Public transport in Istanbul shifts into a higher gear with a major order for 221 Mercedes-Benz city buses

The brand with the star shines: A new major order for 221 Mercedes-Benz Conecto articulated buses has been placed by the public transportation provider IETT to update its fleet of city buses in the metropolis on the Bosporus. The new order allows Daimler subsidiary
Mercedes-Benz Turk to strengthen its partnership of over forty years with IETT, more than 50 per cent of whose vehicles are Mercedes-Benz products. With its fleet of around 3,000 city buses, IETT is dedicated to providing reliable and environ-mentally friendly passenger transport in the metropolis, Istanbul. IETT, which was established in 1871, operates light rail systems, subways, regular-service buses, and utilizes the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) mobility concept.

Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Buses, underscores the importance of the three-figured order for the Daimler subsidiary in Turkey, “This latest major order is further testimony to Daimler Buses' dynamic growth in Turkey and thereby contributes to the strengthening of our global presence.” Schick also reiterates Daimler Buses’ claim to leadership, “Every day, we are working diligently to expand our leadership position in the bus sector, and we are delighted by what we have achieved to date.”

At the ceremony for the signing of the contract by Wolf-Dieter Kurz, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Turk, and Hayri Baracli, MD of IETT, the long-standing Daimler customer commented about the follow-up order, “With a tradition of more than 140 years, IETT is generating new momentum for the creation of a modern Istanbul. We are investing in an updated fleet consisting primarily of Mercedes-Benz city buses for public passenger transport in Istanbul. This way, we are making a significant contribution to comfortable transportation in Istanbul.” IETT operates Mercedes-Benz Conecto city buses for regular service operations. For the urban mobility concept Bus Rapid Transit, IETT uses the high-capacity articulated bus Mercedes-Benz CapaCity. By utilising lanes separate from private transport, BRT is noticeably assisting
the relief of city traffic.

The 221 Mercedes-Benz Conecto articulated buses are being produced at the Mercedes-Benz bus plant in Hosdere and will be delivered to the customer until September 2012. The 18-metre low-floor bus can carry up to 160 passengers. The low height of the entrances ensures that passengers can get on and off the bus quickly. The Mercedes-Benz Conecto meets the EU’s environmental standard Euro-V with its BlueTec diesel technology, which reduces pollutant and particulate emissions.

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