Mercedes-Benz City bus all set to woo commuters

JAYRAM

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14 MAY, 2012, 12.32PM IST, ZIGWHEELS.COM




After bringing in their long distance coaches Mercedes-Benz has now come out with their City commuter. We get aboard the brand new City Bus


Urban commuters can now look forward to a bump free ride, thanks to the new low access flat platform, rear engined, air-conditioned, Mercedes-Benz bus. This bus has been assembled at the company's sophisticated Chakan plant. Mercedes Benz are the world leaders in passenger bus manufacture, with applications suitable for different road conditions and requirements in different countries. The history of making buses by Mercedes-Benz can be traced back to the early decades of the twentieth century. What they made then and what they are making today is a great and commendable evolution in passenger transport. Today a passenger bus isn't an enclosed sheet metal container having 40 plus seats and an adequate powerplant to propel it at a reasonable pace between two points in a city.

Unlike other bus bodies, the Mercedes-Benz bus side panels are pasted to the structural frame and then painted. The fit and finish is unbelievable, the rear-engined bus' passenger compartment is totally devoid of noise and vibrations. The modern bus has to be good looking, comfortable but also needs to be air conditioned and cool. This is achieved in the Benz buses with well insulated and acoustic material on the interiors.





The large window/glass area also gives a bus a pretty look and the tinting on the glass ensures the glare is evaded. All in all a lot of emphasis has been given to passenger comfort. This bus is also capable of accepting a wheel chair passenger due to its low floor pan and wide doors opening hydro-pneumatically. The suspension comprises of air bags with hydraulic dampers making for the smoothest of rides. The bus is capable of 100km/h plus speeds and braking is handles by multiport and large ventilated disc brakes.



The comfort mode is not restricted to the passenger cabin. The driver's seat sports multiple adjustments and dampers and the auto transmission does away with the clutch and allied hassles. The comfort level on a passenger bus is largely supported by a well operating suspension system with really good damping for all kinds of road surfaces. In this particular bus it is achieved by the popular Airmatic suspension which Mercedes-Benz also uses in their passenger cars. It basically involves multiple air bags to act as springs and hydraulic dampers to arrest the oscillation set in by the air bags.


The result is a hugely comfortable ride quality. This is really critical because this bus can take in a lot of standing passengers who have to be transported with a minimum of swaying. And all this paraphernalia to be transported at good speeds also needs extraordinary braking. This bus has a system of multiport ventilated disc brakes capable of bringing the bus to a smooth halt without inducing discomfort in sitting and standing passengers. All the sophisticated braking technology on Mercedes-Benz cars has been loaded on to these buses. Needless to mention it is really comfortable and safe.




The auto transmission has excellent controls, and ensures that the driver is fatigue free. The large windscreen and the driver seating position ensure 100 per cent visibility with no blind spots. Internal accessories like the grab handles and vertical poles are of highest quality and flooring is wear resistant. In a commuter bus these components take the maximum beating. The air conditioning is top notch and will keep passengers cool even in 40 degrees Celsius temperatures.



All in all the bus has all the goodies in keeping with its Rs 90 lakh price tag, which will be justified by its low maintenance nature. The Mercedes-Benz after sales service is noteworthy so these buses are sure to rove their worth to the city corporations who invest in them. Intercity travel has already undergone a change and now city travel is set for change. Happy commuting!


Mercedes-Benz City bus all set to woo commuters - The Economic Times
 

sob

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In Punjab since last 5-6 months one can see lot of long distance buses from Mercedes-Benz and Isuzu. They have replaced the rattle traps of Tata and AL. These buses are more comfortable not just for the passengers but also for the poor bus driver, who our local manufacturers had never thought about.
 

Ray

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The roads must be equally compatible to take these huge buses through traffic in the city.
 

Yusuf

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Mercedes is playing catch with Volvo. Volvos are all over the place in South India at least. We have a big fleet of Volvos in Bangalore for commuter transport and it is working very well with high occupancy. We also have intercity volvos and all of them have moved from the older volvo model of F7 to F9 multi axle volvos. I travel to Hyderabad and Coimbatore in this. Very comfortable.
 

plugwater

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I dont want transport corporations to waste money on volvo or Mercedes for city trasport!! AL or Tata AC buses can be the alternative as they are cheaper and yes they are less confortable but what do you need it for ~30 minutes ?

Volvos and Mercedes are good only for long distances!!
 

Yusuf

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I dont want transport corporations to waste money on volvo or Mercedes for city trasport!! AL or Tata AC buses can be the alternative as they are cheaper and yes they are less confortable but what do you need it for ~30 minutes ?

Volvos and Mercedes are good only for long distances!!
Its not a waste of money.. And there is return on investment as well in cities like Bangalore where there are takers for such services.
 

plugwater

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Its not a waste of money.. And there is return on investment as well in cities like Bangalore where there are takers for such services.
I dont think anyone will wait for more comfortable to travel inside city!! Just AC buses will do fine.
 

Blackwater

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In Punjab since last 5-6 months one can see lot of long distance buses from Mercedes-Benz and Isuzu. They have replaced the rattle traps of Tata and AL. These buses are more comfortable not just for the passengers but also for the poor bus driver, who our local manufacturers had never thought about.
punjab is garh of mercedes i have seen more buses of merc than,volvo or isuzu
 

Yusuf

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I dont think anyone will wait for more comfortable to travel inside city!! Just AC buses will do fine.
come to bangalore and have a look. There is more and more demand for the volvos. They got TATA Marcopolo AC buses at half the price but i think there are issues with them.
 

plugwater

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come to bangalore and have a look. There is more and more demand for the volvos. They got TATA Marcopolo AC buses at half the price but i think there are issues with them.
What issues ? DTC is using TATA marcopolo and AL AC buses, i dont think they have any problem with them.
 

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What issues ? DTC is using TATA marcopolo and AL AC buses, i dont think they have any problem with them.
The happiest people with Tata Marco Polo and AL low floor buses are the DTC drivers. The other day while travelling on a Marco polo bus, the driver told me that this is the first time the bus manufacturers had looked into the comfort of the drivers. Earlier they had a straight back chair to sit with no power steering. the newer model of the buses are even coming with the Automatic Transmission.

Even as a passenger it is more comfortable in these new buses.
 

plugwater

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The happiest people with Tata Marco Polo and AL low floor buses are the DTC drivers. The other day while travelling on a Marco polo bus, the driver told me that this is the first time the bus manufacturers had looked into the comfort of the drivers. Earlier they had a straight back chair to sit with no power steering. the newer model of the buses are even coming with the Automatic Transmission.

Even as a passenger it is more comfortable in these new buses.
Thank you.

Bangalore transport corp should not buy overprized Volvo and benz buses anymore imo.
 

pmaitra

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When I was in Mumbai, while traveling to Pune, it was always on my mind to take TATA, AL or Sutlej buses, and to avoid Volvos at all costs.

My experience with Volvos has been rather forgettable. Won't recommend that company to anyone. They don't know how to build buses.
 

Blackwater

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When I was in Mumbai, while traveling to Pune, it was always on my mind to take TATA, AL or Sutlej buses, and to avoid Volvos at all costs.

My experience with Volvos has been rather forgettable. Won't recommend that company to anyone. They don't know how to build buses.
Satluj make bus bodies for Volvo, Volvo provides only chassis and engine and they are good
 

nrj

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Merc is rolling out these buses in the name of Bharat-Benz if I am not wrong. They will be sourcing components locally & refining the original city bus design. Not bad idea imo.
 

plugwater

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^^ I think only trucks will roll out in the name of bharat benz.
 

Tolaha

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I dont think anyone will wait for more comfortable to travel inside city!! Just AC buses will do fine.
You should see the crowd inside these Volvo buses in Bangalore! People more often than not wait for these buses and get inside them even if they are packed. Some of the advantages being good AC, comfortable ride and ofcourse, speed. Volvos are a huge success in both intra city and inter city transports in Karnataka! The ticket prices are way above those charged in normal buses but people still opt for them. Both city and state transport bus services have raked in huge profits out of them.

Tata introduced its low floor AC buses from its collaboration with the Spanish bus company as a lower cost alternative to Volvos. But they turned out to be less comfortable and maintenance intensive. The comfort levels are no where near Volvo levels.

Have seen the Mercedez Benz bus. They have been operating on the Bangalore-Mysore route from about a year I guess. Waiting to get into one of them!!
 
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pmaitra

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Satluj make bus bodies for Volvo, Volvo provides only chassis and engine and they are good
Maybe elsewhere, but AFAIK, those in Mumbai-Pune route are made by Volvo at their facility in India.



VOLVO 9400 IS MORE THAN JUST A MERE PRODUCT!
The Volvo 9400 intercity coach has brought in a new concept in bus travel in form of a true bus chassis and everything that defines efficient bus travel: vehicle uptime, ride comfort, transport economy, safety, reliability, quick and on-time travel.

The Volvo 9400 is an intercity coach designed in Europe and built in India at Volvo Buses' facility at Hosakote, Bangalore. It incorporates contemporary European bus design with qualities such as solid construction, reliability, economy, comfort, safety and a host of new features. And above all it is designed to meet the high standards, for operators to ensure maximum passenger satisfaction and full capacity business operations.

This coach perfectly suited for long distance intercity operations, ideal for excursions as well as short trips for city tourism.

This product combines maximum driver comfort with economy. The Volvo D7E 290 engine with high performance 6-speed manual gear box and precise combustion through common rail direct injection system offers excellent performance and productivity.

The Volvo 9400 also features Volvo disc brakes with EBS (Electronic Brake System) which offers excellent braking performance and rapid, gentle and controlled braking.
Introduction - Volvo 9400 Intercity Coach : Volvo Buses

Don't think those in Mumbai-Pune route are made by Sutlej.
 

KS

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Volvo is better than Benz anyday..Having experienced both models while travelling with "Neeta" I can say that.
 

pmaitra

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Volvo is better than Benz anyday..Having experienced both models while travelling with "Neeta" I can say that.
Really? I have never traveled on Benz buses.

Merc-Benz is the least towed car in the US (unofficial).
 

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