Mid 2011 KBS received 20 Zonda YCK6105HC4 two-door city buses with which they introduced for the first time modern, large buses to the city of Kigali. The buses featured electronic displays and smart card readers. They were in a white-light green livery often applied to Chinese buses, which has become the KBS standard livery. These buses received fleet numbers 10-29, but by mid-2013 fleet numbering was abandoned, numbers removed and replaced by route numbers. The registrations were RAB 922Y to RAB 941Y, though not in fleet number order. The VIN structure is LYJD8CFDxBW00xxxx. As an additional source of income KBS applied allover-advertisements to these buses. The vinyl-wrap was extended over the windows which was also a measure to reduce the temperature in the buses. There is no air-conditioning and the buses came without the specified opening windows. Though Kigali’s climate is quite temperate due to the altitude, it can be hot in the dry season. The advertisements were for telecom-provider Tigo who had embarked on a large-scale nation-wide advertisement campaign. Buses were wrapped in either green, blue or red. With the introduction of the new bus system in September 2013 advertisements were not allowed anymore and the wrapping was removed. The Zonda buses were somewhat problematic and repairs to the bodywork were difficult as spare parts, especially windscreens, were hard to get. As a consequence, several buses received adapted front ends with different windscreens. Several buses were also accident victims, needing extensive repairs. The use of large buses in the city was new and neither drivers nor other road users were used to them! By 2016 the use of the Zonda buses appears to be limited, though 19 are still in the fleet.
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