Service contracts awarded in the autumn tendering round

Service contracts awarded in the autumn tendering round

HSL’s autumn tendering round included 20 bus routes. The
services on these routes are tied to the completion of the region’s
large rail projects, the Ring Rail Line and West Metro, and to the
launching of the related feeder services.

Operation of the services tendered in this round will begin
in autumn 2013. The shortest contract periods are 2 – 3 years.
According to current estimates, services on the Ring Rail Line will
begin in autumn 2015, while the West Metro is estimated to begin
service in autumn 2016.The maximum length of the contracts is 7
years.

The volume of the tendered services is about 5.1 million
route kilometers per year. The price level of the services tendered
in this round went up by 6.4 percent on average, which means that
the annual operating costs will rise by some EUR 0.9 million.

The number of new, low-emission vehicles offered was small
due to the short contract periods. A total of four E6 emission
standard compliant buses will enter service. The local emissions of
these buses are significantly lower than those of the current
buses: nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions of E6 emission class buses is
one fifth and particle emissions (PM) half of those of the so far
best, EEV compliant buses.

At the beginning of the autumn timetable period in 2013, some 55
percent of the annual route kilometers on HSL’s bus services will
be operated with low-emission, EEV or E6 compliant buses. Also, in
2013 a total of 37 new buses will enter service on route 550.

All new buses will be equipped with passenger compartment air
conditioning, safety cabins, ignition interlocks, and driving style
monitoring systems. The buses will also have an ECS system.

Routes and operators in autumn 2013  

Routes 553, Leppävaara – Kivenlahti, and 533, Vanhakartano –
Matinkylä are new routes that replace the services of routes 35 and
43 as of 12 August 2013.