First electric buses joined the public transport system in Klaipėda. There are now two first “Dancer” buses in use, produced in Klaipėda.
Dancer can carry up to 93 passengers, it has 32 seats and a designated place for one handicapped passenger. Its body is made of composite materials that include recycled PET bottles. The electricity for Dancer buses is purchased exclusively from wind farms, according to the company.
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The City of Klaipėda is very active in both developing urban mobility and international cooperation. The city is also currently participating in the project SUMP-PLUS (Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning: Pathways and Links to Urban Systems).
The project aims to:
- Map out current processes, procedures and governance arrangements in order to identify opportunities to strengthen cooperation, including between the city and surrounding districts.
- Plan and commence a citizen and stakeholder engagement programme and linked behavioural change campaign to facilitate a change of mindset – e.g. between motorists, cyclists and pedestrians; and work with bus operators to improve services for vulnerable groups including disabled people.
- Develop and enrich the existing 3 Yr Action Plan to develop a pathway for SUMP implementation over 10-15yrs (using the ‘8 Ms’), broken down into short and long-term actions.
- Identify impediments to implementation (e.g. administrative, legislative) and devise solutions to overcome them.
- Support financial planning and business model development for packages of measures, including for the planned high capacity transit scheme (bus rapid transit or tram).
- Implement and evaluate some elements of the pathway.
Lina Žemaitytė