Tampere seeks about 19 electric articulated buses in Plusbus Line 7 tender

Plusbus announced in a press release that it has opened a competitive procurement for Plusbus Line 7 in Tampere. The regional public transport board is due to decide on the tender and an updated concept handbook on 6 May.

The contract term will exceed the EU guideline maximum of 10 years. That is because the deal includes substantial investments in new electric articulated buses and depot solutions that require a longer economic life. Bidders are expected to supply an estimated 19 new electric articulated buses plus reserve vehicles for charging and maintenance, and to operate the line every day of the week.

Quality will carry heavier weight than in typical bus procurements — 25 percent for quality versus 75 percent for price. By comparison, most tenders weight quality at 5–10 percent and price at 90–95 percent. The model also includes quality bonus incentives during the contract to encourage delivery of the Plusbus customer experience targets.

The tender includes an employment condition aimed at promoting work opportunities for people with weak positions in the labour market. Tampere city employment and growth services helped assess the clause, and the requirement was shaped by feedback gathered in market dialogue sessions with potential operators.

The Plusbus concept handbook will be revised to reflect the procurement and fleet requirements, adding the Plusbus name and visual identity and clarifying responsibilities for infrastructure, operations, maintenance principles and vehicle equipment. Detailed technical specifications will be written into contracts, and the handbook changes will allow the board the option of appointing two different operators for the line.