A transport official underlined the government’s plans to modernize the aging public transport fleets, saying a large majority of the urban buses would be in need of renewal in less than three years.
“Currently there are 16,000 dilapidated buses in service and by the Iranian year beginning on March 21, 2021, that number will hit 19,000, which makes up about 80% of our 24,000 buses,” said Marzieh Hesari, director for public transport and traffic at Iran’s Municipalities and Village Administrators Organization.
She said a project spearheaded by the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade is in progress to replace the aging taxis and buses and called for cooperation from municipalities to help fund the initiative.
“The municipalities of some cities have contributed funds but smaller towns are relying on full government support. The plan requires cooperation from city councils and municipalities, although some municipalities are facing financial strains and there is an issue of priority,” Hesari told ISNA on Friday.
“Unfortunately, the public transport issue is not a priority in some cities, where the infrastructures and road construction are the main focus.”
She said the government has resumed a suspended project to revamp the taxi fleets by signing a memorandum of understanding with the Post Bank to sponsor it.
“Under the MoU, it was agreed that the bank provides 13,000 loans to taxi and minivan drivers. We are also in negotiation with automakers to win an interest rate discount on their car purchase loans.”
Hesari said her organization has agreed another memorandum of understanding with the prestigious Iran University of Science and Technology to cooperate on a project aimed at equipping the urban buses with diesel particulate filters (DPF) to cut down pollution from exhaust emissions.
“Installing the exhaust filter system on buses has been on the agenda of the government… Tehran Municipality has been piloting the system since three years ago… The findings will be used to identify and address potential problems and reduce the costs.”
Replacement of worn-out vehicles could help limit a main source of air pollution, which has beset the capital Tehran and other metropolises for decades.
