Allison Automatic Equipped Buses Made their Mark in Kropyvnytsky

MAZ buses with an Allison automatic transmission proved themselves reliable and comfortable in the three years they operated in the fleet of a municipal public transport operator in Kropyvnytsky (Kirovograd Region, Ukraine).

KROPYVNYTSKY, Ukraine, March 2021 – In 2017 the public transport operator Electrotrans, originally established in 2016 to service trolleybus routes in the town of Kropyvnytsky, was put in charge of the municipal bus service as part of the transport system reform initiative. To this end, 20 new MAZ-103.486 buses with Allison Automatics were purchased and handed over to Electrotrans. The next year, Electrotrans received ten more medium-capacity Allison-equipped MAZ 206.086 town buses.

Spacious MAZ-103 buses serve most of the busiest routes in the town center. The buses have three doors and can carry up to 100 passengers. They are equipped with a 326 hp Mercedes Benz ОМ926LA engine and a six-speed Allison T375™ fully automatic transmission with retarder.

On less busy suburban routes, Electrotrans uses more compact MAZ-206 buses with a total capacity of 64 people. These buses are equipped with a 218 hp Mercedes-Benz OM924LA engine and an Allison T270™ fully automatic transmission with retarder.

“To date, the buses have covered about five million kilometers, carrying passengers in our town. This mileage is long enough to be able to judge their quality,” said Alexander Lutsenko, Head of Electrotrans. “The buses have proven themselves reliable, trouble-free and comfortable for passengers. As to the Allison fully automatic transmission, there have been no single complaint or criticism from drivers and mechanics throughout all the time we have operated the buses.”

The Allison Automatics have an impressive durability and have proven their reliability in heavy-duty applications. They are covered by a two-year warranty starting from the beginning of bus operation with no mileage restrictions. The only service Allison automatic transmissions on the MAZ buses require is routine oil and filter changes every 240,000 km and 120,000 km, respectively. These operations can be carried out by the public transport operator on its own or be executed by an Authorized Allison Distributor.

The push-button gear selector of the Allison fully automatic transmission has an electronic display allowing the driver to monitor the gearbox oil level and diagnostics data through fault codes. Knowing the code, you can call an Allison Authorized service center and get prompt advice on possible fault causes and remedies.

“An automatic transmission certainly makes drivers’ work far easier, you get much less tired during the shift,” said Alexander Lutsenko. “Anyone who has had experience with manual transmission buses will say so. Another major advantage is that the Allison transmission provides precise shifting, and the bus moves smoothly, without abrupt acceleration, helping us to ensure passenger safety and comfort. And I’d also like to note the excellent fuel efficiency of Allison-equipped MAZ buses.”

Fuel is a major cost item for a public transport operator. With this in mind, Allison Transmission is developing advanced technology, called FuelSense® 2.0, to deliver maximum fuel economy on MAZ buses. For example, the control program (firmware) of the Allison fully automatic transmission on these buses uses a self learning algorithm to continually optimize gear shifting points. The technology allows buses to achieve an ideal balance of fuel economy and driving dynamics.

In the last three years, Electrotrans’s employees and residents of Kropyvnytsky have been able to fully appreciate MAZ buses. In 2020, Electrotrans added five new Allison-equipped MAZ 206 buses to its fleet. This shows their recognition best of all.

30 Mar, 2021

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Allison Transmission (NYSE: ALSN) is a leading designer and manufacturer of vehicle propulsion solutions for commercial and defense vehicles, the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions, and a leader in electrified propulsion systems that Improve the Way the World Works. Allison products are used in a wide variety of applications, including on-highway trucks (distribution, refuse, construction, fire and emergency), buses (school, transit and coach), motorhomes, off-highway vehicles and equipment (energy, mining and construction applications) and defense vehicles (tactical wheeled and tracked). Founded in 1915, the company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. With a presence in more than 150 countries, Allison has regional headquarters in the Netherlands, China and Brazil, manufacturing facilities in the USA, Hungary and India, as well as global engineering resources, including electrification engineering centers in Indianapolis, Indiana, Auburn Hills, Michigan and London in the United Kingdom. Allison also has approximately 1,600 independent distributor and dealer locations worldwide. For more information, visit allisontransmission.com.

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SOURCE Allison Transmission Holdings Inc.