OREANDA-NEWS. December 16, 2013. GAZ Group has announced that 739 buses have been produced especially for the Sochi Winter Olympic Games.

The buses were specially developed for the Olympics with nearly a third, 227 buses, modified for the disabled, athletes competing in the Paralympics and others.

The buses have also been tested on the Olympic routes in Sochi for customer preference, as they have to withstand extreme winter conditions on mountain roads and need to still be safe and comfortable. The results were equally important for the establishment and development of the Olympic routes

GAZ Group is the official “Sochi 2014 Games Supplier” and is proud of its long heritage as an Olympic supplier.

GAZ Group has produced 709 GOLAZ (including 227 special vehicles for disabled and wheelchair passengers) and 30 LiAZ buses for the transportation of visitors and athletes of the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

Manfred Eibeck, Chief Executive Officer of Russian Machines Corporation said: “GAZ Group has completely fulfilled the contract for supplying buses for the Olympic Games in full compliance with the requirements of the customer. GAZ Group produces buses according to the highest international standards enabling the company to participate in such large-scale national projects. The reliability, safety and high level quality of equipment ensure maximum comfort for athletes and visitors of the Olympic Games.”

The buses were tested on the Olympic Game routes in Sochi and the test results were taken as a reference point for consumer properties and development of the Olympic routes.

Andrey Zhukov, the General Director of ANO Olympic Games Transportation Directorate said: “The Transportation Directorate pays particular attention to fleet quality: we control acceptance and give recommendations on improvements on technical features of the vehicles. The manufacturers had to take into account all these features, as the buses will be operated on mountain roads in winter. The buses have been tested on Olympic routes in the city and have demonstrated they are in excellent conditions. Today, we have safe, reliable and comfortable vehicles in preparation for visitors of the Sochi Olympic Games”.

In 2011 the Sochi 2014 Olympic Organizing Committee has granted GAZ Group and Scania Rus the status of official “Sochi 2014 Games Supplier” for the “Bus” category and GAZ, indeed, already possesses a long heritage as collaborator on the Olympic Games, having first gained their reputation as a leading, award-winning and reliable supplier during the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Being named as official supplier reinforces the company’s reputation as a leader in the domestic automotive market and attests to its continued excellence in practice and trust earned.

GOLAZ-5291 Cruise the Scania chassis complies with Euro-5 standards. The bus capacity is 45 passengers, which is the best option for long-distance tourist and intercity routes. The bus is equipped with a 400 hp Scania engine, extended luggage compartments (10 cub. m), an e-suspension control system with a body lifting and lowering function that is required for complicated road sections and individual service blocks for passengers, providing comfortable long-distance journeys. There are many options available: a fire detection system for the engine and luggage compartments, smog sensors in the saloon, five video surveillance cameras, Wi-Fi, onboard navigation and a communication unit for communication with the dispatch centre, etc. The base configuration consists of double glazing, climate control and cruise control systems, onboard computer, digital tachometer, side window electric heating, an Opticruise gearbox automotive drive and safety belts.

GOLAZ-6228 Voyage L and GOLAZ-5251 Voyage are Euro-4 buses, suitable for intercity routes with a distance of over 500 km. The Voyage L is 15 m long and remains very mobile: its minimal turn radius amounts to 12.5 m. It is built on a Scania three-axle chassis. The bus is equipped with a Scania DC09 101 and 310 hpengine. Additionally, the buses are equipped with onboard navigation and a communication terminal, internal video surveillance cameras, an automatic fire detection system, and heat and smog sensors. The capacity of GOLAZ-6228 Voyage L and GOLAZ-5251 Voyage is 95 passengers and 60 passengers respectively. 227 “Voyage” buses are equipped with lifts and spaces for wheelchair users. In 2013, the GOLAZ-5251 Voyage was awarded the best vehicle award in the category “Bus of the Year” in the 13th “Best Commercial Vehicle of the Year in Russia” competition held for ComTrans 2013.LiAZ-5393.30 is a Euro-4 bus. LiAZ-5393.30 mechanisms and components provide for the bus lifecycle of 1 million km. The bus is equipped with the newest generation Scania engine with 275 hp. The low floor and lack of steps provide for rapidpassenger access to the bus and reduce on-route time by 15%. The saloon is additionally equipped with smog sensors and video surveillance cameras. The driver’s cabin is equipped with an alarm button that allows for emergency communication with the dispatch centre. There are also seats for limited-mobility passengers. The passenger capacity is 112 passengers, which is the highest number among large buses. The buses are equipped with the Speaking City system, which allows for visually handicapped persons at the bus stops to learn about the route of the bus and whether the doors are open for access.