Abu Dhabi orders buses

, a German vehicle manufacturer, has received an order from the Department of Transport (

) in Abu Dhabi for 400 low-floor city and intercity buses.

The multi-million-euro order has been made in cooperation with Dubai importer Darwish Bin Ahmed & Sons and involves the supply of 250 MAN Lion’s City low-floor buses and 150 MAN Lion’s Regio intercity buses in the new two-axle 13m version.

All the vehicles will be equipped with MAN D20 Common Rail engines with the maintenance and additive-free MAN exhaust-emissions treatment systems.

Saeed Mohammed Al-Hameli, general manager of the transportation office at the DoT, said: ‘We see MAN as a reliable and innovative partner for our extensive local public transport system projects, which we are planning to expand even further.’

The population of Abu Dhabi is expected to increase to 1.5m by the end of 2010 and to 3.5m by 2013. The region is preparing its infrastructure to meet this demand by constructing 37 bus terminals, six big depots and a number of air-conditioned bus stops.

Identifying the Middle East as a growing market, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge is hoping to participate in this expansion by incorporating the region in its strategy for international growth.