In September 2019, work began on modernising Brno’s public transport network, in a project worth CZK 1.4 billion. In recent months, 21 Drak trams have already left the garages of the Brno Transport Company (DPMB), while 20 still remain to be completed. Photo credit: KK / BD
Brno, August 4 (BD) – The ‘Trams for Brno’ project involves the purchase of 41 air-conditioned low-floor trams over the period 2019-2024, to be assembled by DPMB employees in the central garages at a total cost of CZK 1.4 billion. The new trams are the first in Brno to be equipped with air-conditioning. As the vehicles are built directly by the company’s employees, staff will acquire knowledge they can use in subsequent repairs.
The new, modern trams that shelter passengers from the summer heat have been popular with both drivers and passengers. Workers in DPMB’s central workshops have also started to complete the first two EVO 2 vehicles. “I have great respect for the skill and ability of our DPMB employees and for the courage of the company’s management, for being the only ones in the Czech Republic to start assembling the vehicles themselves. After almost two years, it turned out that this was a step in the right direction,” said Brno Mayor Markéta Vaňková (ODS).
Whereas the assembly of the first trams took DPMB employees almost nine months, the time required has now decreased by about two thirds. For the first cars, for example, technicians had to debug the rear-view mirrors so that the vehicles would not crash into each other when they crossed each other. Other technical details had to be fixed, such as optimising the software or even small tasks like adding the clothes hook in the cockpit.
“The staff had to learn how to work with new materials and technologies,” said DPMB General Director Miloš Havránek. Passengers will be able to use another new vehicle in August. By the end of 2022, there will be more on the streets of Brno. Passengers will encounter Drak cars most often on lines 4 and 9. Of these cars, one will spend the night in the Medlánky depot and three in the Pisárky depot.
