Bus park in Zemgale keeps getting more environmentally friendly

Zemgale planning region is working in order to become more and more environmentally friendly regarding the transport service provider.

Based on the invitation of the Central Finance and Contracts Agency, SIA "Jēkabpils autobusu parks" (Jēkabpils bus park), which is located in Zemgale has developed and submitted to the agency a project application "Purchase of environmentally friendly buses for Jēkabpils city 3".

By submitting the project, the Bus Park is applying for Cohesion Fund funding in the amount of 171,927 euros for the purchase of another environmentally friendly bus for passenger transportation on Jēkabpils city routes. The bus is planned to be purchased in accordance with the specific support objective "Development of environmentally friendly public transport infrastructure (buses)" of the priority axis "Transition to a low-carbon economy in all sectors" of the program "Growth and Employment".

Aija Vetere, Deputy Chairman of the Board of SIA Jēkabpils autobusu parks, reveals that if this project application is approved, then the company will be close to the set development goal - to provide a total of 10 environmentally friendly buses for passenger transportation in Jēkabpils. The bus park now must wait for a response on the allocation of available funding. The company has to cover 38,200 euros from its own resources.

Jēkabpils bus park is the first bus park in Latvia (located in Zemgale) that uses compressed natural gas vehicles for passenger transport. In 2019 the first seven purchased buses went on the first routes and now they are a valuable and integral part of the company. In 2020 Janis Scerbickis the director of Jēkabpils bus park expressed that in the future, the bus park plans to continue using compressed natural gas buses, as they have proven themselves well. He considers that this project is very successful - passengers like the spacious and comfortable interior, the driver has a comfortable workplace, the economic contribution can also be assessed with a plus sign. Zemgale planning region is glad that Jēkabpils bus park is continuing work on becoming more environmentally friendly transport service provider.