The Alpino units handed over to the Poznań MPK are the smallest vehicles in the Solaris product range. The bus is 8.6 meters long and fifteen centimeters narrower compared to other buses. Thanks to these parameters, the Poznań Alpino units, which can carry up to 50 passengers, will be used on routes with lower passenger traffic. This will allow the carrier to optimize its bus fleet management. The latest Solaris buses in the Poznań MPK fleet will be assigned to service lines 52, 65, and 84, which are currently served by nine-meter buses. In accordance with the expectations of the Municipal Transport Authority in Poznań, they will also likely appear on night bus routes.
– These are super-comfortable, low-floor vehicles, air-conditioned throughout the entire passenger area, equipped with amenities for disabled persons, video surveillance for increased travel safety, as well as state-of-the-art, eco-friendly engines meeting the most stringent EEV emission standard. Several innovative solutions have been applied in them that will significantly affect the comfort and safety of the ride, including an automatic fire suppression system in the engine compartment, which provides protection in the event of a fire. On board, for the convenience of passengers, there will be a ticket vending machine, and the seats will feature a special fabric already known to Poznań residents, the pattern of which is a reference to Euro 2012. The motifs that make up its design are footballs and the Poznań goats – says Krzysztof Książyk, Director of Bus Transport at MPK Poznań Sp. z o.o.
The buses are fully adapted to the needs of passengers with baby strollers, as well as disabled persons with limited mobility: a space for securing wheelchairs opposite wide, spacious doors, and both external and internal buttons signaling the intent to board or alight. The new buses are also equipped with electronic displays that will inform about the route number on a given line, as well as outward-swinging doors controlled by a photocell. Such a solution guarantees a wider and easier entrance and a tighter closure of the vehicle. The enhanced monitoring system will allow for recording images not only inside the vehicle but also outside, in front of the bus. A camera directed at the route is an extremely useful element. Thanks to it, it will be possible to reconstruct the course of collisions and any traffic incidents involving the bus.
The contract of Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. with the Poznań MPK concerns 26 vehicles. The second tranche of the order will be completed by the end of April 2012.