Public transport to see more staff hirings, vehicles, services
Aiming to decrease overcrowding on urban transport amid the coronavirus pandemic and improve services, the government on Friday announced a batch of immediate and medium-term measures.
Transport Minister Kostas A. Karamanlis said the government will launch procedures in September to lease 300 modern buses up to 10 years old.
Moreover, there will be 655 recruitments of skilled personnel using fast-track procedures at the Athens Urban Rail Transport Company (STASY) and Attica’s bus and trolley bus operator, OSY.
In addition, through agreements with the intercity bus company KTEL, OSY’s fleet will be immediately reinforced with 203 vehicles and 550 drivers on a daily basis.
Measures in the medium term include the upgrade of 15 trains running on Line 1 of the Athens metro (ISAP) and the purchase of seven trains for metro lines 2 and 3.
What’s more, a tender will be announced for the procurement of new buses for Athens and Thessaloniki.
Specifically for Athens, the tender will concern the supply of approximately 1,000 modern vehicles.
The goal is for the announcement for the first 600 to be completed by November and for 300 of them to be on the streets of Athens by the end of 2021.
