Omnibus

A Daimler Brand

The magazine for bus operators and transport companies. 3 | 2015

Next stop: green city.

The new Citaro NGT. The benchmark. With up to 20% savings in fuel consumption
over the previous model, our new natural-gas-powered bus is exceptionally The new Citaro NGT

Mercedes-Benz
cost-effective. Not to mention that it’s considerably quieter and achieves lower
CO² emissions. For more information go to www.mercedes-benz.com/buses

steps on it
Supplier: EvoBus GmbH, Neue Straße 95, 73230 Kirchheim unter Teck
 A warm
welcome to you,
dear customers and friends of Mercedes-Benz Omnibus. I am delighted to be able

to present you with the third issue of our magazine in 2015. As it is also the first one

for me in my new position with Daimler Buses, I would like to take this opportunity

to tell you a little bit about myself.

My name is Ulrich Bastert, and for the past eight the same (Citaro CNG). You can find out exactly
years I was responsible for all the marketing what else it has to offer in this issue.
and distribution activities at Mercedes-Benz
Trucks. One of my main tasks while I was there Long-distance buses are another exciting topic –
was the global introduction of our new product booming since the opening of the long-distance
generation of trucks. On the one hand, this market in Germany. Whereas some 8.2 million
meant lots of new challenges for me and my passengers were carried in 2013, today the
staff. On the other, and again with my excellent figure is around 16 million, and there has also
team, a tremendous amount of pleasure was been a dramatic increase in the number of
gained from the work we did together and that companies in the Federal Republic in the past
is now complete. And then the time came, just two years. A market with economic potential,
at the right time for me, to start looking for new but also with commercial challenges.
challenges. I am delighted about these new
challenges at Daimler Buses. People who set standards – just read about
Winfried Seidel‘s passion! The car, and in that
Talking of new, the task of looking after the association his automobile museum Dr. Carl
environment while lowering costs at the same Benz in Ladenburg. A life‘s work that makes
time is one that is faced by the new Citaro NGT the history of mobility something that can be
engine at its world première at the Busworld experienced.
in Kortrijk. Its CO2 emissions are considerably
lower than those of its predecessor, its fuel I hope you enjoy your reading!
consumption 15 to 20% more economical than

With best wishes, Ulrich Bastert

Head of Marketing, Sales & Aftersales Daimler Buses

Editorial 2 Omnibus Editorial 3 Omnibus

 Technology & Market & Branches Mobility Worldwide
Innovation
6-9 Top theme 10-13 Long-distance 20-23 Latin American bus market
Citaro NGT: Mercedes-Benz Engine for the bus industry? Best foundation for more
steps on it 14-15 Tourismo as a touring bus mobility
Born for long distances 24-25 Customer portrait
16-17 Busworld Kortrijk Nobina Group
exhibition Perfect fleet management
See the sights with the star
18-19 Public transport on
demand
Line sprinters to order

Top theme Service Discoveries Spotlights

Impressum
The new Citaro NGT 26-27 Bus Depot Management 28-35 People who set standards 39 Drivers‘ Club 3.0

Mercedes-Benz steps on it
Factory service reduces The keepers of the treasure
costs 36-38 Edwards Coaches Tremendous response for
„Croeso i de Gymru“ the Citaro in Australia
6-9 Curtain up for the Citaro NGT: With its new high-tech gas (Welcome to South Wales)
engine, the city bus is now even more environmentally friendly 40 Intouro now even safer
than a diesel, yet just as dynamic and highly efficient.
A „4-star bus“ for the
German Football Museum

Contents 4 Omnibus Contents 5 Omnibus

 The Citaro NGT -
combining cleanliness and
economy on the highest level.

Top theme

Citaro NGT:
Mercedes-Benz
steps on it
Curtain up for the Citaro NGT: With its new high-tech gas engine, the

city bus is now even more environmentally friendly than a diesel, yet

just as dynamic and highly efficient.

Exhaust emissions reduced again and a quieter engine, long maintenance intervals
and a lower vehicle weight – the new gas-engined Citaro NGT can do anything a
state-of-the-art city bus needs to do. The Citaro NGT is not a city bus for the gallery,
but for genuine practitioners: it is as dynamic as a diesel, holds more passengers
than before, has a greater range and is only rarely seen in the workshop. In other
words: the Citaro NGT combines cleanliness and economy on the very highest level.

One key feature of the Citaro NGT is the eye-catching cover on the roof, which
conceals the newly-developed gas bottles for the Citaro NGT. They are made of a
high-tech material, a composite with a synthetic core, a carbon fibre cover and –
new – an additional fibreglass coil. It‘s light, and yet highly stable.

The volume of the individual gas bottles has been increased by around 20 percent
to 227 litres. So to cover the same range, the new Citaro NGT needs one gas bottle
less than its predecessor - which noticeably saves weight. And if you’re watching the
pounds and the range, the Citaro NGT can be equipped to match its use: the rigid
bus comes as standard with four gas bottles but can be custom-ordered with up to
six; the articulated bus comes standard with seven gas bottles and even an eighth
if desired. Under the bottom line, the Citaro NGT has the range of a diesel bus, and
so requires no special agreements to be included in the fleet. The same applies to
the refuelling: it is at the rear as standard, but on request can be in the usual place
above the wheel arch on the right.

The heart of the Citaro NGT is its gas engine. The newly developed Mercedes-Benz
M 936 G, a charged in-line six cylinder engine of 7.7 litres capacity that is based on
the ever-popular OM 936 diesel engine. Both the performance of 222 kW (302 hp)

Technology & Innovation 6 Top theme Technology & Innovation 7 Top theme
1 Key identifier of the Citaro NGT: the
cover hood on the roof.
and the maximum torque of 1200 Nm are on the diesel So the environmental balance is spot on – as is the
2 The newly-designed gas bottles are
light and yet highly stable. level. Even more important: drivers will be delighted with economy. The long maintenance intervals also play their
the identical performance development. The Citaro NGT part: the Citaro NGT only heads for the workshop for new
3 The heart of the Citaro NGT is the new
Mercedes-Benz M 936 G gas engine. 2 accelerates away from a bus stop or traffic lights with the oil and spark plugs every 60,000 kilometres. So with the
same dynamism as its diesel counterpart. This is due to the usual sort of mileage, this means there is only one visit a
powerful engine and the appropriately configured auto- year. In the development, the engineers also made sure
1 matic drive with new switching programmes and a softer there was easy access to the gas control on the roof, and
converter by Voith and ZF and the appropriate ratios. there is a service flap on the side of the cover over the
gas bottles.
At the same time, the Citaro NGT is undeniably a „Mr.
Clean“. Emissions level Euro VI requires no further The M 936 G weighs about 25 percent less than its
3
comment, since the gas engine performs well below its 12-litre predecessor. Combined with the light gas bottles
limits. It does this without the customary SCR techno- and general weight reduction measures, this downsizing
logy and without particle filters. A three-way catalytic gives the current Citaro surprisingly favourable results
converter (like that of a petrol engine) is all. The CO2 in the weight balance: with series features, the rigid bus
emissions are well worth a closer look. Well to wheel, can carry up to 96 passengers, and the „bendy“ bus a
so in the environmental balance from fuel production to maximum of 153. An achievement that is otherwise only
transportation to combustion, the CO2 advantage is up matched by diesel buses.
to ten percent. Using bio natural gas raises this figure to
up to 80 percent in comparison with conventional diesel. It‘s almost as if some transport companies had been
waiting for the Citaro NGT. As part of a double premiere,
At the same time, the noise level of the Citaro NGT is the trade audience was recently able to see its advan-
again much lower than that of the quiet, smooth-running tages for itself during the French public transport trade
OM 936 diesel engine. Subjectively, the noise emission fair “Rencontres national du transport public” in Lyon/
is even halved – a distinct advantage in busy town and France, shortly before the Kortrijk omnibus trade fair in
city centres and on highly frequented routes. Belgium. The first order from France has already been
received: the Cars d‘Orsay company is to receive eight
All this is due to the M 936 G gas engine. Both its cylinder rigid buses for use in the Île de France region in Paris be-
block and the four-valve cylinder head are from the fore the end of the year. The Citaro NGT‘s predecessors
diesel engine. Charging, charged air supply, ignition and are already in use here. Cars d’Orsay wants to reduce
mixture preparation, as well as the water-cooled exhaust frequencies with the new coaches. The company has also
gas recycling, were newly developed for gas operation, received an order from Augsburg in Germany, where the
as was the geometry of the piston cavity. The gas drive municipal authority operates an all-gas bus fleet. The first
of the externally ignited engine works like the petrol ver- of the total of 68 Citaro NGT, including 53 articulated buses
sion. The spark plugs with pencil coils are housed where plus other options, will be handed over from December.
the injectors for the fuel injection system are in a diesel
engine. As the dimensions of the gas engine (which was The new Citaro NGT meets all the requirements of the
installed upright) are the same as that of the diesel, transport companies, and combines cleanliness and
installation in the customary tower method in the Citaro economy on the very highest level.
is perfectly straightforward.

The gas engine works like a modern petrol engine with

a stoichiometric combustion of Lambda=1. This means
that there is just the right amount of air available to burn
the fuel completely. This results in a cleaner combustion
with a high performance and low emissions. This not
only underlines the favourable carbon footprint, but the
NOx emissions are also significantly lower than those
of its predecessor, while fuel consumption is up to
between 15 and 20 percent lower than its predecessor
(the Citaro CNG).

Technology & Innovation 8 Top theme Technology & Innovation 9 Top theme
Long-distance

Engine for the

bus industry?
The business in long-distance buses is booming. At least in Germany. The number

of passengers has more than quadrupled since the liberalisation of the long-

distance market in 2013. Now France also wants to benefit from this trend. But the

competition is tough, and the expectations of the vehicle no less so.

Friedel Knipschild was convinced from owner and MD of Hunau-Reisen in Ger- the family company, which was founded
the beginning: „Long-distance bus many‘s Sauerland saw it as an excellent in 1951, already runs. His son Axel, also
travel – that‘s something we could do.“ opportunity to acquire another pillar to an MD, was a little more sceptical. „He
When the long-distance market opened go with the travel business, cruise ship took some convincing,“ says Knipschild.
up to private bus operators in 2012, the transfers and local bus transport that

Market & Branches 10 Long-distance Market & Branches 11 Long-distance

Today, just two years later, Hunau-Reisen has proved him right: thanks to the 16 million for 2014. And once again this Golden times for the bus industry? Being used on six or even seven days a although he isn‘t currently planning any
operates a total of eight coaches on numerous passengers travelling parts of year, the BDO, the Federal Association of Pragmatics such as Tobias Jungnitsch of week and covering annual distances of additions to his long-distance offer, he
four long-distance routes between the routes, Knipschild can now report on Coach Operators, is expecting a signifi- Theo‘s Reisen in Münster have a slightly between 240,000 and 290,000 kilo- isn‘t ruling it out. „I am delighted that we
Amsterdam, Düsseldorf, Berlin and „very good loads of up to 72 passengers cant increase to more than 20 million different view. The MeinFernbus partner metres requires maximum reliability, low joined the long-distance business in 2013,
Dresden. Like all MeinFernbus partners, per 49-seater coach and route“. passengers. doesn‘t think that growth alone is a service and repair expenditure, minimal and would do it again in a heartbeat.
he benefits from the success of his guarantee of success for the long- downtimes and low overall operating There‘s still plenty of potential on this
long-distance bus lines, but also bears Not everyone got off to such a good Further positive signals are coming from distance business. „Above all, we need costs. All things that Martin Verhuven, market, in particular because it enables
part of the risk. The 61-year-old wants to start with long-distance buses on the France, where the industry‘s liberalisation to keep an eye on sustainability. It‘s too managing director long-distance at us to reach a target group that we
keep the latter to the absolute minimum, German market. Although the growth law introduced by Economic Minister early to say how profitable the develop- Verhuven-Reisen in Xanten on the haven‘t really addressed as a travel
and so from the beginning has focused rates shot through the ceiling in the Emmanuel Macron in the middle of ment of the long-distance bus lines is Lower Rhine in Germany, can testify to company: young people under 30. And
on routes where he has been able first year and the number of passengers August is to give the industry more going to be for coach companies in the with the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo in his after all, they are the bus travellers of
to estimate the passenger potential almost rocketed to the eight-million dynamism. This also affects passenger long-term. We can‘t rest on our laurels fleet. „With only two axles and measuring tomorrow.“
accurately thanks to his experience in mark, the consistently low pricing transport, previously very strictly regu- yet.“ And it‘s true - profit margins aren‘t 13 metres in length, the Tourismo is a
tourist travel. „We‘ve spent many years meant that renowned competitors such lated, but which is now to be liberalised going to shoot up with low ticket prices highly economical vehicle that also has
taking tourists to and from Dresden, as Aldi, ADAC and National Express and develop in line with the German and constant investments in new lines, the right price/performance ratio.“
and I was fully aware that there was a soon withdrew from the market. Nor example. International bus operators and thus in new buses. Plus the wheel-
tremendous demand for that particular did it take long for the first provider to such as Megabus and Euroline and the chair spaces that will be required by law Hunau-Reisen managing director Friedel
route. Furthermore, almost all of our lines file for bankruptcy. And yet the number German market leader MeinFernbus/ on new buses from January 2016 will Knipschild adds: „Especially with the
go through our home region of the Sauer- of offered long-distance bus lines into Flixbus have already announced plans mean additional costs for the operators. features offered by Mercedes-Benz –
land, which makes it easy to organise and from Germany increased to more to expand their long-distance network such as WLAN, 220V sockets on the
round trips. And we‘ve been able to than 250 in 2014. The German Federal to France. So this makes it even more important seats, WC with electric hand drier and
advertise our long-distance routes with Statistical Office calculated an increase that the vehicles are up to the challenges four-star seating – the Tourismo M/2
our regional bus passengers.“ Success in passenger numbers from 8.2 to presented by long-distance operation. is the perfect long-distance bus.“ And

Father and son: Axel Knipschild (left) and Friedel Knipschild.

(Source: Westfalenpost/Laura Nowicki)

Market & Branches 12 Long-distance Market & Branches 13 Long-distance

Tourismo as a touring bus

Born for long distances 1/2 Travel Star Eco with Softline upholstery –
deluxe seating comfort.

3 Although the classic on-board kitchen of

a coach is not required on a line bus, it will
increase the used value later on. A snack
machine is one alternative for long-distance
Reliable and robust, highly economical, comfortable and safe – lines.

the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo is the perfect endurance runner for

3

use as a touring bus.

1 2

Geared up for long distances right down the line: the One level up in the passenger‘s cab, the matching seating is recommendations provided by disability associations in the hand drier is available to replace the paper, and a disinfectant
Mercedes-Benz Tourismo RHD is the ultimate long-distance bus. Travel Star Eco with Softline upholstery. The easy operation development. dispenser perfects the level of hygiene.
This the high-deck touring bus has everything it needs: After appeals even to inexperienced passengers, while the seating
a total of 30,000 buses and more than 10,000 models in the comfort will delight even experienced long-distance passengers. Entertainment electronics play a key role on a touring bus. There‘s no need to discuss safety with a Mercedes-Benz.
current series, the Tourismo has reached a very high level of Mercedes-Benz recommends extremely hard-wearing velour for Wi-Fi is obligatory, but not enough in the long term. Each double The AEBS emergency braking system on the Tourismo does
maturity. At the same time, it is highly economical, comfortable the seat covers. Another tip are headrests in „Composition“, seat has a 230-volt plug to provide the power for passengers‘ more than the law requires it to, as does the Lane Assistant.
and safe. Available as two- and three-axle versions, it covers the new material. It is made from leather fibres, looks and feels devices. To perfect the features, add the tyre pressure control system
the entire high-deck range from 12 to 14 metres in length. like leather, but is less sensitive and easy-care. A four-star seat or – new – the rain/light sensor to the list. To ensure that the
pitch is standard on touring buses, and there is also a middle The energy supply to hungry passengers is not quite such a high Mercedes-Benz Tourismo RHD is perfectly prepared for its
Touring buses are veritable marathon runners that cover a seat at the back. Footrests are a standard feature, as are fold- priority: the kitchen is cold. Still, it is often ordered, either challenging existence as an endurance runner.
quarter of a million kilometres a year. The heavy-duty down tables on the seat backs. Good to know: even a laptop with a view to later use or to sell on. The fridge at the rear can
Mercedes-Benz OM 470 motor with a capacity of 10.7 litres won‘t weaken the knees of the sturdy table on the Tourismo. be replaced by a snack machine.
is made for this kind of requirement. One recommendation is
the combination of a performance level of 315 kW (428 hp) All passengers are welcome on board a Tourismo. The optional The „little girls‘ (or boys‘)“ room on a touring bus undergoes
with the fully-automatic eight-gear GO 250-8 PowerShift drive. lift and additional door are available to provide access for rigorous testing. A special configuration package helps. The
This is better for the driver and the power unit; the Tourismo is passengers with a disability. The lift is installed in the luggage waste and fresh water tanks have both been increased to
economical with low emissions. The Tourismo also scores as a compartment behind the front axle. Double seats on the right 150 litres, and flushing has been reduced from five to three
„mile eater“ with oil changes: it can go up to 120,000 between and left of the passenger deck can be pushed together to seconds. With a reinforced toilet seat, stainless steel tap,
them, and the intervals between cleaning the particle filter are make room for wheelchairs. A bridge is available to cover second paper holder and additional mirror, the toilet on the
also long. the centre aisle if necessary. Mercedes-Benz was guided by Tourismo is ready for the onslaught. On request, an electric

Market & Branches 14 Tourismo as a touring bus Market & Branches 15 Tourismo as a touring bus
 Busworld Kortrijk exhibition designed for the entire lifetime of the
city bus, and increase safety because
programme, they have the benefit of on-
board Wi-Fi and plenty of USB connec-
10,000th in the current series – since
its première in the autumn of 2006, the

See the sights with the star

their light isn‘t so tiring for the eyes. tions for smartphones and tablets. Mercedes-Benz Tourismo has become
Something else that is new are the A version of the overland sales hit the best-selling coach in Europe. The
optional folding seats in the area for Intouro M for France appeals in a com- unfussy, highly economical Tourismo
special use. Thanks to their larger seats, pletely different way. Fifty-five seats over is the backbone for coach travel all
they can now be entered in the vehicle‘s 12.6 metres are the secret, especially over Europe. As a high-decker coach,
documents as full seats. The folding with this flexibility: swivelling double high-floor bus or club bus, it covers all
The world première of the Citaro NGT, the 10,000th Tourismo of the latest generation and the 10,000th seats are available as single or double seat beside the two-wing middle door, a the usual requirements – and that‘s how
seats, and now – new – as mother-and- lift for passengers with limited mobility, you become a best-seller.
Travego, an innovative minibus and a flexible intercity bus – Mercedes-Benz at the Busworld Kortrijk. child seats. and two fold-down double seats on the
area for special use. Plus various other The Travego also celebrated a remarkable
An old town like Kortrijk, with narrow comfort features, such as Travel Star Eco anniversary in Kortrijk – 10,000 units
The Gothic town hall, medieval towers, the Xpo exhibition site in the south-east of the Citaro NGT (see also page 6 of roads and lanes, routes with low pas- coach seating with adjustable backrests, since it was first presented. Constantly
the Beginenhof with 40 Baroque of the town. this issue) with its innovative natural senger frequency or quieter load times double glazing, air conditioning and developed, the Travego is state-of-
houses – there is plenty to see in the gas engine. Low emissions, quiet in – all these make up the domain of the spacious luggage racks – even on long the-art in technology and safety. The
little Belgian town of Kortrijk. Kortrijk There was plenty to see there in autumn, operation, light in weight and maximum minibuses with the star. The displayed journeys, passengers will be very happy! high-deck coach is constantly setting
and its picturesque centre are close especially in Hall Five. Mercedes-Benz efficiency – the Citaro NGT and the Sprinter City 65 demonstrated all the new standards, and for many companies
to the French border, not far from the presented a representative cross-section Mercedes-Benz M 936 G engine, which familiar advantages, such as the low- The Tourismo RHD is practically made is the figurehead for exclusive travel –
North Sea coast, so it‘s not exactly of its programme with countless inno- was displayed separately, attracted floor platform between the axles, and for long journeys. Especially, as was like the displayed Travego M with Active
central. But that hasn‘t prevented more vations, from urban buses to coaches, visitors like beacons. surprised visitors with its comprehensive demonstrated in Kortrijk, as a long- Brake Assist. This high-decker, in an
than 30,000 visitors from making their from maxi to mini, flanked by partners entertainment electronics. Passengers distance bus. Visitors were able to try azure blue metallic finish and with an
way there every two years in October OMNIplus, BusStore, FleetBoard and The displayed Citaro NGT looked back receive a freely chosen range of infor- the new comfort headrests for the first extremely tasteful interior, was also one
for this biennial event. That‘s when Daimler Financial Services – a complete, through special „eyes“: the best-selling mation via the passenger information time. They pull out by 85 mm, and the of the sights of Kortrijk.
Kortrijkj‘s main attraction is the Busworld, and completely successful, appearance. city bus is now also optionally available system with TFT screen. So the line fold-down „ears“ comfortably support
the world‘s biggest bus and coach with LED headlights. These headlights operator becomes a programme maker. the head even when the user is having
exhibition. The omnibus world meets on The highlight was the world première lower the energy consumption, are If passengers want to choose their own a snooze. The bus on display was the

1 Compact bus with comprehensive

entertainment electronics: Mercedes-Benz
Sprinter City 65 with passenger informa-
tion system, WLAN and USB connections
on board.

2 Accelerate with the Mercedes-Benz

Citaro NGT: world premiere for the clean,
quite, economical and strong urban bus
with a natural gas engine.

Market & Branches 16 Busworld Kortrijk exhibition Market & Branches 17 Busworld Kortrijk exhibition
 2

1 Fabrice Marcon, head of the

Alcis Group.

2 Low-level two-wing doors that

are also suitable for the disabled
make it easier to get on and off.

Public transport on demand

Line sprinters to order an effective mobility solution that increases the number of bus stops. After all, our minibuses not only enable
economical use during times of low demand, but also serve areas that are difficult to access for large
vehicles during peak times.’
Up to 20 stops an hour and 600 kilometres a day: for ten years, Alcis has been using the
The TAD fleet consists of 40 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter City 35 and Sprinter Transfer 45 vehicles, all of which
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter City and Sprinter Transfer to operate its on-demand public transport service are equipped with radio, GPS and geolocation. With its two low-floor double doors with disabled access,
the Sprinter City makes light work of intensive stop-and-go urban transport. Meanwhile, the larger Sprinter
in and around Toulouse. High levels of reliability distinguish both the vehicles and the operator. Transfer models take passengers to the partly rural outskirts.

Like the conventional bus lines, the TAD services start every day at 5 a.m. and end at 1 a.m. – sometimes
More and more people are moving into the centres of large The pioneer behind this demand-driven public transport service after having clocked up 600 kilometres. After such a long day, the doors of a minibus have opened between
cities. This leads to changes in public transport services. in France is the Toulouse-based bus and travel company Alcis. 12 and 20 times per hour. With 180 stops located at an average distance of 300 metres apart, the network
While mobility networks in the inner city areas experience Its ‘Alcis TAD’ system complements the classic bus lines and can certainly be described as dense. It is also connected with larger train stations and tram terminals via
continuous improvements, public transport in suburbs and covers a radius of up to 20 kilometres in the suburbs and central intersections, or ‘hubs’.
rural areas becomes sparser. Nevertheless, this development outskirts of the city, which is home to 450,000 inhabitants.
is not unstoppable. Ten years ago, the residents of Toulouse Passengers simply book the transport two hours beforehand by ‘With the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter models, we have finally found a minibus capable of offering our service on
voted to halt the erosion of transport timetables. telephone or Internet. The bus then takes them to their desired demand,’ states Fabrice Marcon. ‘Both models are more comfortable than comparable competitors. They
stop, for exactly the same price as the conventional city bus. also have fewer technical problems, which in turn reduces maintenance costs. We are extremely satisfied.’
With the TAD system (Transport à la demande, or ‘On-demand
transport’ in English), the city in the south-west of France in- ‘We have adjusted our transport services to meet demand, Flexible, punctual and with the usual high quality – for the residents of Toulouse, the popular vote was
itiated a service to retain transport provisions on endangered thus solving a problem that exists in many metropolitan areas. definitely worth it. And through its collaboration with the public transport operators, Alcis has also proven
routes, including during times of low demand and in low-traffic Outside of rush hours, many vehicles are underused, which that providing optimal coverage of the region, schedule alignment with existing transport timetables and
areas, such as the Midi-Pyrénées region. makes classic bus lines very expensive,’ explains Fabrice top reliability needn’t lead to excessive costs. This is a concept that certainly belongs in the textbook for
Marcon, President of the Alcis Group. ‘The TAD system offers public transport of the future. Where timetables are adapted to the citizens, and not the other way around.

Market & Branches 18 Public transport on demand Market & Branches 19 Public transport on demand
Latin American bus market
Whether hill farmers in the Andes or office workers in Bogotá, for most of the slightly less

than 500 million people in Latin America, buses are the key to mobility. From Cuba in the

north to Chile in the south, bus chassis by Mercedes-Benz are among the most popular

vehicle bases for bus and coach bodies – from the robust front-engined minibus to the

modern 23-metre articulated bus for BRT systems.

Best foundation
The location: Bogotá, Columbia – and a sight that will
make every bus fan‘s pulse race: almost every minute,
bright red articulated buses travel rapidly along two
specially closed off bus lanes, past kilometres-long
traffic jams. Not just on one line but on twelve, and

for more mobility

not for just a few kilometres but for more than 100.
Carrying around 1.5 million passengers every day, the
TransMilenio public transport network in the vast city
in the northern Andes is one of the biggest bus rapid
transport (BRT) systems in the world. And more than
one-third of the red buses have the Mercedes star.

Mobility Worldwide 20 Latin American bus market Mobility Worldwide 21 Latin American bus market
 In March 2015, 40 articulated buses with superstructures by Busscar de Colombia went
into operation in Quito, the capital of Ecuador.

in the Ecuadorian capital Quito. Situated at an altitude of As the biggest bus manufacturer and the market leader in
2800 metres, with countless inclines and slopes and blessed Latin America, Daimler Buses is also investing in the further
with a large number of passengers, the BRT system there development of its production capacities. As recently as June
places tremendous demands on the performance, safety and 2015, a new works opened its doors in Funza near Bogotá in
strength of the bus chassis. Colombia, and according to the plans, 4000 units are to roll
off the conveyors here every year. Daimler Buses will be pro-
BRT systems are also absolutely on trend in the public trans- ducing six different chassis models with BlueTec 5 technology
port systems in other mega cities of Latin America. And it‘s in the new Colombian works. They will form the solid base
no coincidence that Mercedes-Benz has set up a team of staff for the most diverse minibuses and urban buses, for intercity
to provide the transport operators with expert advice in the buses and coaches – and an environmentally friendly, safe
planning and implementation of BRT systems. and reliable base for more mobility for millions of people in
Latin America.
The bus and transport company Movil Tours of Lima combines 20 destinations all over Peru every day.

Scene change: Panamericana to the south of Lima, Peru – more than 17,000 vehicles and thus more than half the world’s
passengers have made themselves at home in the comfortable annual bus production, the bus manufacturer sells more than
leather armchairs on this orange and white, 14-metre half the buses in the 23 countries between the Caribbean and
high-decker coach. The 3-axle vehicle glides smoothly along the Andes, the Amazon and Tierra del Fuego.
the legendary North-South connection, here in the form of a Turbus, Chile
three-lane highway next to the coast. The long-distance coach And as varied as the landscapes and climate zones of the
is en route to Cusco, around 1100 kilometres away, and once South American continent are, so too are its buses: minibuses, By bus to the mine
the Inca capital. It is one of the vehicles on the 360-vehicle midibuses and city buses with the engine in the front are seen
fleet of the Movil Tours bus and transport company of Lima, as frequently here as modern coaches with reclining seats that 1700 buses, 8000 staff – the Turbus bus company, founded in
which provides daily links to 29 destinations all over Peru on can easily hold their own against any airline‘s Business Class. 1948, is today one of the biggest bus companies in Chile.
comfortably appointed long-distance coaches. The racy chassis And whereas the Euro 2 motors in buses in Honduras are still Turbus‘s long-distance lines provide regular connections from
by the Brazilian body builder also conceals vehicle technology state of the art, Chile requires all new registrations to have and to 174 destinations all over Chile, from Arica in the north
by Mercedes-Benz. Only recently, Movil Tours ordered a modern, environmentally friendly Euro 5 standard engines. to Puerto Montt in the south. Between them lie some 3000
further 30 new coaches with Mercedes chassis. kilometres. The figures clearly reveal just how important bus
Despite all the variety, though, one thing all these buses have transport is for the Chileans: every year, 29 million passengers The Turbus bus company, founded in 1948, is today one of the biggest
companies in the whole of Chile.
And the Peruvians are not alone. The chassis with the star – in common is the construction of the chassis. Traditionally, travel on Turbus‘s buses.
whether minibus, urban bus or coach, Euro 2, Euro 3 or Euro 5 vehicle manufacturers and regional chassis builders share
drive – are in demand all over Latin America. In many countries the added value in Latin America. This not only creates jobs The company also has two other divisions apart from long- the north of Chile. Copper is mined both in opencast mines and
such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, Paraguay and Peru, in the area, but also facilitates extremely flexible adjustments distance traffic: freight transportation and „industry“. By underground. Due to the tremendous distances between the
Daimler Buses is by far the market leader and, with five pro- of the bus body to the often very special requirements of the „industry“, Turbus means passengers transportation on behalf of sites and the residential areas and the vast areas of the mines,
duction locations all over the world, also the biggest chassis individual bus operators. major industrial companies, and in particular mine operators. the mine operators need buses to get their workforces to
producer in this region. Despite some unsteadiness in the Turbus operates this division under the „Viggo“ brand. work and home again and to transport them around the mines
economic development of these countries and the correspon- Most recently, the O 500 MA chassis by Mercedes-Benz had a themselves. Every day, Turbus operates around 250 buses –
ding fluctuations in sales figures, Latin America is of tremen- particularly warm reception. In March, 40 articulated buses of Chile is the world‘s biggest producer of copper. The main copper 90 percent of them on Mercedes-Benz chassis – for more than
dous importance to the Daimler company‘s bus division. With this type with Busscar de Colombia bodies went into operation deposits, covering several thousand square kilometres, are in 35 industry and mining customers.

Mobility Worldwide 22 Latin American bus market Mobility Worldwide 23 Latin American bus market
 Swebus, Sweden‘s biggest
long-distance provider, is
part of the Nobina Group.

One particular current trend goes in even small measures add up to make
Nobina‘s favour: whereas only a few impressive figures. So the right speci-
years ago, the number of buses used, fication for use is already an important
operating hours and kilometres driven factor in future operating costs. Unlike
were the major factors considered when other operators, though, Nobina can
accounting for the transportation service, better combine purchases of new buses
today more and more commissions and existing buses from other contracts
also include a proportion of incentives. more efficiently, which enables it to
Remuneration for the transportation optimise the cost structure. Increased
services is based either entirely or partly flexibility has also been established by
on the number of passengers carried, Mercedes-Benz Finans Sweden/Den-
the quality of transportation, or other mark (MBF SveDan). Although Daimler’s
non-kilometre-based services. This captive financing brand is not establish-
means the operator bears part of the ed in Finland nor Norway, MBF SveDan
risk, but also has the opportunity to make has set-up a cross border solution for
public transport more attractive, more these two countries. By that, Nobina
sustainable and more profitable in his benefits from a package solution from
field of activity. „Service quality is becom- EvoBus together with MBF in all 4 Scan-
ing more important. We have embraced dinavian countries and the established
Ever travelled by bus in Stockholm? Or this trend, and organised our operations credit line can be used with complete
in Gothenburg, Helsinki, Copenhagen, accordingly,“ explains Norbäck. flexibility by Nobina between the 4
Oslo or Tromsø? Chances are it will have countries.
been on a Nobina bus. The company One particular measure that is intended
with subsidiaries in Sweden, Finland, to make operations more efficient, to offer Lower total costs of ownership (TCO)
Norway and Denmark is the biggest better quality and to optimise costs was are the confirmation for the fleet
bus transport operator in Scandinavia. the foundation of its own subsidiary to professionals of the Nobina Fleet that
Urban transport in all the northern manage and organise the entire bus the approximately 190 Mercedes-Benz
The Nobina Group is the metropolises is as much a part of its fleet. Nobina Fleet not only purchases buses currently in use in various Nobina
services as regional and school services. all its vehicles centrally and leases operations are the right choice. The
biggest bus transport operator And Swebus, Sweden‘s biggest long- them to its branches, but it also runs its portfolio is well mixed, and includes
distance provider, also belongs to the own workshops and monitors the fuel low-floor or low-entry Citaros for city
in Scandinavia. It has its own Nobina Group. The well-known Stock- consumption, repair and maintenance traffic, Intouro high-floor buses for
holm-based company manages more costs for every single bus. „We use school traffic and Tourismo coaches for
subsidiary that manages the than 100 public passenger transporta- various IT systems that help us to ana- the long distance travels by Expressbus
tion commissions. Every day, the 3629 lyse the costs for every single bus and subsidiary Swebus. „The support our
entire bus fleet, and knows Nobina buses transport more than a run,“ explains Ingrid Håkanson, Nobina workshops receive from Mercedes-Benz
million passengers. Fleet MD. „We can put the figures on Service is also excellent,“ confirms
Customer portrait Nobina Group exactly to the cent how much the the difference between low-floor and Ingrid Håkanson. So it‘s no coincidence
But Nobina boss Ragnar Norbäck isn‘t low-entry buses just as easily as the that the buses with the star are becom-
total operating costs are for each only interested in size. Profitability, qua- efficiency of buses with Euro 6 engines ing increasingly popular at Nobina. Just

Perfect fleet vehicle – and more and more,

lity and sustainability are words like he
likes to use when talking about the com-
over older models.“ have a look for them next time you
happen to board a bus in Stockholm or

management
pany‘s goals. „We don‘t just see our- With a fleet of more than 3600 buses in Gothenburg, Helsinki, Copenhagen,
makes sure they are selves as a bus operator, we are rather consisting of city buses that cover bet- Oslo or Tromsø.
interested in managing public contracts ween 60,000 and 80,000, and Express
Mercedes-Benz buses. as well as possible,“ he explains. buses that travel up to 200,000 km,

Mobility Worldwide 24 Customer portrait Nobina Group Mobility Worldwide 25 Customer portrait Nobina Group
 1

Bus Depot Management

Factory-
service
reduces
costs 1 Bus Depot Manage-
ment – another good
idea by the service
brand OMNIplus.

Optimise fleet park, reduce service costs – now you can, 2/3 An efficient service
guarantees shrinking
maintenance and repair 2 3 4
costs to make sure your
with Bus Depot Management by OMNIplus. fleet is always in peak
performance.

4 Spares supplies based

on requirements:
No one services or repairs buses better than the manufacturer. buses, combined with a service contract. As part of Bus Depot guaranteeing quality
with top-quality original
That is why more and more operators in Europe are turning Management, OMNIplus took on both the workshop and the spare parts.
to Bus Depot Management, a brilliant idea by OMNIplus. The warehouse. There are now six service technicians working
service brand provides all the support for entire fleets of for the new fleet, while the management staff are provided by
vehicles in a multi-stage model. This can include servicing and OMNIplus. The services include maintenance, repairs, tyres
repairs, but also the preparation of vehicles with refuelling and and a breakdown service. The workshop even carries out ser- In Milan and Utrecht, a depot technician is the interface to the condition, fuel consumption is also lower. Vehicles and service
washing. Other services such as breakdown and tyre service, vices and repairs on 17 buses belonging to a competitor that operator, ensuring that there is daily contact. All vehicle date from a single source guarantee favourable financing, which
accident and glass repairs and the service for checkout and are also included in the fleet. and facts are documented both in its own IT system and in the also benefits from the higher residual value of the fleet at the
information services are also included in Bus Depot Manage- customer‘s. end of the contract.
ment. Benefit: Reduces costs, and the operator can focus on The model for operator ATM in Milan is somewhat different.
the scheduled use of the buses. Here, OMNIplus operates around 100 Citaro at two ATM The benefits speak for themselves: efficient service to the Small wonder, then, that fleet operators from all over Europe
depots, carrying out the services and repairs. The mixed fleet manufacturer‘s requirements and needs-based stocks of are currently interested in Bus Depot Management.
The town of Utrecht in Holland demonstrates how Bus Depot means that OMNIplus has no complete workshops, but takes spare parts reduce the costs for maintenance and repairs.
Management works. Operator Qbuzz won a tender, after over areas at the depots and carries stocks of spare parts. By the same token, availability is increased and the size of
which it ordered 138 Mercedes-Benz Citaro and Citaro G the fleet can be reduced. As the buses are always in the best

Service 26 Bus Depot Management Service 27 Bus Depot Management

People who set standards

Meeting with Winfried A. Seidel and Jutta Benz at the

Dr. Carl Benz Automobile Museum, formerly the factory

of Carl Benz, inventor of the automobile.

The keepers of
the treasure
Discoveries 28 People who set standards Discoveries 29 People who set standards
 People who set standards

1 Classics on parade: Winfried A. Sei-

del and the many automobile mem-
bers of his family in the museum. In
the background, a 1927 omnibus.

2 Home again: Jutta Benz and Win-

fried A. Seidel flanking an original
Benz from the factory in Ladenburg.

3 Cars as art: A wooden steering

wheel and filigree details appeal to
all the observer‘s senses. And you
can see where the term „dashboard“
comes from.

1 3

Winfried A. Seidel walks past a display caused the inventor of the automobile might be in the past now, but it lives A, discovered in a greenhouse. Or the 1927. „It‘s ready to roll,“ Seidel found crete wrecking ball. This „mental horror“
cabinet, apparently paying little attention to leave his original company in 1903, on here. For instance in the meeting 300th „Adenauer“ model of 1953 that it on an Internet portal, being offered gave rise to his passion for cars. His
to it. Then he stops for a moment to but he would later return as a member room, half a storey above the museum. turned up in the area of the museum. by a forwarding agent. Just behind it is father explained to him that the scrap
straighten a label before continuing on of its supervisory board. Benz built a At the head of the table is the chair that To say nothing of the stories about the the 2-metre long exhibition model of a metal was required to build new chassis
his way. The aficionado and devotee of new company in Ladenburg, C. Benz und Carl Benz used to sit on. The furniture stories when people think about the Mercedes-Benz O 6600 H, the legendary from it. Seidel was comforted. „After
vintage cars has the keen eye for details Söhne. Winfried A. Seidel, automobile breathes automobile history; Winfried cars on display. Or remember that their 1951 bus with a rear-mounted engine. that, I thought that every proud
that is needed in this field. We also historian by passion, purchased these Seidel speaks it. He is not only a keen ancestors drove them, and then look And the story of the museum‘s owner is Mercedes-Benz contained a piece of
happen to be in the automobile museum venerable halls over ten years ago, observer, but also a talented story-teller. out the pictures, bringing more stories. every bit as interesting as the stories be- my car.“
that he set up in memory of Dr. Carl refurbished them completely with the Whether about the museum or every Around 120 of the carefully restored or hind the exhibits. There are a few deep
Benz. „My life‘s work,“ he emphasises, assistance of Daimler AG, and transformed single one of its exhibits, the stories just preserved classics on two or four wheels lines on his bearded face, signs of a life Another short version, this time of his
and accuracy is required. them into an absolute gem. With the focus burst out of him, ready to be taken down in the museum can still be driven, and that has been lived to the full. Winfried career. Rejected as a trainee automobile
on Benz and Mercedes-Benz, of course. in writing. About the Mercedes-Benz have become friends – or, as Winfried Seidel is a classic, just like his cars. electrician, he qualified as a telecom-
Carl Benz built his second factory here 8/38 PS taxi, built in 1927, that was Seidel puts it, „are part of the family“. Born in Silesia, he grew up in Bielefeld in munications mechanic instead, trained
in Ladenburg, at the gateway to the car The huge chestnut tree that stands found, abandoned and forgotten, in a Germany, moved to Mannheim to follow as an actor. Initiator and organiser of
city of Mannheim. Incidentally, fashion outside the estate was planted by Bertha Stuttgart car showroom. Or the Benz Saloons, convertibles, sports and racing an early love, and got stuck on historic Veterama, Europe‘s biggest marketplace
convinced him to sign his signature with Benz to mark the opening of the factory racing car with the starting number 6, cars are all part of this large family of vehicles – in the short version. As a for vintage, veteran and classic cars,
a fine „C“ for his first name, although he in 1906. The company operated out winner of the Avus opening in 1921. classics. There‘s even an omnibus, a youngster, he once watched a seller of rubber profiles for the same,
was baptised with a „K“. Dissatisfaction of these halls for almost 100 years. It Or the Mercedes-Benz 170 S Cabriolet Mercedes-Benz N1 observation car of Mercedes-Benz being trashed by a con- museum owner. The list could go on:

Discoveries 30 People who set standards Discoveries 31 People who set standards
 4 Racy racers: Racing cars from various eras exuding
People who set standards sport, adventure and passion.

5 A visit to the workshop: Winfried A. Seidel and his

first classic car were „born“ in same year, 1939.

6 The keepers of the treasure: Jutta Benz and Winfried

A. Seidel are preserving Carl Benz‘s legacy.

now in his mid-seventies and still always Seidel is happy to get his hands dirty. Seidel‘s dream car with the star is the restoration. C. Benz und Söhne – and was known as the ‚Kleenze vom Benze‘“, Mannheim to Pforzheim in 1888.
on the go, what he doesn‘t know about His training included a basic course in 300 SL with gull wings, „the loveliest Winfried A. Seidel, who sought and she says in the local dialect – a famous „It was her first and only car journey,“
classic cars simply isn‘t worth knowing. metal processing, six weeks with former car ever built“. He also has a thing for maintains contact with the Benz family. name can be a burden for children. reports Jutta Benz, who is now the brand
„I‘ve always done fabulous things in my bicycle, sewing machine and automobile the legendary SSK sports cars. And he ambassador for Mercedes-Benz.
life that I have really enjoyed. And I got manufacturer Dürkopp; he can file and is fascinated by the almost-forgotten Today, the Benz family is Jutta Benz, the Today, Jutta Benz is proud of her name;
paid for it!“ he says with satisfaction. grind, and deal with anything electrical. rear-engined Mercedes-Benz, and has last member to bear the family name. she is cast in the mould of the family‘s Like her great-grandfather, she focuses
Later on, in Mannheim he also learnt two of them in the museum. His current The factory is not only a home for cars line of strong and confident women on mobility rather than vehicle techno-
His heart lifts as he walks into the work- how to weld. His first classic, an Adler fleet consists of various models from – the only two surviving examples are that started with her great-grandmother logy. It‘s no coincidence that Carl Benz
shop in the rear hall. „It‘s not terribly tidy, Trumpf Junior of 1939, is at the back of the Smart to the Vito. As well as a series here – but it is also her home. „I grew Bertha Benz, the woman who once gave invented the omnibus after the car.
but anything else would be a disaster.“ the workshop. „That‘s what started it W 124 Cabriolet, „the only new car I‘ve up here,“ she says, with a sweep of her her husband Carl Benz the money for „He was a bus manufacturer at heart,“
Stacks of tyres all around; car parts, all,“ he says. He discovered the car at ever bought“. It was built in 1992. arm, and talks of how she used to sit at his developments. It was she who, with explains his great-granddaughter. Which
thick tomes, order books from a former the end of 1969 as he happened to pass a typewriter in the office or play in the her sons, made the first long-distance goes with one of the stories that only
Mercedes-Benz representation on high it, in a field, covered in snow and with a „But the main exhibit is the factory,“ he warehouse. She lived in what is known journey in the Model 3 – for a long time, Jutta Benz can tell. Her great-grand-
shelves. Tools close by, ready for use. broken soft top. The two are connected emphasises, and talks about the 10,000 as the „Wohnturm“, the family‘s raised it was on loan to the Dr. Carl Benz Museum father used to like to walk from the
You can tell from looking at them that by the year as well as this story. tiles that had to be replaced during the house that is right next to the factory. „I from London‘s Science Museum – from family‘s villa to the factory. One day, two

Discoveries 32 People who set standards Discoveries 33 People who set standards
 People who set standards

„But I like the freedom

a car gives me“
Jutta Benz

7 8

7 At the sign of the star: Mercedes-Benz

cars passed him, each one occupied only about this to the apprentices in the history and French teacher is more in- and its predecessors cast a spell on Win-
fried Seidel at an early age.
by a chauffeur and a single passenger. Daimler Group’s factories. She still terested in the environment and animal Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz
8 Automobile museum in the former
To which he commented: „If I had known remembers the stories her grandfather welfare. „But I like the freedom a car automobile factory: Jutta Benz grew up
Ilvesheimer Straße 26
that only two people would be sitting in Eugen Benz and his brother Richard told gives me,“ she says, and praises her ‚C‘ 68526 Ladenburg here, while for Winfried A. Seidel it is the
completion of his life‘s work.
my invention, I would have thrown them her, the same men who once accom- class that will get her from Mannheim Tel. +49 (0) 62 03/18 17 86
into the Neckar River.“ panied and supported Bertha Benz on to Brittany on a single tank of petrol. www.automuseum-dr-carl-benz.de
her historic journey. „Du schaffsch beim Everything reminds us of Bertha Benz. In
Open on Wednesdays, Saturdays,
Jutta Benz is the keeper of her family‘s Benz [you work at Benz],“ as it is still 1943, her great-grandmother wrote that Sundays and public holidays
from 14:00 until 18:00.
history, her great-grandparents‘ energy said in the Mannheim dialect today. Jutta would one day be „a very clever
Coach trips welcome, groups by agreement
and their spirit of discovery, the entre- young lady“ – and who would argue with outside normal opening times as well.
preneurial spirit. „I have my story, my Jutta Benz does not know everything her?
history; I am a Benz.“ Jutta Benz talks there is to know about cars; the retired

Discoveries 34 People who set standards Discoveries 35 People who set standards
South Wales offers travel groups gently rolling hills, impressive castles and a

fabulous coastline, as well as plenty to delight the culture-lovers and gourmets.

Bus company owner Jason Edwards of Llantwit Fardre near Cardiff shares his

secret tips for a visit to his home with us.

Edwards Coaches

„Croeso i de Gymru“
(Welcome to South Wales)
A day is nowhere near enough, and even man), a visit to Cardiff Castle is a must. guided tours of one of the country‘s
a week would be cutting it fine. „Even „Apart from its historical significance, it most successful cultural sites. 1

within just an hour‘s drive of Cardiff, is simply impressive,“ he explains. The

there is more for a travel group to see history of the castle that stands today Edwards Coaches regularly brings
than they could cope with in ten days,“ goes back to Roman times. Signs of the visitors here, but the company also
he says. The commercial director of Norman settlement can be seen on a supports the Millennium Centre as a
3
Edwards Coaches should know. The fa- guided tour, as well as fabulously deco- sponsor. The consistent continuation of
mily company has been based near the rated chambers from the Victorian era. its corporate policy, in Jason‘s opinion:
Welsh capital since 1925. Every year, Edwards‘ tip: the Welsh banquet with „Our business is all about partnerships 1 A visit to Cardiff Castle is an
absolute must.
more than 80,000 passengers travel on medieval music and actors in traditional and relationships – with customers,
the light blue Edwards coaches. Welsh costumes. partners, suppliers and our colleagues. 2 Wales Millennium Center - one of the
loveliest concert halls on the island.
As a company, we benefit from good 2
3 Experiencing bygone days up close - the
So what would travel pro Jason Edwards Modern: Wales Millennium Centre relationships. But they don‘t happen by St Fagans National History Museum.
suggest for anyone visiting his home? The contrast between Cardiff Castle themselves.“
Enterprising Jason took us on one of and Jason‘s next recommendation
the ten new Mercedes-Benz Tourismo couldn‘t be greater: a visit to the Wales He also sees parallels in the association network, Mercedes-Benz buses go well Welsh jewel less than 30 minutes from buildings and workshops from various
triple-axle coaches that have been Millennium Centre. This modern building between Mercedes-Benz and Edwards with our claim and our corporate philo- Cardiff: the museum village of St Fag- locations in Wales. And it‘s not just for
added to the Edwards Coaches fleet on is home to one of the island‘s loveliest Coaches. „We have spent generations sophy.“ Over the coming years, Jason ans. Admission is free, and visitors can looking: visitors can also smell, taste,
a brilliant combination of history, culture concert halls, with seating for 1900 peo- building up a brand, and every day we Edwards plans to change his entire fleet experience life as it used to be in Wales touch and join in. A farm, blacksmith‘s
and culinary delights. ple, various events rooms, exhibitions, work hard at filling this brand with life,“ of 30 coaches over to Mercedes-Benz up close and hands-on. „We regularly forge, baker‘s and other traditional
cafés, bars and restaurants. Britain‘s he explains. „Quality, service and safety Tourismo. bring groups to St Fagans, but I also crafts are open every day; there are
History: Cardiff Castle leading orchestras perform here regu- – these are the important set screws often come with my children,“ says the courses that visitors can take, and they
Jason states quite frankly that our first larly; there are musicals and operas, that make sure our customers are sa- Experience: St Fagans National 44-year-old father. Since 1948, and with can buy the freshly-baked bread, fruit
stop is most definitely not a secret tip. theatre and comedy, courses for adults tisfied. With their above-average series History Museum the help of numerous volunteers, the and vegetables grown on the grounds.
However, for the true Welshman (or wo- and children – and highly entertaining features and the first-class service Next, Jason Edwards takes us to a museum has re-erected more than 40

Discoveries 36 Edwards Coaches Discoveries 37 Edwards Coaches

 Drivers‘ Club 3.0
The online platform is being given a complete
renewal in time for the 30th anniversary of the
Mercedes-Benz Drivers‘ Club. The new web-
site is modern and clearly laid out, and offers
drivers greatly extended functionalities for
forum contributions and evaluation options for
images and video. Tried-and-tested functions
such as the download of the current Omnibus
magazine have been retained. Brigitte Hofstät- Brigitte Hofstätter-Kelchner has been looking after the Drivers‘ Club
since 1 April 2015.
ter-Kelchner is responsible for the Drivers‘ Club.

Club portrait
„The aim of the Club is to provide information
and useful tips on travel routes, rest areas and
events. Drivers can also upload images or films,
and exchange ideas and information on various Brigitte Hofstätter-Kelchner has been responsible for the Club
topics in the forum.“ Other items of interest since 1 April. The office administrator, has high expectations
include exciting stories involving the bus, and of the Club‘s new look. „I want it to be lively, and I need three
possibly even descriptions of entire routes. things for that to happen: more communication, more activi-
ties, and motivated drivers.“

She certainly has the best qualifications for this task. The frien-
dly lady, who was born and raised in Baden in Germany, has
4
worked in sales for 25 years, 15 of them with Mercedes-Benz.

4 Bus company operator Jason Edwards

of Llantwit Fardre near Cardiff.
5 6

Tremendous response for

5 The Custom House in Penarth
Marina to the south of Cardiff Bay.

the Citaro in Australia

6 Meals are chosen from the well-
stocked counter.

Mercedes-Benz offers a tremendous solution for

inner-city traffic in the Citaro.

The Citaro attracted much attention at the BusVic

Maintenance Conference and Bus Expo in Melbourne
in July 2015. Many of the visitors, including some of
Culinary delights: Custom House at the richly-stocked counter. Jason „or maybe a tour of our rugby stadium, the most influential decision-makers and influencers
The ingredients that chef Trefor Jones Edwards recommends one of the more the Millennium Stadium? Or perhaps in the Australian omnibus industry, were seeing the
uses for guests at the Custom House in than 800 wines with your meal. „Tanny a visit to the BBC recording studios Citaro for the first time. Correction to the article “The new Citaro G – an engine makes room for
more passengers”, issue 02/2015.
Penarth Marina to the south of Cardiff buys most of them from the growers.“ where the cult series ‚Dr. Who‘ is filmed?
Bay are also fresh every day. Jason There is a large car park- with parking Or perhaps …,“ - well, you get the The surprising media presence and positive response Model Citaro G, OM 470 Citaro G, OM 936 h
Edwards recommends the restaurant for coaches as well - right outside picture. Quite obviously, you do need to resulted in a tremendous increase in demand. The Total capacity 3-door, 150 people 3-door, 163 people
run by his friend Nataniel „Tanny“ the door. And he knows from bitter allow yourself a little time for a visit to Citaro‘s first test run in Australia by a large fleet ope- 4-door, 152 people 4-door, 163 people
Martinez not only for its delicious fish experience that it is difficult to get a South Wales. rator is planned for the fourth quarter of 2015. Standing places 3-door, 106 people 3-door, 117 people
and seafood, but the steaks and poultry table without booking. 4-door, 115 people 4-door, 121 people
such as duck and grouse also melt in Seats 3-door, 44 people 3-door, 46 people
the mouth. For the uninitiated: meals After your meal, he suggests a walk
4-door, 37 people 4-door, 42 people
are not ordered at the table, but chosen across the nearby Cardiff Bay Barrage,
Table of capacities of the Citaro G, standard version.

Discoveries 38 Edwards Coaches Spotlights 39 News

Intouro now even safer Imprint:
Mercedes-Benz Omnibus –
The magazine for bus operators and
transport companies.
Responsible on behalf of publisher:
Reiner Hörter (legally responsible for content)

Project management:
The Mercedes-Benz magazine Omnibus is pub-
lished three times per year. All rights reserved.
Reprinting and electronic processing are only
permitted with the written authorisation of
Hans-Werner Jungmann the publisher.
Published by: No responsibility is accepted for unsolicited
The Intouro is quite rightly described as economical, inexpensive and EvoBus GmbH Concept, layout, editing and production: text and image contributions.
Mercedes-Benz Omnibusse L 22 Newport3 GmbH & Co. KG
flexible. Some operators even call it an economic miracle in the fleet. And D-68301 Mannheim, Germany Neumann-Reichardt-Straße 27 - 33 (Haus 6)
Tel.: +49 (0)6217 404 319 D-22041 Hamburg, Germany
now the Intouro has turned to the issue of safety. With the combination Fax: +49 (0)6217 405 354 Tel.: +49 (0)40 671 0900
www.mercedes-benz.com E-mail: info@newport3.de
approval 2/3 as a combined overland and travel bus, the safety package
includes the AEBS (Advanced Emergency Braking System) and the track
assistant (SPA) as standard features. SPA warns the driver by vibrations in
the seat if the omnibus unintentionally leaves its lane. AEBS uses a radar
system to record vehicles ahead and stationery vehicles and, in the event
of the risk of a collision, automatically initiates braking. The standard
AEBS is so advanced that it already meets the second-stage requirements
of legislation that will not become mandatory for another three years.

A „4-star bus“ for the

German Football Museum
On 25 October 2015, the German in mutilmedia and by more than 1600 German National Football team following
Football Museum, an initiation by the exhibits on a total area of 7700 sqm. its return from Rio de Janeiro as the world
German Football Association and the One particular highlight has been champions. Fittingly, it was a flagship of
city of Dortmund, is to open its doors provided by the museum‘s premium the Mercedes-Benz omnibuses, the
to the public. Germany‘s football history partner Mercedes-Benz. The first form Travego.
is explained and shared interactively, of transportation on German soil for the

Benedikt Höwedes symbolically

presents the key to Manuel Neukirchner.

Former national player Jens Lehmann, museum director Manuel

Neukirchner and Gerd Hewing, Mercedes-Benz Sales Director West,
pulling the world champions’ bus into the German Football Museum.

Spotlights 40 News Imprint 41 Omnibus