Sweden / Ivory Coast - Scania AB of Södertalje, Sweden has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Transport of the Ivory Coast and SOTRA, the transportation company for the city of  Abidjan, to deliver 450 buses. The order, which comprises 400, low-entry 13m diesel buses and fifty 18m articulated CNG buses with bodies from Marcopolo SA of Caxais do Sul, forms part of a major initiative to upgrade SOTRA’s fleet and improve public transport in Abidjan. SOTRA’s and the Ministry’s strategy, says Scania, is to expand public transport services through BRT with the aim that two-thirds of residents in 2030 will have access to the city centre within an hour. The agreement includes upgrading bus depots and vocational training of drivers and service technicians.

Fredrik Morsing, managing director, Scania West Africa Ltd of Accra, Ghana said the 450 buses for Abidjan were the following models: 400 units Scania K250UB4x2 low entry Euro3 bio-diesel compatible chassis fitted with Marcopolo Viale 13m low-entry bodies; the 50 Scania K320UA6x2/2 low entry articulated CNG Euro6 chassis are fitted with Marcopolo Viale 18m body. He stated chassis and body production would be primarily in Brazil and added that local assembly was part of the project, but not for the initial quantity of vehicles.  Anna Carmo e Silva, head of Buses and Coaches at Scania, commented: “With this agreement, Scania further strengthens its position in West Africa as a provider of sustainable solutions for urban mobility. Over the past few years, Scania has successfully participated in improving urban mobility in Ghana and Nigeria. Based on that experience, we now look forward to a long-term partnership in providing better public transport services also in Abidjan.”