Buses in Ukraine have traditionally been engineered by the Lvov Bus Plant. Its experience in bus engineering (the vehicles were recognized one of the world best at international exhibitions in the 1960s) and production technologies failed to garner the enterprise with a stable portfolio of orders in 1990s. Limited demand for its large municipal buses forced the plant to run a fundamental production upgrade.
Although the plant engineered the pilot model of a small bus, it preserved its focus on large municipal and tourist buses. Production was especially encouraged by the signing of agreements to supply buses to community motor transportation enterprises, including Kiev's.
Thanks to a stable portfolio of orders, the plant manufactured almost 1.5 ths. bus vehicles over 2005.
While effective demand for large buses has only been growing in the last 3-4 years, the explosive increase in the market segment of small buses and microbuses started back in the second half of 1990s.
