Autocares Lucitur, based in Madrid and preparing to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026, has expanded its fleet with the Otokar Navigo midibus equipped with Allison’s new 9-speed fully automatic transmission. After two years of positive results with the Allison 6-speed transmission, Lucitur is investing in new 9-speed vehicles to increase passenger and driver comfort, optimize fuel consumption and reduce maintenance costs.
Autocares Lucitur, a family company founded in 1986 and with a deep-rooted history in passenger transportation, is preparing to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Company; It offers bus, midibus and minibus rental services for all kinds of passenger transportation, including school transportation, organizations and trips. It continues its operations without compromising reliability, passenger comfort and operational efficiency with its modern fleet of 26 vehicles.
Lucitur recently chose two Otokar Navigo midibuses to modernize its fleet. The first vehicle purchased two years ago was equipped with Allison’s 6-speed fully automatic transmission. The successful experience gained in terms of comfort, maneuverability and low operating costs enabled the second Navigo bus, which recently joined the fleet, to be preferred with the new 9-speed Allison fully automatic transmission.
Carlos Martínez, General Manager of Autocares Lucitur; “We are very pleased with the performance of Otokar buses and Allison transmissions. Both meet our expectations,” he states.
More comfort for passengers and drivers on urban routes
Navigo buses are designed to offer maximum versatile solutions on routes in and around the city. It adapts to the various needs of operators with bus length options ranging from 7.8 to 9.2 meters.
Juan Gómez, Sales Representative at Somauto, Otokar’s dealer in Spain; “Navigo T is a compact, highly manoeuvrable and especially versatile bus for tourism transportation. With these features, it is ideal for both highways and narrow, historical city centers and is an excellent vehicle for small groups. In addition, the new version includes a more ergonomic instrument panel and the GSR II security system. Thus, it further increases comfort and safety,” he explains.
Lucitur uses these vehicles mostly on urban routes with heavy traffic. At this point, Allison’s fully automatic transmission plays a decisive role in providing smooth driving even on slopes, thanks to Uninterruptible Power Technology™ and torque converter technology, which delivers full power to the wheels. This performance is critical to meeting the expectations of increasingly demanding passengers. “Vehicle starting off on hills is easy, smooth and comfortable. Allison really helps our drivers and makes their job easier,” says Carlos Martínez.
Lucitur also emphasizes that the more ergonomic design of the gear selection panel improves the driver experience. Carlos Martínez; “Due to heavy traffic and traffic lights, we have to make frequent stops and starts on our routes. Since passengers are now much more demanding, in such a situation, the failure of the transmission to provide smooth driving and comfort would create a serious problem,” he adds;
“Our drivers state that they have a less tiring driving experience and they especially care about being able to keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times. Thus, they increase both their comfort and vehicle control. The new gear selector, located on the left side of the seat, can be used much more intuitively and quickly.”
Less maintenance, optimized fuel consumption and more uptime
Another determining factor in choosing Navigo is its low operating cost. Carlos Martínez; “As in every transportation company, it is very important for us to minimize costs and vehicle downtime. That is why we are looking for technologies that help us reduce fuel consumption and whose maintenance can be done both economically and in the shortest possible time. We are also satisfied in terms of maintenance, as Allison transmissions have not caused any problems so far. The absence of transmission failures allows us to maximize the efficiency of our vehicles, which is extremely important in our daily work routine,” he emphasizes.
Allison’s fully hydraulic transmission system with torque converter minimizes wear and tear on the drivetrain by eliminating the need for a mechanical clutch. Reducing the possibility of failure also means fewer service visits and fewer downtimes. This enables Lucitur to achieve a high level of fleet availability and better control over operating costs. In the new 9-speed Navigo midibus, these efficiency improvements are also reflected in optimized fuel consumption. This provides a significant advantage for daily urban services. Juan Gómez; “Navigo T’s reliability and low maintenance costs provide excellent long-term profitability for bus operators. With the new 9-speed Allison fully automatic transmission, the midibus offers better driving performance on hills, reduces engine speed and optimizes fuel consumption. It also provides a more comfortable and controlled driving experience for drivers,” he stated.
A technology recommended by Lucitur
The experience gained with both vehicles further reinforced Lucitur’s confidence in Allison technology and Otokar’s Navigo series. For Lucitur, the switch from manual to fully automatic transmission and now from 6-speed to 9-speed means clear progress for drivers and passengers.
Carlos Martínez; “The 9-speed Allison transmission is very advanced compared to manual transmissions. It offers more comfort, smoother and smoother driving and reliability for both passengers and drivers. It also provides fuel savings compared to vehicles with manual transmission. We recommend our colleagues in the industry who still use manual or semi-automatic transmission to try Allison. It is truly an advanced step and its advantages are noticeable from the first day,” he concludes.
Automobile Magazine – English
