PIA to Buy Passenger Buses for Airport Terminals

[Abbas Ali]

PIA tender notice in today's (May 17) newspaper.

Tender Notice

Procurement of Airport Terminal Large / Medium / Executive Passenger Buses

Sealed tenders are invited on "Single Stage Two Envelope" basis that is "Technical Proposal" and "Financial Proposal" from manufacturer and their authorised distributors for the procurement of new / refurbished airport terminal large / medium / executive passenger buses.



Abbas

[cashy]

PIA is extremely short of buses. In my last visit to Islamabad they had only one Hino bus to transport whole 777 passenger load to terminal. I think it is dangerous for couple of hundred souls waiting on airside for long periods.

[Abbas Ali]

Terminal buses requirement:

Bus Category: Large
Capacity: 112 passengers
Quantity: Two

Bus Category: Medium
Capacity: 99 passengers
Quantity: Four

Bus Category: Executive
Capacity: 77 passengers
Quantity: Four

Total of ten brand new or refurbished buses required.

Info Source: PIA

Abbas

[bigfish]

let's see how long this will take......in a world where jet bridges are common.....we're still using buses at the capital city's airport...

[Abbas Ali]

^ Even at airports with jet bridges facility, airside passenger transfer buses are needed for aircraft parked on remote stand or for an aircraft stranded away from terminal building due to some accident or technical problem.

ATR turboprop aircraft in PIA fleet also need passenger transfer bus.

Here's photo of an airside passenger transfer bus at Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, Rome, Italy. A jet bridge is also visible.

Apron transfer Cobus by Stephen Rees, on Flickr

Abbas

[TAILWIND]

Hope they donot shortlist the locally assembled Hino Rampliner contraption. Most unsuitable for the role. Must go for purpose built buses like Cobus etc.

[Abbas Ali]

PIA requirements for airside passenger transfer bus.


Source: PIA

From bidding document, it seems COBUS 3000 powered with Mercedes-Benz OM 904 LA engine meets bidding conditions.

Information about COBUS 3000 can be found on following link:

http://www.cobus.us/20-0-cobus-3000.html

Photos of COBUS 3000.


Cobus 3000 by Mond Cee, on Flickr


210712-039 CPS by Chris Sampson, on Flickr

US Airways by So Cal Metro, on Flickr


IMG_2466-001 by Ariel Cruz Pizarro, on Flickr


Cobus 3000 by Ken Meegan, on Flickr

Abbas

[Hamad]

According to PIA's Instagram account PIA is going to introduce COBUS-2700s & 3000 for all airports of Pakistan.
In my opinion a very good choice - Cobus Busses can be seen at most major Airports!

[CoyBoy]

Have they offically reduced gold/green wavy thing for logo?

[Abbas Ali]

How about applying traditional Pakistani bus art decals on some of these PIA buses? Will be colourful attraction at airports.


A bus in Karachi by Farman22, on Flickr

Abbas

[Hamad]

Yes this is a great Idea Abbas but I think they will put the PIA Logo / Scheme on it - let's see

[Abbas Ali]

^ Thank you Hamad.

Prominent PIA logo can be placed on selected areas on all sides of the bus sporting traditional Pakistani bus art.

Like for example US Airways logo on all sides of this bus.

US Airways by So Cal Metro, on Flickr

Abbas

[747-300]

How about applying traditional Pakistani bus art decals on some of these PIA buses? Will be colourful attraction at airports.


A bus in Karachi by Farman22, on Flickr

Abbas

Can someone please forward this idea to Shujaat Azeem or PIA management ???
Haider can you ?

[PIA ap-bkz]

I have emailed Mr Shujaat Azeem regarding this .I hope that these busses get painted in traditional Pakistani buss art

[Abbas Ali]

Only one bus at each major international Pakistani airport in traditional Pakistani bus art with PIA logo prominently displayed on all sides of the bus will be enough and good attraction.

All other buses should be in regular PIA colour scheme.

Abbas