NEW GOLDEN DRAGON BUSES OFFER COMFORTABLE TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS FOR ALMATY RESIDENTS
Sixty new eco-friendly articulated buses which have been produced in Kazakhstan start their routes on the roads of the city.
The vehicle fleet of Almaty was enlarged with the 60 new 18-meter articulated Golden Dragon buses produced at the auto assembly plant of Astana Motors. The spacious Golden Dragon buses will allow to unload public transport and improve the quality of traffic for Almaty residents. The eco-friendly buses running on compressed natural gas (CNG) will serve route No. 38 as well as other routes with the most intense passenger traffic.
The Golden Dragon buses meet the main requirements of public transport because they are reliable and comfortable. The new articulated bus with 36 seats can accommodate up to 150 passengers. The spacious low-floor buses will be able to serve the routes which are the most popular among the residents. There are special mechanical platforms for passengers with disabilities that will provide unhindered ascending and descending for people on wheelchairs.
Technical equipment lets the model stand out among its competitors. There are necessary systems of safety, video surveillance, information, communication with dispatchers, and air conditioning in the cabin.
The engines of the new Golden Dragon buses are adapted to run on gas which is the most environmentally friendly fuel. According to the opinion of the representatives of the company, it will let reduce harmful impact upon the city ecology. In addition, all the buses meet the requirements of the Euro-5 standard.
“Today we can consider all the needs of the transport operators for the maximum convenience of passengers and drivers. We are confident that the production of buses in Kazakhstan will help to implement successfully the state program of upgrading the country’s public transport that is seriously worn out,” underlined Beknur NESIPBAYEV, General Director of Astana Motors.
Indeed, more than six thousand buses with a service life of more than 12 years today run along the urban routes of Kazakhstan, so the issue of renewing the vehicle fleets is very critical. To address this issue, the program of the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and DBK-Leasing JSC has been launched and implemented. This program allows the bus fleets to purchase vehicles for financial leasing at 7% for a period of seven years with down payment of 15% of the contract value.
“It is very important that comfortable financial conditions have been created for the country's bus fleets, and they can purchase vehicles for financial leasing with favorable conditions,” said General Director of Astana Motors. The Golden Dragon buses which are locally produced are well-known to people in Kazakhstan. The buses are successfully operated in Karaganda, Almaty, Shymkent, and Aktobe.
In order to evaluate the advantages of the Golden Dragon buses by the transport operators, Astana Motors has launched a program of introductory test drives. The company provides the bus fleets with a choice of various service options. As part of the mobile service, the technical specialists of Astana Motors will provide services outside business hours at the vehicle fleets’ places as well as on the road in case of a breakdown during a trip.
The Golden Dragon buses are operated in different countries of the world. The representatives of the company hope that the residents of Almaty will like the new buses, which make their riding in the city easy and comfortable.
Source: ZAKON.KZ