Arriva Awarded Serbian Bus Contract

Leading European transport group Arriva has been awarded a five-year contract to operate bus services in the city of Nis, the largest city in southern Serbia.

The new contract, worth €12 million, began on 1 January 2015 and is operating using a refurbished fleet of 33 single-deck vehicles.

As part of the new contract Arriva has also taken on a team of 125 new employees to run the operation, helping to boost the local economy.

Bo Karlsson, Arriva’s managing director in the Adriatic region, said: “We look forward to working closely with the local transport authority to deliver a safe and reliable network. Our scale and experience brings an unrivalled level of expertise, and we cannot wait to help take the city’s bus services to a new level.

“Having previously only operated in the north of Serbia, Nis is a new and exciting operating area for Arriva and we are determined to give a great service for customers in what is one of the country’s most historic cities.”

Nis is an important industry centre in Serbia as well as being a key rail hub, linking Serbia with Bulgaria and Turkey. It is the country’s third largest city with around 183,000 people and one of the most ancient cities in the Adriatic region.

Arriva currently operates 273 buses across Serbia and employs 674 people. It is the biggest international operator in the country’s capital, Belgrade, with further responsibility for regional, international and charter transport in the Požarevac region.

ENDS