Bus Maker Sees Unique Needs, Eyes Unique Solutions

Q: What role does the driver play in technology development for new bus models?

A: Drivers safeguard the units and ensure passenger safety. Therefore, buses are designed to provide comfort that favors concentration and with devices that offer a view of everything that happens inside and outside the unit. There are many elements involved in the development of new bus models. In Mexico, orography is a main consideration. Due to altitude and geography, our units are adapted to cope with the country’s roads and diverse temperatures. Between 2016 and 2017, Daimler Buses Mexico will introduce updated passive and active safety features, alongside more advanced active systems that will react to risk situations and ensure safety with the highest precision.

Q: What benefits do your products offer that would make a driver choose Daimler over other brands?

A: We deliver design, comfort and safety for all our users. Comfort encompasses complete diversity of seat configurations, lighting, easy access to the units and overall space. Our Boxer model, for example, is so big that it is a true star of urban transportation. This bus has served as a mobile unit for the sound transmission of the Ariel Academy Awards.

Daimler offers the best total cost of ownership and the appropriate financing support through Daimler Financial Services. This ultimately gives us a competitive edge in the market. Thanks to the launch of the FlexibilidadesMB campaign in 2016, Daimler Buses can now offer several product combinations between our chassis and different body manufacturers, meeting our customers’ needs and consequently ensuring their satisfaction. By the end of 2016 we will introduce the Mercedes-Benz Midibus, which will complete our portfolio. This minibus will come to Mexico as an option for public transport fleets as they face the imminent renovation of their old fleet.

Q: What are the company’s technology innovations toward a complete mobility-focused approach?

A: Innovation is in our DNA. As global BRT consultants, we help find the best solutions to mobility needs in large  cities. We have been involved in mobility projects such as Metrobús in Mexico City, Tuzobus in Pachuca and other cities such as Leon, Guanajuato and Guadalajara. We have deployed the best ecotechnology in our products. BlueTec® 5, for instance, helps make engines more efficient in both performance and fuel consumption and incorporates gas- treatment solutions.

Each city has unique circumstances and needs and one product cannot fit all. Mexico City’s population density demands all sorts of BRT units and we recently added the Mega BRT, a design-focused product with the looks of a high-speed train, wide interiors, a length of 23m and the capacity to transport up to 250 passengers. Daimler also unveiled the Future Bus in July 2016, an autonomously driven bus being tested in Amsterdam. This unit will lead the company to the next generation of passenger vehicles. The demand is not only for better buses but for a completely integrated mobility solution. Many companies can supply the technology for inner city and coach applications but the concept of mobility that Daimler is pursuing goes further. We collaborate with our Brazilian and German colleagues, who are highly experienced in BRT, to create proposals for specific mobility challenges.

Q: What is your position regarding the impact of the No Drive Day regulations in terms of sales and availability of public and interurban transportation?

A: We believe it is positive to have advanced regulations and the industry will take part in every initiative to support a sustainable environment. To succeed, the conditions for these applications and their enforcement should be well defined. Investment is needed but benefits will be seen in the long run. Units will be more expensive but their maintenance and operations costs should be lower. Daimler offers buses with BlueTec 5 and these are already above Euro IV requirements. Switching to the next technology will imply expenses for the whole chain including manufacturers, fleet managers, owner operators and even passengers. To minimize the impact, authorities should define green incentives to support renewal acquisitions by owners and diesel availability across the nation.