Financial constraints and US sanctions have beleaguered Iranian urban planners in recent years, such that attempts to renew the public transportation fleet became an uphill task.
However, state-run organizations and businesses have intermittently joined forces to buttress the ailing sector and enhance public transportation services.
According to Fars News Agency, the Iran Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization has made the latest move, signing contracts with domestic automakers to add over 19,000 new intercity buses, minibuses and taxis to the country's passenger fleet.
Sadrollah Bemana, secretary of the organization’s working group for the restoration of dilapidated passenger fleets, said the initial budget allocated for the contracts amounts to 30 trillion rials ($100 million) and the agreements are expected to be fully implemented within the next two years.
"The intercity transportation system is aging rapidly and will lose efficiency, if renovations are not expedited," he said.
“Approximately 30% of buses, 50% of minibuses and more than half of taxis are dilapidated and require immediate repair and restoration. We hope that the contracts will slow the aging of the passenger fleet."
In a related move, the oil and interior ministries are collaborating with Tehran Bus Company to replace gas tanks of 150 LPG urban buses by the end of the current Iranian year (March 2022).
Retired LPG buses will be gradually renovated and reintroduced to Tehran’s transportation fleet
According to Mahmoud Tarfa, the head of TBC, a number of LPG buses in the metropolis had been removed from the operating fleet by Tehran Municipality some months ago, as their gas tanks were nearing expiry and potential risks had to be avoided.
Tarfa added that after the new gas tanks are installed in these 150 buses, another 500 retired LPG buses will be renovated to rejoin service over the next year.
Officials believe that bringing back inoperative buses into the transportation fleet is a more efficient and faster strategy for reducing passenger density and improving the quality of mobility services.
More Bus Additions
As part of efforts to improve the city's transportation system, 500 buses will join the fleet of the capital city Tehran, Jafar Tashakkori, chairman of Tehran City Council's Transportation Commission, said.
He said in late September, 300 double-decker buses that were retired due to dilapidation would be restored to again offer services.
The official stated that talks are currently underway with domestic automakers for the purchase of 200 buses.
In addition to addressing the fleet's inadequacies, TCC has devised an emergency plan to use smart transportation management tactics to get the most out of the available public vehicles.
“The current state of public transportation in Tehran is a result of years of inaction. Hopefully, such compensatory moves, albeit minor, will be helpful,” he added.
Mahmoud Tarfa had earlier said Tehran’s transportation fleet requires 7,000 high-quality buses to provide adequate services.
He added that 50% of the buses operating in Tehran’s fleet, accounting for 3,500 vehicles, are dilapidated and in dire need of repair or replacement.
“Over one million citizens commute in the capital by bus every day. The sudden exclusion of old vehicles from the fleet will cause capacity deficiency and problems in terms of social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Single-Handed Moves
Tarfa added that TBC needs state support to boost its services and meet urban mobility demands, but in the past several years, Tehran Municipality has been the only institution making efforts in this regard.
He explained that since 2016, the government has not extended fiscal support for public transportation and Tehran Municipality has been single-handedly and slowly streamlining the transport fleet.
“Last summer, the municipality signed an agreement with Iran Khodro Company for purchasing 250 buses for Tehran’s transport system. One hundred buses were delivered to TBC in November 2020 and another 110 vehicles were delivered on Saturday. The delivery of the remaining 40 buses are expected by the current [fiscal] yearend [March 2022].”
Although such renewals can help restore the ailing fleet, larger projects are required for overhauling public transportation.
The TBC chief noted that the transportation fleet has failed to attract private investors, “because investors seek productivity and profit, which cannot be found in the transportation sector”.
“The sector has a limited budget and operational capacity, while the dilapidation of vehicles has incurred losses,” Tarfa added.
