17,000 Worn-Out Buses to Be Replaced in 4 Years

Over the span of the next four years, around 17,000 dilapidated urban buses will be replaced with new natural gas-powered ones, the director for public transport and traffic at Iran’s Municipalities and Village Administrators Organization announced on Tuesday.

“By 2021, a large number of old buses will be taken off the road and replaced with new high-tech buses running on compressed natural gas, CNG, in metropolitan cities,” YJC also quoted Amir Jafarpour as saying.

“The funds to replace the fleet of old buses partly come from the National Iranian Oil Company, which is anywhere from $75,000 to $180,000, all depending on its type and size.”

The official added that the remaining will be funded by the private sector and the municipalities of metropolitan cities.

Jafarpour noted that for every 1,000 inhabitants, there should be one bus in urban areas.

“It is estimated that the population of large cities in Iran will reach 35 million in 2021, hence the number of buses should show a twofold increase,” he said.

Of the 17,000 old buses set to be removed in the period, 1,000 pertain to Tehran and are expected to be taken off the road in the next two years.

Tehran has been grappling with air pollution for many years, such that at times schools are even closed in response to the high degree of air pollution.

Replacement of old and worn-out vehicles is a step forward in improving the quality of air.