Ljubljana Passenger Transport (known by its acronym LPP) has been busy renewing its entire bus fleet over the past 12 years. Since 2007, the company has replaced a total of 201 vehicles. Prior to this effort, some of the LPP’s buses were over 20 years old.
Its most recent ventures are but the finishing touches of the large-scale renovation campaign aimed at phasing out some of its most ancient vehicles and replacing them with modern, environmentally friendly buses.
Promoting new modes of travel via upgrades
The latest addition to the Ljubljana public transport network were 33 new vehicles – 17 hybrid city buses and 16 hybrid intercity buses. The cost of the latest purchase amounts to 9.3 million euros. The hybrid city buses were purchased by Ljubljana municipality, with the financial aid of the Eco Fund at the cost of 5.5 million euros.
The rest were procured by the LPP itself, after applying for a long-term loan. This newest addition is a great upgrade not only to the quality of the vehicles but to the network itself – new buses will be introduced to some of the lines, helping them operate at a faster pace.
According to the company, there are another 34 buses that are in dire need of replacement – the final batch. Their procurement, however, is being left for 2020, as the company is currently way over budget. The purchase of new vehicles is already envisioned in the 2020 municipal budget through a 3.4-million-euro investment. Nonetheless, the LPP itself has been operating at a net loss for the past few years- ending the last fiscal year with a 6.7 million euro deficit.
The number of passengers using the public transport network of Ljubljana has been steadily declining, but through coordinated efforts made not only by the LPP but by the municipality itself and by significantly improving the quality of the service, the local administration hopes it can renew the interest of citizens in using the city’s buses.
