Comprehensive analysis and planning

Any city wishing to implement a BRT system needs to perform a detailed analysis and engage in an extensive planning process, taking into account legal require­ments, urban planning and demographic structures along with the needs of the city, passengers and operators. Furthermore, enlisting the help of a political decision-maker is crucial in order to implement the project. The experts at Daimler Buses act as advisors and help the customer to arrive at a decision and plan the project, all the while adopting a wholly unbiased approach. External transport planning companies take care of the detailed analyses, traffic planning and network planning.

When it comes to implementation, experts employed by the city help choose and purchase the most suitable vehicles to form the backbone of the BRT system. As the world market leader, Mercedes-Benz offers the widest range of products in terms of capacity, entrance heights and bus drive systems and can therefore supply the ideal vehicle every time, whether it be for the main lines or the shuttle routes. The range of products and services also includes finance schemes for purchasing the vehicles as well as service and after-sales solutions.

BusWay in Nantes, France: BusWay regular-service bus based on the Mercedes-Benz Citaro G with natural-gas drive.

Dedicated BRT after-sales team at Daimler Buses

BRT systems offer high transport capacity and cost-effective vehicle usage. Fre­quent services, high mileage and large numbers of passengers place a huge amount of strain on the vehicles. The dedicated BRT after-sales support offered by Omni­plus – the Daimler Buses service brand – ensures vehicle reliability and availabili­ty. The experts are reassuringly familiar with the special requirements and proce­dures involved. Plus their vast knowledge assists the operators when it comes to aspects such as workshop planning, process optimisation and training, with the focus on reliable lifecycle support, individual planning security and cost-effective­ness.

BRT in action: BusWay in Nantes, France

The French city of Nantes boasts a prime example of a highly successful BRT system. An unattractive local public transport network used to cause regular congestion on the access roads serving the centre of the city with a population of 600,000. To solve the problem, a system called BusWay was introduced in autumn 2006. Since the initially planned tram-based solution would have proved unprofi­table over a period of years, the city opted for a BRT system. The buses, which operate on a specially designated route, are some 50% quicker than passenger cars at peak times.

BusWay in Nantes, France: BusWay regular-service bus based on the Mercedes-Benz Citaro G with natural-gas drive.