Bursa Fire Department expands fleet with Allison automatic transmissions
Iain Hoey
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New Mercedes-Benz Atego fire trucks enhance Bursa Fire Department response
The Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department has acquired ten new Mercedes-Benz Atego fire trucks fitted with Allison fully automatic transmissions, Allison Transmission has reported.
The vehicles are scheduled for delivery in 2025 and will support a wide range of operations including firefighting and search and rescue.
According to Allison Transmission, the decision follows positive experience with a previous Allison-equipped Mercedes-Benz Atego model already in service.
Expanding capacity for urban emergency response
Bursa, Türkiye’s fourth-largest city, has a population of more than 3.2 million and recorded 21,670 emergency callouts in 2024.
The Fire Department operates 30 stations with 675 personnel and 136 vehicles across an area of 10,866 square kilometres.
Allison Transmission said the new units will strengthen capacity for urban firefighting and rescue operations where heavy traffic and tight manoeuvrability pose challenges.
Vehicle specifications and performance features
The new fleet includes seven municipal firefighting vehicles and three ladder trucks.
All are Mercedes-Benz Atego 1630 models with Rosenbauer superstructures, six-cylinder Euro 6 diesel engines and Allison 3000 fully automatic transmissions.
Each truck delivers 300 horsepower and 1000 Nm torque, with a 16-tonne load capacity and a top speed of 90 km per hour.
They also feature pump-and-roll capability, integrated water tanks and advanced control systems for improved operational efficiency.
Chief highlights operational reliability
Canalp Berkdemir, Chief of the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department, said the department’s earlier experience with Allison transmissions directly influenced the new procurement.
Berkdemir said: “Based on the positive performance feedback from the previously used Mercedes-Benz Atego fire truck equipped with an Allison fully automatic transmission, we decided to make the new investment with Allison-equipped vehicles as well.”
“It was reaffirmed due to the user-friendly driving experience, minimal failure rate and high operational efficiency offered by the Allison fully automatic transmission.”
Transmission benefits for efficiency and control
Allison Transmission stated that fully automatic transmissions support high traction power, rapid acceleration and continuous power delivery.
The company said these benefits enable faster response in urban environments and allow drivers to focus more on control and situational awareness.
The firm added that improved uptime, reduced maintenance requirements and lower overall ownership costs are key advantages for fire departments with high operational demand.
Allison Transmission comments on renewed confidence
Berk Gönenç, Sales Director of Allison Transmission for Turkey, the Middle East and the Commonwealth of Independent States, said Bursa’s decision reflects continued confidence in Allison systems.
Gönenç said: “Every second is of vital importance in emergency response. Allison fully automatic transmissions, with Continuous Power Technology and rapid acceleration, support the crews reach the scene faster and more reliably.”
“By minimising driver-related variations and offering superior manoeuvrability under challenging road conditions, Allison transmissions enhance continuity in fire department operations. We strongly believe that Bursa Fire Department’s decision in this regard is an important step for operational efficiency and crew safety.”
Relevance for fire and safety professionals
This development highlights how transmission technology influences emergency response efficiency for large municipal fire services.
Procurement officers and fleet managers can observe how vehicle specification choices affect reliability, maintenance cycles and operator performance in dense urban settings.
The integration of Rosenbauer superstructures and Allison automatic systems may also inform comparative assessments for future apparatus acquisitions in European and Middle Eastern fire departments.
Fleet engineers and training officers may note the operational benefits of automated gear systems for reducing driver fatigue and maintaining consistent performance under pressure.