From Partnership to Progress: Damera and Karsan Advance Right-Sized Transit Across North America

A Partnership Built Around the North American Transit Market

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At APTA TRANSform & EXPO 2026 in Chicago, Damera Corporation and Karsan once again came together to present the Karsan eJEST to the North American public transportation industry.

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But the story behind the vehicle on display extends well beyond the show floor.

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The relationship between Damera and Karsan was established around a shared objective: bringing a new category of purpose-built electric public transportation to North America and supporting it with the local market knowledge, technical expertise and after-sales capabilities required for real-world deployment.

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Karsan eJEST became the first low-floor transit minibus in North America.

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Damera is Karsan's distributor in North America. Damera supports Karsan products in North America through vehicle sales, service and parts, while working directly with transit agencies on deployment requirements.

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From Introducing a Vehicle to Building a Market

When the eJEST entered service in Saint John, New Brunswick, in 2022, it introduced a different proposition to North American transit: a compact, low-floor, battery-electric minibus purpose-built for public transportation.

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Since then, the vehicle has moved into applications with transit agencies in both Canada and the United States. Today, Karsan eJEST vehicles are supporting public transit agencies across Canada and the United States, including Saint John Transit, Oakville Transit, Sarnia Transit, Tecumseh Transit, Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, Nantucket Regional Transit Authority, Santa Maria Regional Transit, Cape Ann Transportation Authority, Kings County Area Public Transit and Grant Transit Authority and many more.

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That growth represents more than the adoption of another electric bus model. It reflects growing interest in a different approach to fleet planning: right-sized transit.

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The eJEST gives agencies another option: a compact, fully accessible battery-electric transit bus designed for services where a larger vehicle may provide more capacity than the route requires.

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eJEST is 19 feet in length, with up to 19-passenger capacity and a range of up to 130 miles / 210 kilometres.
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Nearly 200 eJESTs Sold in North America

The progress of the Damera–Karsan relationship was visible at this year's APTA EXPO.

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Industry publication Sustainable Bus reported from Chicago that:

“Karsan, represented in North America by dealer Damera, exhibited the battery-electric e-JEST; nearly 200 units have been sold in the market to date, with around 180 already delivered.”

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For us, those numbers tell a larger story.

They represent the growing presence of right-sized electric transit across North America and the work required to take a vehicle from its introduction in a new market to deployment in real transit operations.

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The Partnership Goes Beyond the Bus

Bringing an electric vehicle into service involves more than delivering the bus.

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Transit agencies must consider charging, electrical infrastructure, maintenance, high-voltage systems, training, parts availability and long-term technical support.

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That is why Damera's role has developed around the complete operating environment surrounding the vehicle.

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Alongside right-sized electric buses, Damera Corporation provides charging solutions, technology integration, specialized training, guidance and after-sales support for transit agencies moving toward electrification. Damera Corporation

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This is an important part of what the Damera–Karsan relationship represents.

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Karsan brings vehicle manufacturing and electric mobility technology. Damera brings North American market expertise, agency relationships, deployment support and the technical foundation needed to support those vehicles throughout their operating lives.

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Together, the partnership connects global vehicle innovation with the practical requirements of North American public transportation.

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The Next Chapter of Right-Sized Mobility

The eJEST story is continuing to evolve.

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Beyond conventional driver-operated transit, the same platform is now being introduced into autonomous public transportation applications in North America. The Autonomous eJEST combines the established electric minibus platform with SAE Level 4 automated-driving technology, with deployments entering real-world service in the United States. Damera Corporation

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That evolution—from introducing the eJEST to North America, to expanding conventional deployments and now supporting autonomous applications—illustrates what a long-term manufacturer-distributor relationship can accomplish.

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APTA EXPO gave Damera and Karsan another opportunity to stand together with the vehicle that began that journey.

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But the more important story is what happens after the exhibition doors close: vehicles entering service, agencies gaining another option for right-sized mobility, and the infrastructure and support ecosystem developing around them.

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For Damera Corporation, that is where partnership becomes deployment—and where technology becomes public transportation.

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Could right-sized electric transit strengthen your network?

Whether your agency is evaluating neighbourhood service, first- and last-mile connections, paratransit, microtransit, campus mobility or fleet electrification, Damera Corporation can help assess the vehicle, charging and operational requirements behind a successful deployment.

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Explore the Karsan eJEST from Damera Corporation or contact the Damera team to start the conversation.