Mercedes-Benz Citaro: 3000th Citaro Euro VI delivered
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Milestone vehicle goes to Medenbach Traffic GmbH
High acceptance among customers affirms Citaro modular system
Low-entry variant combines technical merits of low-floor and high-floor design
MANNHEIM, GERMANY –- November 17, 2014: The Mercedes-Benz Citaro is celebrating a key milestone at the ONC new bus centre in Mannheim: almost eight months to the day after the delivery of the 1000th Citaro Euro VI and only 11 months after the introduction of the relevant statutory requirement, the 3000th regular-service bus fitted with the economical engine generation is ready for collection. Peter Medenbach, manager of Medenbach Traffic GmbH, and his wife, Dorothée Grebe, received the symbolic key from Rüdiger Kappel, head of sales for the Mercedes-Benz Bus and Coach Unit. The milestone vehicle is a Citaro LE (Low Entry). It forms part of an order for a total of 20 Citaro LEs and five Citaro G Euro VI buses. Hartmut Schick, head of Daimler Buses, explains the high degree of acceptance thus: "Both our new generation of vehicles and the fuel-efficient BlueEfficiency engines meet our customers' wishes for economy and state-of-the-art technology in ideal fashion. Transport operators wish to and need to operate regular services which are both environment-friendly and make economic sense. With the Citaro Euro VI modular system we are able to cover virtually all customer requirements in this regard."
The milestone bus itself, a Citaro LE (Low Entry), is a model variant from the Citaro modular system. It combines the advantages of low-floor and high-floor bus design. While the Citaro LE is virtually identical to the low-floor Citaro rigid bus up to the area behind the middle entrance door, the rear part of the vehicle is designed as a high-floor bus. This "hybrid" principle gives rise to high passenger comfort even for people with restricted mobility, while at the same time allowing straightforward and maintenance-friendly installation of the components in the rear area. The rear part of the passenger compartment additionally offers enhanced ride comfort, as the drive axle and transmission originate from Mercedes-Benz's inter-urban bus and touring coach modular system. Thanks to its raised roof, the Citaro LE also offers space for standing passengers in the rear. Despite the increased height inside, the Citaro retains its slender and striking exterior appearance. In the side view, the 310 mm higher floor from the middle of the vehicle is revealed only by the roof attachment which extends further to the front, while the rear end is also derived directly from the rigid bus. Only the cooling fins on the right of the boot lid and the raised roof transition allude to the low-entry model variant.
The history of Medenbach Traffic GmbH extends back to 1935. Originally founded as a goods haulage company, the young company soon shifted its focus to passenger transport. Today, the long-standing family business based in Weilburg provides bus services in the districts of Limburg-Weilburg and Hochtaunuskreis. On 14 December 2014 Medenbach Traffic will additionally be launching local passenger transport services on a substantial scale in the Lahn-Dill district with 25 brand-new vehicles which it has acquired specifically for this purpose.
