Mercedes Buses - History and Styles

It might be hard to believe that Mercedes isn't just in the business of manufacturing luxury vehicles. Their products are much more diversified and even included buses made for public transportation. Why wouldn't a successful auto manufacturer let their expertise stretch over to other types of transportation?

The Beginning

The story of Mercedes goes back to Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler, who started out as competitors and ended up merging around 1926. During this time, the focus was not the production of buses. The manufacturer was interested in more conventional vehicles. However, in 1951, the first bus was released. It was created exclusively for transportation of passengers.

Production took a major turn when the manufacturer expanded into Brazil. By 1958, the buses produced were being used in a variety of countries within South America. Ironically, some of the countries were not purchasing the Brazilian-made buses. They were ordering European-made Mercedes buses instead.

Expansion

Around the 1970s, the demand for buses began to increase. The plant in Brazil was expanded to accommodate the amount of commercial vehicles needed. At the end of the decade, using the Brazilian plant, the manufacturer had produced over 500,000 commercial vehicles. It was decided that another plant would need to be opened. This one was used only for the purpose of producing buses.

Buses, at this time, could have the engine in the front or the back of the bus, depending on its purpose and extra space was created to ensure there was plenty of room for the passengers' luggage. Each year, a new addition was made to the engines and the improvements continued.

Current Times

The Mercedes Benz Citaros are the mainstream, single-decker buses that have been used for public transportation since 1997. The project is a joint partnership between Mercedes and EvoBus. They are a low floor bus, providing the passengers with easier access. Just like a regular vehicle, there are some features that come standard with the bus; however, drivers can choose their own customizations, including things like the number of doors and the type of seats. While some things are personal preference, some customizations are specific to a bus' purpose.

These customizations often depend on what the bus is going to be used for. Some buses are responsible for transporting people within a city. The distance is relatively short and while passengers need to be comfortable, their commute is limited. Other buses need different customizations because the passengers will be traveling over a longer distance. While it has nothing to do with the distance, customers can also choose between different front styling.