Awaiting tender: Credobuses lined up at the manufacturer’s yard

Renewing Hungary’s state bus fleet is an urgent task, but it must be done in a way that serves Hungarian interests when purchasing vehicles with public funds, stated János Lázár, Minister of Transport. He emphasized the importance of domestic development and manufacturing during his visit to the Kravtex-Kühne Group’s factory in Mosonmagyaróvár. The fully Hungarian-owned company has delivered nearly 2,700 buses to Volánbusz so far, with the Mosonmagyaróvár-Győr manufactured buses now making up over 45% of Volánbusz’s 5900-strong fleet.

Since the integration of the transport centers, Volánbusz’s fleet has been continuously modernized: each year, several hundred new buses have arrived, significantly reducing the average age of the fleet. Under the rejuvenation program launched in 2018, more than 40% of the fleet has been replaced. However, this process stalled last year, and this year, not a single new intercity bus has joined the Volánbusz fleet, despite the pressing need to continue the program promptly. According to the Ministry of Construction and Transport, approximately 2,458 new buses are needed to modernize the Volánbusz fleet and its successor, MÁV Passenger Transport Ltd., and to completely replace the old, outdated vehicles. The minister intends for Hungarian manufacturers, specifically Kravtex, to play a significant role in this effort, as it is currently the only domestic bus manufacturer with substantial capacity.

The planned acquisition of 2,458 new buses aims specifically at replacing older vehicles equipped with Euro 5 or lower environmental standard engines. However, the procurement process for such a large fleet is highly complex and time-consuming, a burden that Credobus cannot bear alone. This is partly because the company is currently only present in the urban-suburban segment and not in all categories there either. The company’s product range does not include three-axle suburban, standard, and raised-floor buses (the Inovell and Optinell series are currently listed under “former models” on the manufacturer’s website), so these will need to be sourced from other foreign market players.

According to Volánbusz’s latest known plans, a public procurement for several hundred new intercity midi, low-entry suburban solo, suburban three-axle, standard-floor solo, raised-floor solo, and three-axle buses is pending announcement, but this requires approval from the Ministry of Construction and Transport.

Photos: János Lázár FB