Hanne Myrvang is currently just one of many frustrated bod owners.
He stands at a bus stop in the city center and waits for a bus that doesn’t come.
For the second day in a row, the brand new articulated buses have been parked and taken out of service.
DISAPPOINTED: – I feel a bit upset when this happens, says Hanne Myrvang. Photo: Roy-Arne Salater, TV 2
– I was just told that the bus has been cancelled, so now I have to wait another half hour. It then becomes quite common. I’m late for the meeting I had, says Hanne Myrvang.
The reason for the disappointment is that the brand new and electric articulated buses are at the nearby bus terminal due to bad weather.
– It’s a bit depressing and I feel that I’m starting to get a bit upset where I stand, says Myrvang.
Not working
Finn Karlsen stands at the same bus stop.
– This is a failure. Those who have acquired these articulated buses must not have understood how things work here in the winter, says Finn Karlsen resignedly.
Criticism of the new articulated buses is consistent with the weather outside the bus shelter.
– I don’t feel completely safe when the articulated bus is driving around on slippery roads. I’m afraid it will slip out. It is clear that the confidence in those who bought these buses is weakening, says Line Olsen.
SEQUENCE: 14 articulated buses are parked in too bad weather. Photo: Roy-Arne Salater/ TV 2
The fact is that Nordland County Council has spent NOK 300 million to buy 100 environmentally friendly and electric buses in the county.
In the tender, the county council required that Bodø should have 14 articulated buses, but this winter the buses have both skidded and gone off the road on the slippery roads.
Big delays
As a result, people are late or never get to school or work.
– Were these buses not tested well enough for winter conditions in Northern Norway?
– I can’t answer that. We have not had the opportunity to test the articulated buses in the conditions of Northern Norway before the purchase, but I cannot answer what the owner Nordland County Council has done before the offer, says Nordlandsbuss planning manager Martin Overaa. will operate on the lines.
JEFT: – I understand that people get angry and upset when buses don’t run, says Nordlandsbuss planning manager Martin Ovraa. Photo: Roy-Arne Salater/ TV 2
Nordland County Council is responsible for the procurement.
– I don’t know what has been done. In any case, we can see that they are not good enough for the current conditions. That is why we have introduced regular electric buses as a replacement, says Monika Sande (Sp), county councilor for transport and infrastructure of Nordland county municipality.
– Were these articulated buses a mistake?
PURCHASE MISTAKE?: – The purchase of an articulated bus must be evaluated, says Monika Sande, County Councilor for Transport and Infrastructure of Nordland County: Photo: Roy-Arne Salater/ TV 2
– No, I don’t think it was a wrong purchase, but all things must be evaluated in retrospect. Let’s let things settle down a bit now before we go any further. Electric buses are something completely new for us, but they have worked in good weather, says Sande.
You get a lot of yelling
Nordlandsbuss as an operator has received a lot of criticism this winter because it is not acceptable that the brand new articulated buses do not work in bad weather.
– It is a pity that this affects the passengers and our drivers who will drive these buses. When you run a bus company, you always get stares, but now it’s been a little more than we’re used to, says Martin Overaa, head of planning at Nordlandsbuss.
NOT IMPRESSED: Passengers are not impressed with the brand new articulated buses. Photo: Roy-Arne Salater/ TV 2
Nordlandsbuss has now installed 12-meter buses on some lines, and a dialogue is held with Bodø municipality about the winter maintenance of various lines.
People in Bodø are not impressed anyway.
– It wasn’t a project to shout about a lot. That is as long as they manage to start on a flat road with little ice, Daniel Waarde says disappointedly.
– Surely there is always a bus?
– Yes, there is always a bus, almost at least, Line Olsen laughs ironically.