 passengers, of which at least 40 seats and at least one seat for a wheelchair.

They will be provided with a ramp, with mechanical (manual) or electric actuation, to facilitate the access of people with disabilities.

The duration of the leasing period is 3 years, and after the expiry of the leasing period and full payment of the contract, the buses will become the property of RATBV.

The estimated value of the 15 buses is 13.12 million (€2.62 million), a value that includes the leasing cost for a period of 3 years. The delivery period is a maximum of 3 months.