Contract signed for the supply of 200 natural gas buses

The contract for the supply of 200 compressed (CNG), 12 metres long, to be launched in Athens, was signed today (19.3.2024) by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Staikouras and Commercial Operation – Director of the company “Industria Italiana Autobus”, Salvatore Danilo Martelli, in the presence of the Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, responsible for Transport, Christina Alexopoulou and the Secretary-General for Transport, Giannis Xifaras. “By the end of 2025 440 new buses, natural gas buses and electric buses will be on the streets of Athens,” the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport stressed during the contract signing ceremony. The Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Staikouras said: “An important step is being taken today to renew the bus fleet in Athens. A necessary step, resulting from the aging fleet in our country. In particular, the contract for the supply of 200 new natural gas buses, 12 metres with Industria Italiana Autobus, is signed. Buses will be delivered by the end of 2025. We expect and will work together on this deadline to come sooner. So 440 new buses will be on the streets of Athens by the end of 2025. Gas buses and electric buses. The effort continues to improve the everyday life of the citizen, but also the quality of the services provided.” Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, responsible for Transport, Christina Alexopoulou stressed: “We are implementing another government commitment by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. With today’s signing of the contract for the supply of 200 natural gas buses – 12 meters – complementary and combined with the first 100 – 18 meters – and 250 electric buses, a significantly renewed bus fleet is created in Athens and Thessaloniki. We aspire in 2025 to put all these vehicles into circulation. The aim of the leadership of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport is to renew or initiate a renewal of 1,300 new buses by the end of 2027, creating an era sustainable for transport.” The Secretary-General of Transport, Giannis Xifaras noted: “The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport is methodically implementing an overall plan to upgrade urban transport. Upgrading and strengthening the bus fleet is a key part of this plan. But it’s not just the buses. There is an integrated strategy, which concerns the electronic ticket, concerning the upgrading of fixed transport services. The action taken will enable us, within the next year, to have a very different first picture of urban transport. The current contract concerning the supply of 200 – 12 meters – bus, natural gas is an extremely important step in this direction.” Commercial Operation – Director of Industia Italiana Autobus, Salvatore Danilo Martelli, said: “In my career as manager these moments are very important and represent the important work for our company, to manage the provision of work to such an important customer. We will do our best to give the greatest satisfaction for our client.”