IVORY COAST
The keys to the first 26 Euro VI bus rapid transit gas-fuelled Crealis buses for the Ivory Coast have been handed to the CEO of operator SOTRA (Abidjan Transport Company), Meité Bouaké, in the presence of Pierre Lahutte, Iveco Brand President, and Sylvain Blaise, Iveco Vice President in charge of the bus and coach business.
Engaged since 2016 in a significant
program to renew its public transport fleet, the Government signed a contract last January for the supply of 450 Iveco Bus vehicles, including 50 Crealis articulated high-capacity rapid-transit buses powered by natural gas which were due to be delivered by the end of 2018.
Amadou Gon Coulibaly, Prime Minister of Ivory Coast, said: “The acquisition of these vehicles is a first for Africa and a key step in improving transport services and the quality of life of transport users in Abidjan. To continue this momentum, the Ivorian Government has decided to put in place a Development and Financing Plan for a nationwide public transport network, with its trusted partner Iveco Bus as the standard-setter in natural gas vehicles.”
Intended for busy main routes, the 18m version of the Crealis offers high passenger capacity.
Available with a range of alternative drives, the Crealis has also obtained numerous awards such as the Busworld Comfort Label in 2017, the Innovation Award in 2018, and the Sustainable Bus of the Year in 2019.
