The rot sets in on floors of Greater Helsinki buses
Repairs could cost up to EUR 7 million
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As many as one out of four of the Greater Helsinki regional low-floor buses may end up in the garage, as the floors of a large number of fairly new buses are rotten and the underframe structures are rusty and mouldy.
The operators report that the floor damage has been found on Hungarian Ikarus buses, with the suspicion that it is caused by a structural defect, while the importer of the buses puts the blame squarely on the inferior and slow maintenance of the vehicles.
A total of 1,400 regional buses operate in the Greater Helsinki Area, with some 350 of them being Ikarus buses. In the worst case, one-fourth of the buses will have to be taken to a repair shop.
The problem behind the decomposition is the poor moisture proofing of the body of the Ikarus buses, says Aku Tuokila of Helsingin Bussiliikenne, a bus company owned by the City of Helsinki.
The plywood floors of the buses rot as a result of excessive moisture caused by mud and water splashing onto the floor, as well as by washing water. Further problems are caused by the wool insulation used to absorb the moisture in the body of the bus, as the water stays in the insulation, corroding the structures and basically stinking the bus up.
The decayed buses also present a serious health risk to both passengers and bus drivers alike.
”The plywood floors of the buses have to be replaced before a passenger’s foot goes through the floor”, says Juha Ketola from Concordia Bus Finland, the second largest bus operator in the Greater Helsinki Area.
Another problem is mildew, which can inflict harm particularly on bus drivers, who are exposed to it eight hours a day.
However, Risto Laurila from the importing company Mobi-Trade Oy insists that the defects are a result of the inferior maintenance of the buses.
"Whenever there is a hole on a bus floor, it must be fixed without delay, otherwise water gets into the structures, corroding them. We have seen a large number of holes that have not been repaired", Laurila argues.
"The body of an Ikarus bus is made using the same method and the same materials as other buses", Laurila states.
Low-floor buses equipped with an Ikarus body are being used by several bus operators in the Greater Helsinki Area, including at least Westendin liikenne, Concordia, Connex, and Helsingin Bussiliikenne.
The restoration of one bus takes approximately four weeks, and the estimated costs are around EUR 10,000 to 20,000 per bus. The repair of all Ikarus buses will cost the bus operators up to EUR 7 million, as the warranty period of the vehicles has already expired.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 2.3.2007 - TODAY |
 The rot sets in on floors of Greater Helsinki buses |
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