ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - An agreement was signed in Dubrovnik on Monday for the procurement of 18 new buses for Dubrovnik's public transportation bus company, worth almost HRK 38.7 million (€5.16 million) of which 85% will be provided by the European Union.

The Libertas bus company will, thus, renew its fleet with two articulated low-floor buses, six mini low-floor buses, seven mini urban-suburban buses, and three midi suburban buses. As many old buses will be taken off the roads.

Mayor Mato Franković announced that traffic around the historical old town will soon be restricted to vehicles of local residents and public transport.

"I believe that visitors to the city will choose Libertas as the simplest and easiest form of transport to the historical old town," said Franković.

The bus company's director, Franko Mekišić, said citizens will directly feel the benefit of the procurement because the buses meet the newest standards and ecological norms.

"This will reduce the overall age of vehicles from 12 to 9 years. We currently have 110 vehicles, 80 of which are in use. We are intensively working on absorbing certain EU funds in the coming period to procure more buses," said Mekišić.

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As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 17th of March, 2020, as part of the preventive measures implemented to combat the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, with the aim of raising the level of safety of all participants, Dubrovnik Libertas public transport is making some changes to the way it does business for both drivers and passengers.

According to local portal Dubrovnik.hr, the measures have been adopted in agreement with the City of Dubrovnik and the competent public health authorities and apply to all public transport lines, and will enter into force today, Tuesday, March the 17th, 2020.

Dubrovnik Libertas bus rides for the next fifteen days will be completely free of charge for all users of public transit services. Front door entry will be entirely disabled and passengers will need to use the middle and back doors to enter the buses.

In order to reduce the crowds of passengers on the buses, articulated buses will be introduced on the most frequent Dubrovnik Libertas city bus lines.

In order to make sure preventive measures are in place on the buses which see a lot of direct contact with a large number of people, there will be a change in the operation of the Dubrovnik bus station and its associated services, as well as with the Libertas counter itself. When purchasing transport tickets or performing other activities, you must maintain a distance of at least one metre from other people present.

Due to the introduction of free transportation, the ticket counters at the Pile, Grawe, Mokosica and Lapad locations will cease to operate over the next fifteen days, and in proper accordance with the guidelines issued by the Institute for Public Health, Libertas Dubrovnik regularly disinfects its buses and will of course continue to do so.

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