Minibuses increasingly popular in the GZM. There is a tender and the next ones are to come.

The network of connections of the Metropolitan Transport Authority comprises more than 400 bus lines. Approx. 70 of them are minibus or partly minibus lines. – This is a solution, which is more and more often chosen by local governments. Its most important advantages include the possibility of ensuring rides for the persons, who live in those parts of districts, which so far were not served by buses. Because smaller vehicles can enter, e.g., narrow streets, which are not passable for the bigger ones – says Ms Małgorzata Gutowska, the ZTM Director. Other advantages include one more, which is important for the municipalities: - The costs of minibus lines operation are lower, which at the time of a difficult financial situation of local governments may be very important – adds Ms Małgorzata Gutowska.

Although minibuses have been running in the region for many years, but the first, most visible effects of the project of systemic starting of minibus lines became noticeable in December 2022. At that time as many as 7 minibus lines were started – 755, 745, and 746 in Tarnowskie Góry, 704, 706, and 709 in Zabrze, and 610 in Knurów. These connections raised the attractiveness and accessibility of the urban transport in individual municipalities and enjoy interest of the residents. In each case, at the starting of such lines the cities and their authorities played the key role, i.e., the Mayor of Tarnowskie Góry, Mr Arkadiusz Czech, the Mayor of Zabrze, Mrs Małgorzata Mańka-Szulik, and the Mayor of Knurów, Mr Adam Rams. Without the subject-matter and financial involvement of local governments, these projects would never be implemented.

The cities and the transport organiser notice the attractiveness and effectiveness of the above and other minibus lines, therefore in the first quarter of this year the municipalities, in agreement with the ZTM, plan to start another two minibus lines – in Tarnowskie Góry and in Mysłowice. However, before we learn their details, the ZTM has invited tenders for one more minibus line.

This is a substitute minibus line, which route passes through Katowice and Mysłowice. The bidders can submit their tenders till the 19^th of February, by 9 am. The contract assumes the performance of 112,240 of vehicle-kilometres by MN type vehicles, that is minibuses, which have a capacity of at least 35 persons. The start of service provision is planned for the 1^st of March, and its end for the 30^th of June. This is a repeated procedure; in its first version the ZTM intended to spend for the procurement financing more than PLN 1 million (PLN 1,008,000).

The detailed information on the procedure, including the conditions of participation in the tender and the vehicle-related requirements, may be found in the BIP ZTM, in the Public Procurement tab.