1998 news archive

[2004, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998]

News from 1998.

27.12.1998
One of the new HKL Scania Omnicity buses was sighted this evening at the HKL Ruskeasuo depot. It was rather dark, the bus was at a distance and another bus got in the way, so no real detail could be made out. However, the bus did have a rather interesting look to it.

Late

3.12.1998
According to Linja-autoliitto (the Finnish Bus Association) the biggest operators in Finland are the Koiviston Auto group (642 buses), Savnolinja-yhtiöt (454 buses) and the HKL (365 buses).

Nixu

3.12.1998
The natural gas fuelling station for buses at the Ruskeasuo depot has been compeleted and taken into use today. The new station brings this service considerably closer to the Helsinki City center. The stations capacity is 50 buses a day and it can easily be expanded to 100 buses. There are currently 18 natural gas powered buses in use in Helsinki, with an additional 11 arriving next year and the target being around 120 in the near future.

Nixu

2.12.1998
Volvo announced today that it is closing the Carrus Oy Wiima factory in Vantaa. The Tampere and Lieto factories will continue to operate. The Vantaa site is being closed as part of the Volvo saving programme, even though it is profitable. The exact time is still unknown, but is reported to be "within a few years" as Volvo believes there is surplus capacity in the business. There are currently 180 workers at the Vantaa site and some of them will be relocated to the other plants in Finland and possibly Poland.
Carrus was bought by Volvo in the beginning of 1998, before that it wa a family company owned by Ilmari Mustonen.

Nixu

27.11.1998
Yesterday morning (26.11) a HKL bus collided with a lorry in Myllypuro. One person was killed and 12 were injured. The bus had come from behind a give way sign and was crossing the innermost ring road of Helsinki (Ring I). The lorry was speeding considerably (80-90km/h vs. 60km/h) and could not avoid hitting the bus.

Nixu

26.11.1998
UPDATE! At least two MB Citaros were seen in HKL livery in the garden of Veho-hyötyajoneuvot (a bus import company) at the intersection of Turunväylä and Ring III. This means they should be in operation soon.

Nixu

26.11.1998
HKL has ordered 10-20 new buses to be built on the Volvo B7L-chassis. The buses will have a fully low floor and will have either Volvo 5000 or 7000 bodywork. They should be operational next year.

Nixu

Old news

6.11.1998 the Finnish pages were finally opened

We now have some pictures to accompany part of the bus introductions and a couple more on the pictures-page.

According to the Finnish magazine Auto, tekniikka ja kuljetus (Vehicle, technology and transport) Both MB Citaro and Scania Omnicity buses are supposed to appear in HKL use soon. We'll keep you updated on any sightings.

HKL will be aquiring an additional 11 natural gas powered Carrus City U -buses. They will have five gas tanks in stead of the current 4. This will give them a longer operational time.

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