Iveco Bus has been chosen to equip the French Ministry of Defence with over 150 coaches. The first key handover ceremony took place in April at the military site of the Quartier Général Estienne in Rambouillet, which lies southwest of Paris. Sylvain Blaise, Global Head of the Bus Division at CNH Industrial was present at the ceremony together with representatives from the armed forces.
It is said that Iveco Bus was chosen to fulfil the collective transport needs of the Armed Forces based on a judgement from the Union des Groupements d’Achat Public (UGAP), France’s public sector procurement unit. The overall shipment includes 153, 55-seats Crossway coaches and six 22-seater Daily mini buses. These vehicles are destined for use by the army, air force and navy at various military centres (Groupements de Soutien des Bases de Défense / GSBdD) throughout metropolitan France as well as abroad in French territories.
The Crossway is a European market leader in the interurban coach segment where it is used for tourism and transport to intercity and school areas. It is acknowledged for its flexibility, eco-friendly technologies, driver and passenger comfort, and low operating costs. The 12-metre versions supplied to the Ministry of Defence feature a 320 horsepower Euro VI Tector engine from fellow CNH Industrial powertrain brand FPT Industrial. This engine is equipped with FPT Industrial’s patented Hi- SCR technology, which allows it to operate without the use of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR).
The highly versatile Daily is the elected “International Van of the Year 2015”. Each of the six vehicles supplied features reclining seats and is equipped with a 146 horsepower 4-cylinder F1C engine from FPT Industrial.
CNH Industrial counts over 5,000 employees at its two Iveco Bus production facilities, in Annonay, France and in Vysoké Myto, Czech Republic. Both facilities are classified at the high-performing bronze level through CNH Industrial’s international World Class Manufacturing (WCM) programme. WCM is a structured system of methodologies that focuses on continuous improvement with the objective of eliminating all waste and losses in manufacturing plants
