ISTANBUL, June 16, 2023 – Süper Tur, an Istanbul-based tourism company offering domestic tourism transportation services since 1985, recently received the 8.5-meter Isuzu Grand Toro midibus equipped with the Allison Torqmatic™ Series, and its drivers report improved efficiency and comfort. Süper Tur operates approximately 120 to 140 thousand kilometers per year in tourism transportation.

“We offer transportation services for both foreign and domestic tourists, but mainly for foreign tourists. The comfort and safety expectations of tourists are always high,” said Cihan Öztürk, a driver at Süper Tur, who had been driving Anadolu Isuzu vehicles with manual transmissions for 18 years prior to experiencing the advantages of the Allison-equipped Isuzu Grand Toro over the last 7 months. “Our shortest Anatolian tour is 3,000 to 3,500 kilometers. We reach the annual mileage of most shuttle companies in just one or two months during peak tourism periods.”

“I used to drive midibuses equipped with a manual transmission for a very long time. As we did not know the advantages of fully automatic transmissions, we were skeptical like many of our colleagues,” said Öztürk. “However, after experiencing the Isuzu Grand Toro equipped with an Allison transmission, we realized our biases were baseless. In order to serve as a model for our colleagues, I try to state the advantages of the fully automatic transmission whenever I can.”

The 35 passenger 8.5-meter Grand Toro is powered by a Cummins ISB Euro 6 engine that can produce 210 horsepower and 850 newton-meters torque. The Allison six-speed T3270R xFE™ with Retarder is offered as the standard fully automatic transmission in the Grand Toro.

Proven fuel efficiency with Allison fully automatic transmissions
“Tour drivers in Turkey abstain from using fully automatic transmissions. We still have colleagues who believe manual transmissions provide better fuel efficiency than fully automatic transmissions,” said Öztürk. “Actually, we had the same concern before purchasing our new vehicle. I have been using the vehicle for seven months. I have travelled over 30,000 kilometers and had the chance to experience the fuel efficiency firsthand.”

“Anadolu Isuzu midibus models are always preferred by tour operators for their efficiency and superior passenger comfort. I think that the performance of these vehicles has reached another level with the Allison fully automatic transmission,” said Öztürk. “To dig in a little, the routes in Anatolian tours do not change a lot so we can readily make comparisons. On the same routes, when we compare our manual transmission-equipped vehicles with like vehicles equipped with an Allison fully automatic transmission, our fuel consumption has decreased significantly in automatic vehicles, increasing our profitability. Of course, there are overall improvements in the vehicle specifications, but it is clear the Allison transmission also contributes to the results.”

3,000 kilometers in test drives with colleagues
“In this sense, we serve as a role model among tour operators with our Isuzu Grand Toro midibus equipped with an Allison transmission, and now all of our colleagues are curious about our vehicle,” said Öztürk. “Many nearby tour operators took our vehicle for a test drive. Our colleagues from Mersin and Diyarbakır also bought the Isuzu Grand Toro equipped with an Allison fully automatic transmission after test driving ours. Our colleague from Diyarbakır also experienced similar low fuel consumption in his own vehicle and is quite satisfied with the fuel efficiency of the vehicle that he has been driving for four months.”

Reduced maintenance with Allison transmissions
Moreover, Allison transmissions contribute to reduced maintenance costs, which is one of the most important costs in tourism and passenger transportation. Costly and time-consuming clutch repairs and replacements are eliminated thanks to using a torque converter instead of a mechanical clutch system. Only periodic fluid and filter replacements are needed in Allison fully automatic transmission maintenance. Both maintenance and repair costs are saved and downtime is reduced.

“In our vehicles with manual transmissions, a clutch replacement is required at least once a year depending on the driving situation, and sometimes we experience a clutch failure sooner. In addition, the failure is not solved by replacing the clutch alone,” said Öztürk. “Even if you use genuine parts in the output cylinder and master cylinder of the manual clutch, different problems may occur. Especially during the peak tourism season, these problems cause difficulties for us. Allison transmissions save cost and time.”

Retarder offered as standard equipment
Allison's integrated hydraulic retarder complements the vehicle service brake performance and provides improved braking capability. While offering full integration with ABS and cruise control systems, it reduces the braking distance. While the internal hydraulic retarder system can decelerate the vehicle when needed, the service life of the brake pads and discs, which is a significant cost item on routes having steep descents and ascents, is also extended.

“In manual vehicles, there is only an eddy-current brake instead of a retarder,” said Öztürk. “The Allison transmission’s retarder reduces the braking distance significantly regardless of weather and road conditions and provides superior vehicle control.”

Transitioning to fully automatic transmission for drivers, passengers and the company
In tourism transportation, passenger and driver comfort is as important as operator profitability. Driver demands are a top priority for operators as driver performance also affects the efficiency of tourism operators significantly. “With these Allison-equipped vehicles, we both increased our profitability and improved our working conditions. It is a win-win situation for both our company and our drivers,” said Öztürk.

About Allison Transmission
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.