A Daimler Brand

Supplier: EvoBus GmbH, Neue Straße 95, 73230 Kirchheim unter Teck

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 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

215x280_EVO_CitaroNGT_Omnibusmagazin_EN.indd 1 28.10.15 16:17

The magazine for bus operators and transport companies.

Mercedes-Benz steps on it

The new Citaro NGT

3 | 2015

Omnibus

With best wishes, Ulrich BastertHead of Marketing, Sales & Aftersales Daimler Buses

My name is Ulrich Bastert, and for the past eight years I was responsible for all the marketing and distribution activities at Mercedes-Benz Trucks. One of my main tasks while I was there was the global introduction of our new product generation of trucks. On the one hand, this meant lots of new challenges for me and my staff. On the other, and again with my excellent team, a tremendous amount of pleasure was gained from the work we did together and that is now complete. And then the time came, just at the right time for me, to start looking for new challenges. I am delighted about these new challenges at Daimler Buses.

Talking of new, the task of looking after the environment while lowering costs at the same time is one that is faced by the new Citaro NGT engine at its world première at the Busworld in Kortrijk. Its CO2 emissions are considerably lower than those of its predecessor, its fuel consumption 15 to 20% more economical than

the same (Citaro CNG). You can find out exactly what else it has to offer in this issue.

Long-distance buses are another exciting topic – booming since the opening of the long-distance market in Germany. Whereas some 8.2 million passengers were carried in 2013, today the figure is around 16 million, and there has also been a dramatic increase in the number of companies in the Federal Republic in the past two years. A market with economic potential, but also with commercial challenges.

People who set standards – just read about Winfried Seidel‘s passion! The car, and in that association his automobile museum Dr. Carl Benz in Ladenburg. A life‘s work that makes the history of mobility something that can be experienced.

I hope you enjoy your reading!

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.

A warmwelcome to you,

2Editorial Omnibus 3Editorial Omnibus

26-27 Bus Depot Management Factory service reduces costs

6-9 Top theme Citaro NGT: Mercedes-Benz steps on it

28-35 People who set standards The keepers of the treasure36-38 Edwards Coaches „Croeso i de Gymru“ (Welcome to South Wales)

10-13 Long-distance Engine for the bus industry?14-15 Tourismo as a touring bus Born for long distances16-17 Busworld Kortrijk exhibition See the sights with the star18-19 Public transport on demand Line sprinters to order

39 Drivers‘ Club 3.0

Tremendous response for the Citaro in Australia

40 Intouro now even safer

A „4-star bus“ for the German Football Museum

20-23 Latin American bus market Best foundation for more mobility24-25 Customer portrait Nobina Group Perfect fleet management

Service

Technology & Innovation

Discoveries

Market & Branches

Spotlights Impressum

Mobility Worldwide

Mercedes-Benz steps on itCurtain 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.

6-9

Top theme

The new Citaro NGT

4Contents Omnibus 5Contents Omnibus

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)

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.

Citaro NGT: Mercedes-Benz steps on it

Top theme

The Citaro NGT - combining cleanliness and

economy on the highest level.

6Technology & Innovation Top theme 7Technology & Innovation Top theme

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1 Key identifier of the Citaro NGT: the cover hood on the roof.

2 The newly-designed gas bottles are light and yet highly stable.

3 The heart of the Citaro NGT is the new Mercedes-Benz M 936 G gas engine.

and the maximum torque of 1200 Nm are on the diesel level. Even more important: drivers will be delighted with the identical performance development. The Citaro NGT accelerates away from a bus stop or traffic lights with the same dynamism as its diesel counterpart. This is due to the powerful engine and the appropriately configured auto-matic drive with new switching programmes and a softer converter by Voith and ZF and the appropriate ratios.

At the same time, the Citaro NGT is undeniably a „Mr. Clean“. Emissions level Euro VI requires no further comment, since the gas engine performs well below its limits. It does this without the customary SCR techno-logy and without particle filters. A three-way catalytic converter (like that of a petrol engine) is all. The CO2 emissions are well worth a closer look. Well to wheel, so in the environmental balance from fuel production to transportation to combustion, the CO2 advantage is up to ten percent. Using bio natural gas raises this figure to up to 80 percent in comparison with conventional diesel.

At the same time, the noise level of the Citaro NGT is again much lower than that of the quiet, smooth-running OM 936 diesel engine. Subjectively, the noise emission is even halved – a distinct advantage in busy town and city centres and on highly frequented routes.

All this is due to the M 936 G gas engine. Both its cylinder block and the four-valve cylinder head are from the diesel engine. Charging, charged air supply, ignition and mixture preparation, as well as the water-cooled exhaust gas recycling, were newly developed for gas operation, as was the geometry of the piston cavity. The gas drive of the externally ignited engine works like the petrol ver-sion. The spark plugs with pencil coils are housed where the injectors for the fuel injection system are in a diesel engine. As the dimensions of the gas engine (which was installed upright) are the same as that of the diesel, installation in the customary tower method in the Citaro 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).

So the environmental balance is spot on – as is the economy. The long maintenance intervals also play their part: the Citaro NGT only heads for the workshop for new oil and spark plugs every 60,000 kilometres. So with the usual sort of mileage, this means there is only one visit a year. In the development, the engineers also made sure there was easy access to the gas control on the roof, and there is a service flap on the side of the cover over the gas bottles.

The M 936 G weighs about 25 percent less than its 12-litre predecessor. Combined with the light gas bottles and general weight reduction measures, this downsizing gives the current Citaro surprisingly favourable results in the weight balance: with series features, the rigid bus can carry up to 96 passengers, and the „bendy“ bus a maximum of 153. An achievement that is otherwise only matched by diesel buses.

It‘s almost as if some transport companies had been waiting for the Citaro NGT. As part of a double premiere, the trade audience was recently able to see its advan-tages for itself during the French public transport trade fair “Rencontres national du transport public” in Lyon/France, shortly before the Kortrijk omnibus trade fair in Belgium. The first order from France has already been received: the Cars d‘Orsay company is to receive eight rigid buses for use in the Île de France region in Paris be-fore the end of the year. The Citaro NGT‘s predecessors are already in use here. Cars d’Orsay wants to reduce frequencies with the new coaches. The company has also received an order from Augsburg in Germany, where the municipal authority operates an all-gas bus fleet. The first of the total of 68 Citaro NGT, including 53 articulated buses plus other options, will be handed over from December.

The new Citaro NGT meets all the requirements of the transport companies, and combines cleanliness and economy on the very highest level.

8Technology & Innovation Top theme 9Technology & Innovation Top theme

Engine for thebus industry?

Long-distance

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 the beginning: „Long-distance bus travel – that‘s something we could do.“ When the long-distance market opened up to private bus operators in 2012, the

owner and MD of Hunau-Reisen in Ger-many‘s Sauerland saw it as an excellent opportunity to acquire another pillar to go with the travel business, cruise ship transfers and local bus transport that

the family company, which was founded in 1951, already runs. His son Axel, also an MD, was a little more sceptical. „He took some convincing,“ says Knipschild.

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

Today, just two years later, Hunau-Reisen operates a total of eight coaches on four long-distance routes between Amsterdam, Düsseldorf, Berlin and Dresden. Like all MeinFernbus partners, he benefits from the success of his long-distance bus lines, but also bears part of the risk. The 61-year-old wants to keep the latter to the absolute minimum, and so from the beginning has focused on routes where he has been able to estimate the passenger potential accurately thanks to his experience in tourist travel. „We‘ve spent many years taking tourists to and from Dresden, and I was fully aware that there was a tremendous demand for that particular route. Furthermore, almost all of our lines go through our home region of the Sauer- land, which makes it easy to organise round trips. And we‘ve been able to advertise our long-distance routes with our regional bus passengers.“ Success

has proved him right: thanks to the numerous passengers travelling parts of the routes, Knipschild can now report on „very good loads of up to 72 passengers per 49-seater coach and route“.

Not everyone got off to such a good start with long-distance buses on the German market. Although the growth rates shot through the ceiling in the first year and the number of passengers almost rocketed to the eight-million mark, the consistently low pricing meant that renowned competitors such as Aldi, ADAC and National Express soon withdrew from the market. Nor did it take long for the first provider to file for bankruptcy. And yet the number of offered long-distance bus lines into and from Germany increased to more than 250 in 2014. The German Federal Statistical Office calculated an increase in passenger numbers from 8.2 to

16 million for 2014. And once again this year, the BDO, the Federal Association of Coach Operators, is expecting a signifi- cant increase to more than 20 million passengers.

Further positive signals are coming from France, where the industry‘s liberalisation law introduced by Economic Minister Emmanuel Macron in the middle of August is to give the industry more dynamism. This also affects passenger transport, previously very strictly regu-lated, but which is now to be liberalised and develop in line with the German example. International bus operators such as Megabus and Euroline and the German market leader MeinFernbus/Flixbus have already announced plans to expand their long-distance network to France.

Golden times for the bus industry? Pragmatics such as Tobias Jungnitsch of Theo‘s Reisen in Münster have a slightly different view. The MeinFernbus partner doesn‘t think that growth alone is a guarantee of success for the long- distance business. „Above all, we need to keep an eye on sustainability. It‘s too early to say how profitable the develop-ment of the long-distance bus lines is going to be for coach companies in the long-term. We can‘t rest on our laurels yet.“ And it‘s true - profit margins aren‘t going to shoot up with low ticket prices and constant investments in new lines, and thus in new buses. Plus the wheel-chair spaces that will be required by law on new buses from January 2016 will mean additional costs for the operators.

So this makes it even more important that the vehicles are up to the challengespresented by long-distance operation.

Being used on six or even seven days a week and covering annual distances of between 240,000 and 290,000 kilo-metres requires maximum reliability, low service and repair expenditure, minimal downtimes and low overall operating costs. All things that Martin Verhuven, managing director long-distance at Verhuven-Reisen in Xanten on the Lower Rhine in Germany, can testify to with the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo in his fleet. „With only two axles and measuring 13 metres in length, the Tourismo is a highly economical vehicle that also has the right price/performance ratio.“

Hunau-Reisen managing director Friedel Knipschild adds: „Especially with the features offered by Mercedes-Benz – such as WLAN, 220V sockets on the seats, WC with electric hand drier and four-star seating – the Tourismo M/2 is the perfect long-distance bus.“ And

although he isn‘t currently planning any additions to his long-distance offer, he isn‘t ruling it out. „I am delighted that we joined the long-distance business in 2013, and would do it again in a heartbeat. There‘s still plenty of potential on this market, in particular because it enables us to reach a target group that we haven‘t really addressed as a travel company: young people under 30. And after all, they are the bus travellers of tomorrow.“

Father and son: Axel Knipschild (left) and Friedel Knipschild. (Source: Westfalenpost/Laura Nowicki)

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

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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 lines.

recommendations provided by disability associations in the development.

Entertainment electronics play a key role on a touring bus. Wi-Fi is obligatory, but not enough in the long term. Each double seat has a 230-volt plug to provide the power for passengers‘ devices.

The energy supply to hungry passengers is not quite such a high priority: the kitchen is cold. Still, it is often ordered, either with a view to later use or to sell on. The fridge at the rear can be replaced by a snack machine.

The „little girls‘ (or boys‘)“ room on a touring bus undergoes rigorous testing. A special configuration package helps. The waste and fresh water tanks have both been increased to 150 litres, and flushing has been reduced from five to three seconds. With a reinforced toilet seat, stainless steel tap, second paper holder and additional mirror, the toilet on the Tourismo is ready for the onslaught. On request, an electric

hand drier is available to replace the paper, and a disinfectant dispenser perfects the level of hygiene.

There‘s no need to discuss safety with a Mercedes-Benz. The AEBS emergency braking system on the Tourismo does more than the law requires it to, as does the Lane Assistant. To perfect the features, add the tyre pressure control system or – new – the rain/light sensor to the list. To ensure that the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo RHD is perfectly prepared for its challenging existence as an endurance runner.

Geared up for long distances right down the line: the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo RHD is the ultimate long-distance bus. This the high-deck touring bus has everything it needs: After a total of 30,000 buses and more than 10,000 models in the current series, the Tourismo has reached a very high level of maturity. At the same time, it is highly economical, comfortable and safe. Available as two- and three-axle versions, it covers the entire high-deck range from 12 to 14 metres in length.

Touring buses are veritable marathon runners that cover a quarter of a million kilometres a year. The heavy-duty Mercedes-Benz OM 470 motor with a capacity of 10.7 litres is made for this kind of requirement. One recommendation is the combination of a performance level of 315 kW (428 hp) with the fully-automatic eight-gear GO 250-8 PowerShift drive. This is better for the driver and the power unit; the Tourismo is economical with low emissions. The Tourismo also scores as a „mile eater“ with oil changes: it can go up to 120,000 between them, and the intervals between cleaning the particle filter are also long.

One level up in the passenger‘s cab, the matching seating is Travel Star Eco with Softline upholstery. The easy operation appeals even to inexperienced passengers, while the seating comfort will delight even experienced long-distance passengers. Mercedes-Benz recommends extremely hard-wearing velour for the seat covers. Another tip are headrests in „Composition“, the new material. It is made from leather fibres, looks and feels like leather, but is less sensitive and easy-care. A four-star seat pitch is standard on touring buses, and there is also a middle seat at the back. Footrests are a standard feature, as are fold-down tables on the seat backs. Good to know: even a laptop won‘t weaken the knees of the sturdy table on the Tourismo.

All passengers are welcome on board a Tourismo. The optional lift and additional door are available to provide access for passengers with a disability. The lift is installed in the luggage compartment behind the front axle. Double seats on the right and left of the passenger deck can be pushed together to make room for wheelchairs. A bridge is available to cover the centre aisle if necessary. Mercedes-Benz was guided by

Reliable and robust, highly economical, comfortable and safe –

the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo is the perfect endurance runner for

use as a touring bus.

Born for long distancesTourismo as a touring bus

14Market & Branches Tourismo as a touring bus 15Market & Branches Tourismo as a touring bus

See the sights with the starBusworld Kortrijk exhibition

The world première of the Citaro NGT, the 10,000th Tourismo of the latest generation and the 10,000th

Travego, an innovative minibus and a flexible intercity bus – Mercedes-Benz at the Busworld Kortrijk.

designed for the entire lifetime of the city bus, and increase safety because their light isn‘t so tiring for the eyes. Something else that is new are the optional folding seats in the area for special use. Thanks to their larger seats, they can now be entered in the vehicle‘s documents as full seats. The folding seats are available as single or double seats, and now – new – as mother-and-child seats.

An old town like Kortrijk, with narrow roads and lanes, routes with low pas-senger frequency or quieter load times – all these make up the domain of the minibuses with the star. The displayed Sprinter City 65 demonstrated all the familiar advantages, such as the low-floor platform between the axles, and surprised visitors with its comprehensive entertainment electronics. Passengers receive a freely chosen range of infor-mation via the passenger information system with TFT screen. So the line operator becomes a programme maker. If passengers want to choose their own

programme, they have the benefit of on-board Wi-Fi and plenty of USB connec-tions for smartphones and tablets.A version of the overland sales hit Intouro M for France appeals in a com- pletely different way. Fifty-five seats over 12.6 metres are the secret, especially with this flexibility: swivelling double seat beside the two-wing middle door, a lift for passengers with limited mobility, and two fold-down double seats on the area for special use. Plus various other comfort features, such as Travel Star Eco coach seating with adjustable backrests, double glazing, air conditioning and spacious luggage racks – even on long journeys, passengers will be very happy!

The Tourismo RHD is practically made for long journeys. Especially, as was demonstrated in Kortrijk, as a long- distance bus. Visitors were able to try the new comfort headrests for the first time. They pull out by 85 mm, and the fold-down „ears“ comfortably support the head even when the user is having a snooze. The bus on display was the

10,000th in the current series – since its première in the autumn of 2006, the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo has become the best-selling coach in Europe. The unfussy, highly economical Tourismo is the backbone for coach travel all over Europe. As a high-decker coach, high-floor bus or club bus, it covers all the usual requirements – and that‘s how you become a best-seller.

The Travego also celebrated a remarkable anniversary in Kortrijk – 10,000 units since it was first presented. Constantly developed, the Travego is state-of-the-art in technology and safety. The high-deck coach is constantly setting new standards, and for many companies is the figurehead for exclusive travel – like the displayed Travego M with Active Brake Assist. This high-decker, in an azure blue metallic finish and with an extremely tasteful interior, was also one of the sights of Kortrijk.

The Gothic town hall, medieval towers, the Beginenhof with 40 Baroque houses – there is plenty to see in the little Belgian town of Kortrijk. Kortrijk and its picturesque centre are close to the French border, not far from the North Sea coast, so it‘s not exactly central. But that hasn‘t prevented more than 30,000 visitors from making their way there every two years in October for this biennial event. That‘s when Kortrijkj‘s main attraction is the Busworld, the world‘s biggest bus and coach exhibition. The omnibus world meets on

the Xpo exhibition site in the south-east of the town.

There was plenty to see there in autumn, especially in Hall Five. Mercedes-Benz presented a representative cross-section of its programme with countless inno-vations, from urban buses to coaches, from maxi to mini, flanked by partners OMNIplus, BusStore, FleetBoard and Daimler Financial Services – a complete, and completely successful, appearance.

The highlight was the world première

of the Citaro NGT (see also page 6 of this issue) with its innovative natural gas engine. Low emissions, quiet in operation, light in weight and maximum efficiency – the Citaro NGT and the Mercedes-Benz M 936 G engine, which was displayed separately, attracted visitors like beacons.

The displayed Citaro NGT looked back through special „eyes“: the best-selling city bus is now also optionally available with LED headlights. These headlights lower the energy consumption, are

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.

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

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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.

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.’

The TAD fleet consists of 40 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter City 35 and Sprinter Transfer 45 vehicles, all of which 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 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 after having clocked up 600 kilometres. After such a long day, the doors of a minibus have opened between 12 and 20 times per hour. With 180 stops located at an average distance of 300 metres apart, the network can certainly be described as dense. It is also connected with larger train stations and tram terminals via central intersections, or ‘hubs’.

‘With the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter models, we have finally found a minibus capable of offering our service on demand,’ states Fabrice Marcon. ‘Both models are more comfortable than comparable competitors. They also have fewer technical problems, which in turn reduces maintenance costs. We are extremely satisfied.’

Flexible, punctual and with the usual high quality – for the residents of Toulouse, the popular vote was definitely worth it. And through its collaboration with the public transport operators, Alcis has also proven that providing optimal coverage of the region, schedule alignment with existing transport timetables and top reliability needn’t lead to excessive costs. This is a concept that certainly belongs in the textbook for public transport of the future. Where timetables are adapted to the citizens, and not the other way around.

More and more people are moving into the centres of large cities. This leads to changes in public transport services. While mobility networks in the inner city areas experience continuous improvements, public transport in suburbs and rural areas becomes sparser. Nevertheless, this development is not unstoppable. Ten years ago, the residents of Toulouse voted to halt the erosion of transport timetables.

With the TAD system (Transport à la demande, or ‘On-demand transport’ in English), the city in the south-west of France in-itiated a service to retain transport provisions on endangered routes, including during times of low demand and in low-traffic areas, such as the Midi-Pyrénées region.

The pioneer behind this demand-driven public transport service in France is the Toulouse-based bus and travel company Alcis. Its ‘Alcis TAD’ system complements the classic bus lines and covers a radius of up to 20 kilometres in the suburbs and outskirts of the city, which is home to 450,000 inhabitants. Passengers simply book the transport two hours beforehand by telephone or Internet. The bus then takes them to their desired stop, for exactly the same price as the conventional city bus.

‘We have adjusted our transport services to meet demand, thus solving a problem that exists in many metropolitan areas. Outside of rush hours, many vehicles are underused, which makes classic bus lines very expensive,’ explains Fabrice Marcon, President of the Alcis Group. ‘The TAD system offers

Up to 20 stops an hour and 600 kilometres a day: for ten years, Alcis has been using the

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter City and Sprinter Transfer to operate its on-demand public transport service

in and around Toulouse. High levels of reliability distinguish both the vehicles and the operator.

Line sprinters to orderPublic transport on demand

18Market & Branches Public transport on demand 19Market & Branches Public transport on demand

Best foundation for more mobility

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.

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 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.

20Mobility Worldwide Latin American bus market 21Mobility Worldwide Latin American bus market

Scene change: Panamericana to the south of Lima, Peru – passengers have made themselves at home in the comfortable leather armchairs on this orange and white, 14-metre high-decker coach. The 3-axle vehicle glides smoothly along the legendary North-South connection, here in the form of a three-lane highway next to the coast. The long-distance coach is en route to Cusco, around 1100 kilometres away, and once the Inca capital. It is one of the vehicles on the 360-vehicle fleet of the Movil Tours bus and transport company of Lima, which provides daily links to 29 destinations all over Peru on comfortably appointed long-distance coaches. The racy chassis by the Brazilian body builder also conceals vehicle technology by Mercedes-Benz. Only recently, Movil Tours ordered a further 30 new coaches with Mercedes chassis.

And the Peruvians are not alone. The chassis with the star – whether minibus, urban bus or coach, Euro 2, Euro 3 or Euro 5 drive – are in demand all over Latin America. In many countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, Paraguay and Peru, Daimler Buses is by far the market leader and, with five pro-duction locations all over the world, also the biggest chassis producer in this region. Despite some unsteadiness in the economic development of these countries and the correspon-ding fluctuations in sales figures, Latin America is of tremen-dous importance to the Daimler company‘s bus division. With

more than 17,000 vehicles and thus more than half the world’s annual bus production, the bus manufacturer sells more than half the buses in the 23 countries between the Caribbean and the Andes, the Amazon and Tierra del Fuego.

And as varied as the landscapes and climate zones of the South American continent are, so too are its buses: minibuses, midibuses and city buses with the engine in the front are seen as frequently here as modern coaches with reclining seats that can easily hold their own against any airline‘s Business Class. And whereas the Euro 2 motors in buses in Honduras are still state of the art, Chile requires all new registrations to have modern, environmentally friendly Euro 5 standard engines.

Despite all the variety, though, one thing all these buses have in common is the construction of the chassis. Traditionally, vehicle manufacturers and regional chassis builders share the added value in Latin America. This not only creates jobs in the area, but also facilitates extremely flexible adjustments of the bus body to the often very special requirements of the individual bus operators.

Most recently, the O 500 MA chassis by Mercedes-Benz had a particularly warm reception. In March, 40 articulated buses of this type with Busscar de Colombia bodies went into operation

In March 2015, 40 articulated buses with superstructures by Busscar de Colombia went into operation in Quito, the capital of Ecuador.

The bus and transport company Movil Tours of Lima combines 20 destinations all over Peru every day.

in the Ecuadorian capital Quito. Situated at an altitude of 2800 metres, with countless inclines and slopes and blessed with a large number of passengers, the BRT system there places tremendous demands on the performance, safety and strength of the bus chassis.

BRT systems are also absolutely on trend in the public trans-port systems in other mega cities of Latin America. And it‘s no coincidence that Mercedes-Benz has set up a team of staff to provide the transport operators with expert advice in the planning and implementation of BRT systems.

As the biggest bus manufacturer and the market leader in Latin America, Daimler Buses is also investing in the further development of its production capacities. As recently as June 2015, a new works opened its doors in Funza near Bogotá in Colombia, and according to the plans, 4000 units are to roll off the conveyors here every year. Daimler Buses will be pro-ducing six different chassis models with BlueTec 5 technology in the new Colombian works. They will form the solid base for the most diverse minibuses and urban buses, for intercity buses and coaches – and an environmentally friendly, safe and reliable base for more mobility for millions of people in Latin America.

By bus to the mineTurbus, Chile

1700 buses, 8000 staff – the Turbus bus company, founded in 1948, is today one of the biggest bus companies in Chile. Turbus‘s long-distance lines provide regular connections from and to 174 destinations all over Chile, from Arica in the north to Puerto Montt in the south. Between them lie some 3000 kilometres. The figures clearly reveal just how important bus transport is for the Chileans: every year, 29 million passengers travel on Turbus‘s buses.

The company also has two other divisions apart from long- distance traffic: freight transportation and „industry“. By „industry“, Turbus means passengers transportation on behalf of major industrial companies, and in particular mine operators. Turbus operates this division under the „Viggo“ brand.

Chile is the world‘s biggest producer of copper. The main copper deposits, covering several thousand square kilometres, are in

the north of Chile. Copper is mined both in opencast mines and underground. Due to the tremendous distances between the sites and the residential areas and the vast areas of the mines, the mine operators need buses to get their workforces to work and home again and to transport them around the mines themselves. Every day, Turbus operates around 250 buses – 90 percent of them on Mercedes-Benz chassis – for more than 35 industry and mining customers.

The Turbus bus company, founded in 1948, is today one of the biggestcompanies in the whole of Chile.

22Mobility Worldwide Latin American bus market 23Mobility Worldwide Latin American bus market

Swebus, Sweden‘s biggest long-distance provider, is part of the Nobina Group.

One particular current trend goes in Nobina‘s favour: whereas only a few years ago, the number of buses used, operating hours and kilometres driven were the major factors considered when accounting for the transportation service, today more and more commissions also include a proportion of incentives. Remuneration for the transportation services is based either entirely or partly on the number of passengers carried, the quality of transportation, or other non-kilometre-based services. This means the operator bears part of the risk, but also has the opportunity to make public transport more attractive, more sustainable and more profitable in his field of activity. „Service quality is becom- ing more important. We have embraced this trend, and organised our operations accordingly,“ explains Norbäck.

One particular measure that is intended to make operations more efficient, to offer better quality and to optimise costs was the foundation of its own subsidiary to manage and organise the entire bus fleet. Nobina Fleet not only purchases all its vehicles centrally and leases them to its branches, but it also runs its own workshops and monitors the fuel consumption, repair and maintenance costs for every single bus. „We use various IT systems that help us to ana-lyse the costs for every single bus and run,“ explains Ingrid Håkanson, Nobina Fleet MD. „We can put the figures on the difference between low-floor and low-entry buses just as easily as the efficiency of buses with Euro 6 engines over older models.“

With a fleet of more than 3600 buses consisting of city buses that cover bet-ween 60,000 and 80,000, and Express buses that travel up to 200,000 km,

even small measures add up to make impressive figures. So the right speci-fication for use is already an important factor in future operating costs. Unlike other operators, though, Nobina can better combine purchases of new buses and existing buses from other contracts more efficiently, which enables it to optimise the cost structure. Increased flexibility has also been established by Mercedes-Benz Finans Sweden/Den-mark (MBF SveDan). Although Daimler’s captive financing brand is not establish- ed in Finland nor Norway, MBF SveDan has set-up a cross border solution for these two countries. By that, Nobina benefits from a package solution from EvoBus together with MBF in all 4 Scan-dinavian countries and the established credit line can be used with complete flexibility by Nobina between the 4 countries.

Lower total costs of ownership (TCO) are the confirmation for the fleet professionals of the Nobina Fleet that the approximately 190 Mercedes-Benz buses currently in use in various Nobina operations are the right choice. The portfolio is well mixed, and includes low-floor or low-entry Citaros for city traffic, Intouro high-floor buses for school traffic and Tourismo coaches for the long distance travels by Expressbus subsidiary Swebus. „The support our workshops receive from Mercedes-Benz Service is also excellent,“ confirms Ingrid Håkanson. So it‘s no coincidence that the buses with the star are becom- ing increasingly popular at Nobina. Just have a look for them next time you happen to board a bus in Stockholm or in Gothenburg, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Oslo or Tromsø.

Ever travelled by bus in Stockholm? Or in Gothenburg, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Oslo or Tromsø? Chances are it will have been on a Nobina bus. The company with subsidiaries in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark is the biggest bus transport operator in Scandinavia. Urban transport in all the northern metropolises is as much a part of its services as regional and school services. And Swebus, Sweden‘s biggest long- distance provider, also belongs to the Nobina Group. The well-known Stock-holm-based company manages more than 100 public passenger transporta-tion commissions. Every day, the 3629 Nobina buses transport more than a million passengers.

But Nobina boss Ragnar Norbäck isn‘t only interested in size. Profitability, qua-lity and sustainability are words like he likes to use when talking about the com-pany‘s goals. „We don‘t just see our-selves as a bus operator, we are rather interested in managing public contracts as well as possible,“ he explains.

The Nobina Group is the

biggest bus transport operator

in Scandinavia. It has its own

subsidiary that manages the

entire bus fleet, and knows

exactly to the cent how much the

total operating costs are for each

vehicle – and more and more,

makes sure they are

Mercedes-Benz buses.

Perfect fleetmanagement

Customer portrait Nobina Group

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

2/3 An efficient service guarantees shrinking maintenance and repair costs to make sure your fleet is always in peak performance.

4 Spares supplies based on requirements: guaranteeing quality with top-quality original spare parts.

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

In Milan and Utrecht, a depot technician is the interface to the operator, ensuring that there is daily contact. All vehicle date and facts are documented both in its own IT system and in the customer‘s.

The benefits speak for themselves: efficient service to the manufacturer‘s requirements and needs-based stocks of spare parts reduce the costs for maintenance and repairs. By the same token, availability is increased and the size of the fleet can be reduced. As the buses are always in the best

condition, fuel consumption is also lower. Vehicles and service from a single source guarantee favourable financing, which also benefits from the higher residual value of the fleet at the end of the contract.

Small wonder, then, that fleet operators from all over Europe are currently interested in Bus Depot Management.

No one services or repairs buses better than the manufacturer. That is why more and more operators in Europe are turning to Bus Depot Management, a brilliant idea by OMNIplus. The service brand provides all the support for entire fleets of vehicles in a multi-stage model. This can include servicing and repairs, but also the preparation of vehicles with refuelling and washing. Other services such as breakdown and tyre service, accident and glass repairs and the service for checkout and information services are also included in Bus Depot Manage-ment. Benefit: Reduces costs, and the operator can focus on the scheduled use of the buses.

The town of Utrecht in Holland demonstrates how Bus Depot Management works. Operator Qbuzz won a tender, after which it ordered 138 Mercedes-Benz Citaro and Citaro G

buses, combined with a service contract. As part of Bus Depot Management, OMNIplus took on both the workshop and the warehouse. There are now six service technicians working for the new fleet, while the management staff are provided by OMNIplus. The services include maintenance, repairs, tyres and a breakdown service. The workshop even carries out ser-vices and repairs on 17 buses belonging to a competitor that are also included in the fleet.

The model for operator ATM in Milan is somewhat different. Here, OMNIplus operates around 100 Citaro at two ATM depots, carrying out the services and repairs. The mixed fleet means that OMNIplus has no complete workshops, but takes over areas at the depots and carries stocks of spare parts.

Optimise fleet park, reduce service costs – now you can,

with Bus Depot Management by OMNIplus.

Factory-service reduces costs

Bus Depot Management

1

2 3 4

26Service Bus Depot Management 27Service Bus Depot Management

The keepers of the treasure

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.

People who set standards

29Discoveries People who set standards28Discoveries 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.

3

2

1

crete wrecking ball. This „mental horror“ gave rise to his passion for cars. His father explained to him that the scrap metal was required to build new chassis from it. Seidel was comforted. „After that, I thought that every proud Mercedes-Benz contained a piece of my car.“

Another short version, this time of his career. Rejected as a trainee automobile electrician, he qualified as a telecom-munications mechanic instead, trained as an actor. Initiator and organiser of Veterama, Europe‘s biggest marketplace for vintage, veteran and classic cars, seller of rubber profiles for the same, museum owner. The list could go on:

1927. „It‘s ready to roll,“ Seidel found it on an Internet portal, being offered by a forwarding agent. Just behind it is the 2-metre long exhibition model of a Mercedes-Benz O 6600 H, the legendary 1951 bus with a rear-mounted engine. And the story of the museum‘s owner is every bit as interesting as the stories be-hind the exhibits. There are a few deep lines on his bearded face, signs of a life that has been lived to the full. Winfried Seidel is a classic, just like his cars. Born in Silesia, he grew up in Bielefeld in Germany, moved to Mannheim to follow an early love, and got stuck on historic vehicles – in the short version. As a youngster, he once watched a Mercedes-Benz being trashed by a con-

A, discovered in a greenhouse. Or the 300th „Adenauer“ model of 1953 that turned up in the area of the museum. To say nothing of the stories about the stories when people think about the cars on display. Or remember that their ancestors drove them, and then look out the pictures, bringing more stories. Around 120 of the carefully restored or preserved classics on two or four wheels in the museum can still be driven, and have become friends – or, as Winfried Seidel puts it, „are part of the family“.

Saloons, convertibles, sports and racing cars are all part of this large family of classics. There‘s even an omnibus, a Mercedes-Benz N1 observation car of

might be in the past now, but it lives on here. For instance in the meeting room, half a storey above the museum. At the head of the table is the chair that Carl Benz used to sit on. The furniture breathes automobile history; Winfried Seidel speaks it. He is not only a keen observer, but also a talented story-teller. Whether about the museum or every single one of its exhibits, the stories just burst out of him, ready to be taken down in writing. About the Mercedes-Benz 8/38 PS taxi, built in 1927, that was found, abandoned and forgotten, in a Stuttgart car showroom. Or the Benz racing car with the starting number 6, winner of the Avus opening in 1921. Or the Mercedes-Benz 170 S Cabriolet

caused the inventor of the automobile to leave his original company in 1903, but he would later return as a member of its supervisory board. Benz built a new company in Ladenburg, C. Benz und Söhne. Winfried A. Seidel, automobile historian by passion, purchased these venerable halls over ten years ago, refurbished them completely with the assistance of Daimler AG, and transformed them into an absolute gem. With the focus on Benz and Mercedes-Benz, of course.

The huge chestnut tree that stands outside the estate was planted by Bertha Benz to mark the opening of the factory in 1906. The company operated out of these halls for almost 100 years. It

Winfried A. Seidel walks past a display cabinet, apparently paying little attention to it. Then he stops for a moment to straighten a label before continuing on his way. The aficionado and devotee of vintage cars has the keen eye for details that is needed in this field. We also happen to be in the automobile museum that he set up in memory of Dr. Carl Benz. „My life‘s work,“ he emphasises, and accuracy is required.

Carl Benz built his second factory here in Ladenburg, at the gateway to the car city of Mannheim. Incidentally, fashion convinced him to sign his signature with a fine „C“ for his first name, although he was baptised with a „K“. Dissatisfaction

People who set standards

30Discoveries People who set standards 31Discoveries People who set standards

4 Racy racers: Racing cars from various eras exuding 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.

4

5

6

Mannheim to Pforzheim in 1888. „It was her first and only car journey,“ reports Jutta Benz, who is now the brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz.

Like her great-grandfather, she focuses on mobility rather than vehicle techno-logy. It‘s no coincidence that Carl Benz invented the omnibus after the car. „He was a bus manufacturer at heart,“ explains his great-granddaughter. Which goes with one of the stories that only Jutta Benz can tell. Her great-grand-father used to like to walk from the family‘s villa to the factory. One day, two

was known as the ‚Kleenze vom Benze‘“, she says in the local dialect – a famous name can be a burden for children.

Today, Jutta Benz is proud of her name; she is cast in the mould of the family‘s line of strong and confident women that started with her great-grandmother Bertha Benz, the woman who once gave her husband Carl Benz the money for his developments. It was she who, with her sons, made the first long-distance journey in the Model 3 – for a long time, it was on loan to the Dr. Carl Benz Museum from London‘s Science Museum – from

restoration. C. Benz und Söhne – and Winfried A. Seidel, who sought and maintains contact with the Benz family.

Today, the Benz family is Jutta Benz, the last member to bear the family name. The factory is not only a home for cars – the only two surviving examples are here – but it is also her home. „I grew up here,“ she says, with a sweep of her arm, and talks of how she used to sit at a typewriter in the office or play in the warehouse. She lived in what is known as the „Wohnturm“, the family‘s raised house that is right next to the factory. „I

Seidel‘s dream car with the star is the 300 SL with gull wings, „the loveliest car ever built“. He also has a thing for the legendary SSK sports cars. And he is fascinated by the almost-forgotten rear-engined Mercedes-Benz, and has two of them in the museum. His current fleet consists of various models from the Smart to the Vito. As well as a series W 124 Cabriolet, „the only new car I‘ve ever bought“. It was built in 1992.

„But the main exhibit is the factory,“ he emphasises, and talks about the 10,000 tiles that had to be replaced during the

Seidel is happy to get his hands dirty. His training included a basic course in metal processing, six weeks with former bicycle, sewing machine and automobile manufacturer Dürkopp; he can file and grind, and deal with anything electrical. Later on, in Mannheim he also learnt how to weld. His first classic, an Adler Trumpf Junior of 1939, is at the back of the workshop. „That‘s what started it all,“ he says. He discovered the car at the end of 1969 as he happened to pass it, in a field, covered in snow and with a broken soft top. The two are connected by the year as well as this story.

now in his mid-seventies and still always on the go, what he doesn‘t know about classic cars simply isn‘t worth knowing. „I‘ve always done fabulous things in my life that I have really enjoyed. And I got paid for it!“ he says with satisfaction.

His heart lifts as he walks into the work-shop in the rear hall. „It‘s not terribly tidy,but anything else would be a disaster.“ Stacks of tyres all around; car parts, thick tomes, order books from a former Mercedes-Benz representation on high shelves. Tools close by, ready for use. You can tell from looking at them that

People who set standards

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

7 8

Automuseum Dr. Carl BenzIlvesheimer Straße 26 68526 Ladenburg

Tel. +49 (0) 62 03/18 17 86

www.automuseum-dr-carl-benz.de

Open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 14:00 until 18:00.

Coach trips welcome, groups by agreement outside normal opening times as well.

7 At the sign of the star: Mercedes-Benz and its predecessors cast a spell on Win-fried Seidel at an early age.

8 Automobile museum in the former automobile factory: Jutta Benz grew up here, while for Winfried A. Seidel it is the completion of his life‘s work.

history and French teacher is more in-terested in the environment and animal welfare. „But I like the freedom a car gives me,“ she says, and praises her ‚C‘ class that will get her from Mannheim to Brittany on a single tank of petrol. Everything reminds us of Bertha Benz. In 1943, her great-grandmother wrote that Jutta would one day be „a very clever young lady“ – and who would argue with her?

about this to the apprentices in the Daimler Group’s factories. She still remembers the stories her grandfather Eugen Benz and his brother Richard told her, the same men who once accom-panied and supported Bertha Benz on her historic journey. „Du schaffsch beim Benz [you work at Benz],“ as it is still said in the Mannheim dialect today.

Jutta Benz does not know everything there is to know about cars; the retired

cars passed him, each one occupied only by a chauffeur and a single passenger. To which he commented: „If I had known that only two people would be sitting in my invention, I would have thrown them into the Neckar River.“

Jutta Benz is the keeper of her family‘s history, her great-grandparents‘ energy and their spirit of discovery, the entre-preneurial spirit. „I have my story, my history; I am a Benz.“ Jutta Benz talks

„But I like the freedoma car gives me“

Jutta Benz

People who set standards

34Discoveries People who set standards 35Discoveries People who set standards

1 A visit to Cardiff Castle is an absolute must.

2 Wales Millennium Center - one of the loveliest concert halls on the island.

3 Experiencing bygone days up close - the St Fagans National History Museum.

network, Mercedes-Benz buses go well with our claim and our corporate philo-sophy.“ Over the coming years, Jason Edwards plans to change his entire fleet of 30 coaches over to Mercedes-Benz Tourismo.

Experience: St Fagans National History MuseumNext, Jason Edwards takes us to a

Welsh jewel less than 30 minutes from Cardiff: the museum village of St Fag-ans. Admission is free, and visitors can experience life as it used to be in Wales up close and hands-on. „We regularly bring groups to St Fagans, but I also often come with my children,“ says the 44-year-old father. Since 1948, and with the help of numerous volunteers, the museum has re-erected more than 40

buildings and workshops from various locations in Wales. And it‘s not just for looking: visitors can also smell, taste, touch and join in. A farm, blacksmith‘s forge, baker‘s and other traditional crafts are open every day; there are courses that visitors can take, and they can buy the freshly-baked bread, fruit and vegetables grown on the grounds.

A day is nowhere near enough, and even a week would be cutting it fine. „Even within just an hour‘s drive of Cardiff, there is more for a travel group to see than they could cope with in ten days,“ he says. The commercial director of Edwards Coaches should know. The fa-mily company has been based near the Welsh capital since 1925. Every year, more than 80,000 passengers travel on the light blue Edwards coaches.

So what would travel pro Jason Edwards suggest for anyone visiting his home? Enterprising Jason took us on one of the ten new Mercedes-Benz Tourismo triple-axle coaches that have been added to the Edwards Coaches fleet on a brilliant combination of history, culture and culinary delights.

History: Cardiff CastleJason states quite frankly that our first stop is most definitely not a secret tip. However, for the true Welshman (or wo-

man), a visit to Cardiff Castle is a must. „Apart from its historical significance, it is simply impressive,“ he explains. The history of the castle that stands today goes back to Roman times. Signs of the Norman settlement can be seen on a guided tour, as well as fabulously deco-rated chambers from the Victorian era. Edwards‘ tip: the Welsh banquet with medieval music and actors in traditional Welsh costumes.

Modern: Wales Millennium CentreThe contrast between Cardiff Castle and Jason‘s next recommendation couldn‘t be greater: a visit to the Wales Millennium Centre. This modern building is home to one of the island‘s loveliest concert halls, with seating for 1900 peo-ple, various events rooms, exhibitions, cafés, bars and restaurants. Britain‘s leading orchestras perform here regu-larly; there are musicals and operas, theatre and comedy, courses for adults and children – and highly entertaining

guided tours of one of the country‘s most successful cultural sites.

Edwards Coaches regularly brings visitors here, but the company also supports the Millennium Centre as a sponsor. The consistent continuation of its corporate policy, in Jason‘s opinion: „Our business is all about partnerships and relationships – with customers, partners, suppliers and our colleagues. As a company, we benefit from good relationships. But they don‘t happen by themselves.“

He also sees parallels in the association between Mercedes-Benz and Edwards Coaches. „We have spent generations building up a brand, and every day we work hard at filling this brand with life,“ he explains. „Quality, service and safety – these are the important set screws that make sure our customers are sa-tisfied. With their above-average series features and the first-class service

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.

3

2

1

(Welcome to South Wales)

Edwards Coaches

„Croeso i de Gymru“

36Discoveries Edwards Coaches 37Discoveries Edwards Coaches

5 6

4

4 Bus company operator Jason Edwards of Llantwit Fardre near Cardiff.

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

6 Meals are chosen from the well- stocked counter.

Culinary delights: Custom House The ingredients that chef Trefor Jones uses for guests at the Custom House in Penarth Marina to the south of Cardiff Bay are also fresh every day. Jason Edwards recommends the restaurant run by his friend Nataniel „Tanny“ Martinez not only for its delicious fish and seafood, but the steaks and poultry such as duck and grouse also melt in the mouth. For the uninitiated: meals are not ordered at the table, but chosen

at the richly-stocked counter. Jason Edwards recommends one of the more than 800 wines with your meal. „Tanny buys most of them from the growers.“ There is a large car park- with parking for coaches as well - right outside the door. And he knows from bitter experience that it is difficult to get a table without booking.

After your meal, he suggests a walk across the nearby Cardiff Bay Barrage,

„or maybe a tour of our rugby stadium, the Millennium Stadium? Or perhaps a visit to the BBC recording studios where the cult series ‚Dr. Who‘ is filmed? Or perhaps …,“ - well, you get the picture. Quite obviously, you do need to allow yourself a little time for a visit to South Wales.

Model Citaro G, OM 470 Citaro G, OM 936 h

Total capacity 3-door, 150 people 3-door, 163 people

4-door, 152 people 4-door, 163 people

Standing places 3-door, 106 people 3-door, 117 people

4-door, 115 people 4-door, 121 people

Seats 3-door, 44 people 3-door, 46 people

4-door, 37 people 4-door, 42 people

Table of capacities of the Citaro G, standard version.

Correction to the article “The new Citaro G – an engine makes room for more passengers”, issue 02/2015.

Tremendous response for the Citaro in AustraliaMercedes-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 the most influential decision-makers and influencers in the Australian omnibus industry, were seeing the Citaro for the first time.

The surprising media presence and positive response resulted in a tremendous increase in demand. The Citaro‘s first test run in Australia by a large fleet ope-rator is planned for the fourth quarter of 2015.

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-ter-Kelchner is responsible for the Drivers‘ Club. „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 topics in the forum.“ Other items of interest include exciting stories involving the bus, and possibly even descriptions of entire routes.

Brigitte Hofstätter-Kelchner has been responsible for the Club since 1 April. The office administrator, has high expectations of the Club‘s new look. „I want it to be lively, and I need three 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 worked in sales for 25 years, 15 of them with Mercedes-Benz.

Drivers‘ Club 3.0

Club portrait

Brigitte Hofstätter-Kelchner has been looking after the Drivers‘ Club since 1 April 2015.

38Discoveries Edwards Coaches 39Spotlights News

40Spotlights News

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.

Benedikt Höwedes symbolically presents the key to Manuel Neukirchner.

On 25 October 2015, the German Football Museum, an initiation by the German Football Association and the city of Dortmund, is to open its doors to the public. Germany‘s football history is explained and shared interactively,

in mutilmedia and by more than 1600 exhibits on a total area of 7700 sqm. One particular highlight has been provided by the museum‘s premium partner Mercedes-Benz. The first form of transportation on German soil for the

German National Football team following its return from Rio de Janeiro as the world champions. Fittingly, it was a flagship of the Mercedes-Benz omnibuses, the Travego.

A „4-star bus“ for theGerman Football Museum

Intouro now even saferThe Intouro is quite rightly described as economical, inexpensive and flexible. Some operators even call it an economic miracle in the fleet. And now the Intouro has turned to the issue of safety. With the combination 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.

Imprint:Mercedes-Benz Omnibus – The magazine for bus operators and transport companies.

Published by:EvoBus GmbHMercedes-Benz Omnibusse L 22D-68301 Mannheim, GermanyTel.: +49 (0)6217 404 319Fax: +49 (0)6217 405 354www.mercedes-benz.com

Responsible on behalf of publisher:Reiner Hörter (legally responsible for content)

Project management:Hans-Werner Jungmann

Concept, layout, editing and production:Newport3 GmbH & Co. KGNeumann-Reichardt-Straße 27 - 33 (Haus 6)D-22041 Hamburg, Germany Tel.: +49 (0)40 671 0900E-mail: info@newport3.de

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 the publisher.No responsibility is accepted for unsolicited text and image contributions.

41Imprint Omnibus