Newton bus on display at the Project Qatar 2013 at the Doha Exhibition Center: PICTURE: Jayaram

By Ramesh Mathew/Staff Reporter

Eyeing opportunities arising out of the country’s ambitious plans to strengthen its mass transportation sector, a Chinese automobile and heavy equipment manufacturer is showcasing its equipment, machinery and vehicles, particularly buses, at the Project Qatar exhibition at the Doha Exhibitions Center.

Among the exhibits displayed at the sprawling grounds in front of the exhibition centre, the Newton brand of buses are attracting attention from visitors thronging the venue. The sturdy bus, according to the manufacturers, is built to meet international standards and the mandatory requirements  sought by local transport authorities. They are claimed to be much cheaper than other models sold in the region.

“We know it too well that Qatar is looking forward to introducing better  vehicles for its growing numbers of labourers in coming years and this bus is meeting the standards and requirements,” said Chinese national and executive director of Elite Middle East Doha, Vivian Guan, whose company, she said was supplying the buses in the local market.

Guan, who is an engineer, said the steel-finished body of her company’s buses is perhaps one among the best in the industry.

“Our company has already supplied a considerably large number of buses to the construction firms in the region, including in Qatar, and for some of them Newton buses constituted the single largest group in their transport fleet,” said Guan.

Guan said her company’s buses not only had a price advantage but were also backed by good after-sales service and maintenance.

“At QR210,000, it should be much cheaper than most Indian and other buses used for transporting labourers in Qatar,” she said while speaking about Newton’s 76/66-seater Labour Bus.