Turkish commercial vehicle manufacturer, Otokar, on Monday said it received an order for a dozen of its buses meant to be used for passenger transportation on the southern coast of Italy.
The order includes 148 Doruk and natural gas-powered Kent buses and is estimated to be worth around 34.2 million Euros (about $36.3 million), Otokar said in a statement.
Deliveries are planned to start in the second half of 2023 and are expected to be completed in batches in the first half of 2024.
58 units are planned to be delivered to Italy’s central Tuscany region, the company added. The order consists of 28 medium-sized Doruk buses and 30 natural gas-powered Kent buses that will serve in the fleet of Autolinee Toscane, the operator that undertakes transportation services in the Tyrrhenian Sea coastal region.
Around 90 Kent buses are to be exported to the southern region of Puglia. They will provide passenger transportation services within the Department of Transport of the Puglia Region, according to the statement.
A subsidiary of leading Turkish conglomerate Koç Holding, Otokar is the bestselling bus brand in Türkiye, and currently offers service with tens of thousands of its vehicles in more than 50 countries all over the world.
Otokar urban vehicles' lengths range from 6 to 21 meters and feature capacities of 46 to 164 passengers. The company says they have low operating costs and are characterized by their maneuverability and performance.
Its 10.8-meter-long, natural gas-powered Kent CNG buses feature an environment-friendly engine and high passenger capacity. The company says they offer maximum safety with ABS, ASR, disc brakes and an anti-jamming system on doors, promising comfortable and smooth public transport commute.
The 9-meter medium Doruk buses are said to be produced in line with user expectations and offered abroad under the name Vectio. They feature a maximum capacity of 78 passengers, and are equipped with a strong engine, a manual ramp, independent front wheel suspension, ABS and automatic transmission, making the vehicle compatible for city traffic.