On 7th October 2009 Minsk Automobile Plant introduced to the journalists the new model of the second generation bus MAZ 205. This is articulated fully low-floor bus of extremely big class, which is designed to carry the passengers on charged city lines. The model was introduced to general public during the international specialized exhibition of passenger transport “BUSWORLD EUROPE – 2009”, which was held on 16th – 21st October in Kortrijk (Belgium). Although the official press release says that the idea to create such bus was born only in March of 2008 and that “it took only about half a year to realize the project after first scheme”, we do think that MAZ 205 became quite self-consistent continuation of Minsk second generation city buses model line, which was started in 2005 by solo 12-meter MAZ 203, and the idea to create MAZ 205 came to the mind of bus branch constructors hardly later then prototype of MAZ 203 bus was assembled.

MAZ 205 (photomontage of JSC Minsk Automobile Plant)

The introduced bus is the longest of all passenger MAZ. It is 18,75 m long (more than 2 meters longer then the familiar articulated Ikarus 280 and almost a meter longer then the predecessor MAZ 105), and 2,55 m width. In the peak hours the bus can transport 175 passengers, including 39 sitting.

The new bus has a good ergonomics of driver’s working place, the dashboard is Siemens-VDO. Vision of the road meets all modern requirements in the field of bus construction. Taking into consideration the big length of the bus, to ensure safety during maneuvering, opening and closing doors, a prototype bus is equipped with video cameras, information from which comes on the screen, located on the driver’s working place. The prototype of MAZ 205 is equipped with environment-friendly engine Mercedes (Euro 5), which allows to offer a new bus even for the EU countries consumers. To ensure optimum microclimate for the prototype bus the sliding-type air vents are used, air conditioner installed. Heating during the cold season provides convector and cabin heaters. In the spacious cabin, which, though considerably "heavier" because of the bulk shaft of the engine, comfortable passenger seats are set. The machine is equipped with all necessary equipment for the passage of people with disabilities (there is a folding ramp, upholstered backrest to secure the wheelchair in the cabin of the bus).

The main advantages of urban bus of especially large class MAZ 205 compared with the predecessor MAZ 105 are: fully low-floor construction and an enlarged passenger capacity. In addition was kept a "pulling" layout where the engine is located in front of the bus. This solution allows to make the construction cheaper, abandoning the expensive imported node junction, to improve bus manageability on the slippery road sections, which is especially important for the operation of bus in urban environments. For many elements bus model MAZ 205 is unified with other machines of the second generation — MAZ 203 and MAZ 206, which are already quite familiar to Belarusian and foreign consumers.

According to the official press release, “MAZ 205 bus embodies the latest developments in the field of design, comfort, safety and economy. As for the design, many will enjoy the bus, here is difficult to find anything fault: the appearance is maintained in accordance with current trends of “bus mode”. Comfort will depend primarily on the configuration, which will order the immediate buyers.

Taking into account the fact that in Baranavichy has not yet appeared on the city bus lines even the second generation MAZ 203 bus, the first prototype of which was introduced back in 2005, is hard to expect the appearing of a new MAZ 205 in the city earlier than in the middle of the next years decade.

On November, 2 in Baranavichy after long-term break in the buses of general city lines conductors appeared. This innovation is a continuation of steps made by BrestVoblAutaTrans (Brest Region Automobile Transport) and its general manager Ananiy Ananyevich Khvastyuk (former director of bus park in Pinsk) directed to increasing of amount of passengers paying fare. In April of 2009 during the interview for „The Evening Brest” («Vyecherniy Bryest») Mr. Khvastyuk said the following: „Not everyone liked the Pinsk experience of conductors application on the city lines. For example, Brest gortrans (city transport — author) objects, but we will increase the amount of conductors in the buses.”

Now conductors in Baranavichy „inhabit” the line no. 26. The choice of the line isn’t accidental — 99 % of passengers of the shortest line form the employees of BSZ ZAO „ATLANT” (who probably are not used to know that the buses are not still factory and free of charge, but the city and have to be payed for), who ride from one final stop to another. So the conductors don’t have to stretch — they let the plant workers enter the slowly filling bus through the front door on the final stop...

We would like the conductors to be only unsuccessful experiment. If the aim of the innovation is the growth of passengers paying for the ride percentage, then we think that the more cheap and successful idea will be the growth of amount of controllers, enforced by the MIA officers, but not creation of the army of conductors, everyone of which has to be payed the salary. The percentage of „gatecrashers” in our city is not so high to recompense the conductor’s work.

On September, 23 2009 the session of town council of deputies was held. On the session the problems of transportation services for city population were discussed. During the discussion the following information was presented. Currently there are 240 bus stops in the city and 134 of them don’t conform the standards of city development (95 of them are not even illuminated). The speed of vehicles refreshing approached 11,6 % in 2007 and 8 % in 2008. As later the deputy chief of transportation service of PC Baranavichy Bus Park Yuryj Senko reported for the Intex-Press newspaper, according to the condition for October, 9 2009 13 buses for city lines and 2 buses for suburban were bought. Thereby the plan for refreshing for the present moment is accomplished approximately for 70 %. Till the end of the year the bus park is planning to buy 6 new machines more. New buses are bought at the expence of the own funds, inpayments from transport acquisition, and bank credits as well. As the nearest priority tasks for city authorities and the direction of bus park are named the following: the organization of transport for students of the new buildings of Baranavichy State University at Masherau ave. from the side of the route terminal “Sanatoium-Preventorium “Mahistralny”, the increasing of the amount of buses from the center of the city to the area of Parkavaya street and the provision of transport communication for the dwellers of the recent developments at Hayevaya street and Masherau avenue.

In the end of June 2009 the last white-green Nyeman 5256 (LiAZ 5256) was written off. After 16 years after purchase of the first bus in 1993 from the factory in Likino-Dulyevo the history of these buses in Baranavichy ended. When it turned out, that in addition to the last LiAZ/Nyeman were written off and were preparing to utilization two last city (ex-German) buses Ikarus 260, the authors of the page www.bartrans.net decided to try to influence their destiny, that's why we decided to write a letter to the director of Private Company Baranavichy Bus Park V. V. Puchko. V. V. Puchko liked the idea and we hope soon one of condemned Ikaruses will have the second life.

In the evening of June, 29 2009 there was a downpour in Baranavichy: during more than two hours, when inclement weather continued, there was 59 mm of precipitation in the city (almost twice a decade norm), besides natural phenomenon is considered as dangerous (or elemental), when during twelve hours there is 50 mm of precipitation. Because o this the serious problems for city public transport appeared. According to the head of transportation service of PC Baranavichy Bus Park Vitaly Kuretsky, because of weather conditions the time-table of city buses moved for 15-20 minutes. Mostly, the delay because of big puddles appearing in Fabrychnaya, Fralyankova, Kamsamolskata, Brestskaya and other streets.