ULAN BATOR, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Twenty articulated buses, manufactured by Chinese bus maker Yutong, have been put into operation in the public transport system of Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia, according to a statement by the municipal government on Tuesday.
"It is planning to purchase a total of 30 Yutong U18 articulated buses. Of these, 20 have already arrived and have been operational since Monday," the municipal government said. The remaining 10 buses are expected to be transported to Mongolia soon.
Buses are the most popular mode of public transport in Ulan Bator. As part of efforts to reform the public transportation system, Mongolia purchased 600 Yutong buses earlier this year. Currently, more than 1,180 buses are used for public transport in the city.
Authorities hope the public transport reform will help reduce congestion by encouraging more residents to rely on public transit. Traffic congestion has been a significant issue in Ulan Bator for many years.
Originally built to accommodate 500,000 residents, the city now has a population of around 1.6 million, representing half of the country's total population. ■
