Liberty launches Otokar buses from Turkey

Khaleej Times (Dubai) - Liberty Automobiles has been appointed as exclusive UAE dealer by Turkey’s Otokar for its buses and coaches.

The buses, with capacity for 14 to 104 passengers, are equipped with Euro-4 eco-friendly engines, and are widely used in many European countries.

Liberty’s UAE dealership agreement with Otokar comes close on the heels of another pioneering partnership deal signed in January this year with DesignLine Corporation USA, a reputed builder of zero-emission, 100 per cent electric and hybrid buses. Two of the fully electric buses are already running on Abu Dhabi’s Sir Ban Yas Island.

“Our partnership with Otokar forms part of our strategy of extending our extensive automotive dealership expertise to include buses and coaches,” said Shaikh Khalid bin Abdul Aziz Al Qasimi, Chairman of Liberty Investment Company, holding company of Liberty Automobiles. “This diversification is our answer to the growing need for mass transportation requirements in the corporate, tourism and public transport sectors. We firmed up our partnership with Otokar after a detailed year-long study of the UAE transportation sector,” he added.

The Otokar buses are on display in the Liberty stand at the Commercial Vehicles Middle East Show at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre. Subsequently, the buses will go on display at Liberty Automobiles showrooms in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

“Liberty Group has already been active in the bus and coach business through our member company, Prime Limousine, which provides buses and coaches to the tourism industry, hotels and well-known government, semi-government and private sector organisations in the UAE. In addition, our long-standing experience in the automobile dealership business makes us the ideal candidate to represent Otokar’s technologically advanced and eco-friendly buses,” said Duncan Peat, Managing Director of Liberty Automobiles.