Brazil’s economy is booming; its cities are growing – and the demands

on its public transport systems are too. The new Mercedes-Benz

O500 MDA chassis series provides the ideal base for building buses

that offer even higher levels of efficiency and comfort.

Text_Thomas Mechelke | Photos: © Daimler AG, © GP | Fotogloria (stadium), © Imago | Xinhua (logo), © Volker Römer (graphic), © sfmthd | fotolia.com (p. 24)

More is more

The new Mercedes-Benz

O500 MDA and O500 UDA

chassis units allow for

body lengths of 23 metres.

22 Omnibus 2 2012 Daimler Worldwide

ü

São Paulo is not just the biggest city

in Brazil, but in all of South America.

Its population has doubled in just

40 years. And São Paulo is not alone in

seeing such trends: many Brazilian cities

are growing, as powerhouses of the

country’s economy. And they are certainly

booming. In fact, Brazil is now the world’s

sixth-biggest economy.

Such development brings with it major

challenges in terms of infrastructure, espe-

cially in urban areas. Consequently, local

public transport has become a key issue for

municipal authorities across the country.

Another factor is that Brazil is preparing

to host two major international events:

the 2014 football World Cup and the 2016

Olympic Games.

Improving efficiency will be vital. And

so efficiency was also the watchword

applied by Mercedes-Benz do Brasil when it

launched the new Mercedes-Benz O500 MDA

chassis series units at the end of last year.

The new units can carry articulated bus bod-

ies up to 23 metres in length, offering ca -

pacity for more than 200 passengers. The

Mercedes-Benz O500 UDA chassis adds a

low-floor variant to the range.

The innovative feature of these models

is apparent at first glance: they have four

axles, two of them at the rear. This opens up

new dimensions in terms of vehicle length,

while still retaining the manoeuvrability

essential for a bus operating in city traffic.

A�key factor in achieving those qualities is

the fourth axle, with independent suspen-

sion, positioned behind the driven axle. An

additional benefit of this setup is that tyre

wear is greatly reduced.

The two new chassis units were devel-

oped at the São Bernardo do Campo plant in

Brazil. The facility has plenty of know-how

at its disposal, being home to the Daimler

Buses global Competence Center for chassis.

Over the last 56 years the location has grown

into the largest Mercedes-Benz development

and technology centre for commercial

vehicles outside of Germany.

Brazil’s emerging economic power is

reflected not least in the demands placed

on the bus sector: at the start of this year

the country enacted the PROCONVE P-7

emissions standard, comparable to Euro�V.

Mercedes-Benz do Brasil was well prepared

for the new legislation, having integrated

the tried and proven BlueTEC® 5 technology,

which has already been in use in Europe

for many years, into its complete product

range. Thanks to their state-of-the-art drive

train, the O500 MDA and O500 UDA deliver

impressively low emissions as well as even

better fuel economy than comparable

pre decessor models.

Whereas the UDA is designed for stops

at pavement height, and as such is ideally

suited to conventional bus services, the MDA

is capable of operating in conjunction with

raised entry platforms, making its target

market the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

segment.

BRAZIL

Gross domestic product:

2,284 billion US Dollars (2011)

Growth: 2.8 % (2011)

Population: approximately 195 million

Economy: Brazil is South America’s

largest market and on the way to

becoming the world’s fifth-largest

economy.

Key sectors: Agriculture, mining,

industrial, services

Major cities: São Paulo

(population 20 million),

Rio de Janeiro (12 million),

Belo Horizonte (6 million),

Porto Alegre (4 million),

Brasilia (the capital, 3.8 million)

Bus market: Mercedes-Benz is

the unchallenged market leader,

with a share of over 43 %.

(Source: The World Factbook/Daimler AG)

Brazil

Manaus

Recife

Brasilia

Belo Horizonte

Rio de JaneiroSão Paulo

Porto Alegre

São Bernardodo Campo

The João Havelange

Stadium in Rio de

Janeiro will be the

focal point of the

2016 Olympics as well

as hosting matches

in the 2014 World Cup.

Both events will provide

a major boost to public

transport services.

Daimler Worldwide Omnibus 2 2012 23

The Christ Redeemer

monument on

Corcovado Mountain,

alongside Sugar Loaf

Mountain, is one of

the great landmarks

of the Brazilian city

of Rio de Janeiro.

BUS RAPID TRANSIT

Growing cities and increasing

demands for fast but comfortable

mobility are highlighting the

limitations of existing public

transport systems in many places.

It is one reason why a number

of major cities are committed

to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) solutions.

Key features of this state-of-the-art

public transport concept:

�Dedicated bus lanes and

priority over other traffic

ensure high speeds and

reliable services.

�Main arterial routes

with feeder lines create

an efficient network.

�Specially designed

stop platforms provide

unhindered entry and exit.

�Ticketing and access controls

at stops (not on board).

�Controlled by intelligent

transport management systems.

�Buses specially designed for BRT.

�BRT is as much as 90 % cheaper

than rail-bound concepts.

SÃO BERNARDO DO CAMPO COMPETENCE CENTER

The São Bernardo do Campo plant in Brazil is the focal point for Daimler Buses

chassis development and production. It is also the largest commercial vehicles

technology and development centre in Latin America. São Bernardo do Campo

builds a wide range of bus models, with more than 20 variants for a wide variety

of applications including city and overland bus services. The chassis range

extends from mini- and micro-buses, through conventional buses, to overland

and articulated buses for high passenger volumes.

The plant also produces a wide range of trucks, as well as heavy-duty engines

for Freightliner in the USA and lighter power units for the Sprinter in Argentina.

Its product portfolio also includes pressings, axles and transmissions for Europe,

as well as drivers’ cabs for the Unimog U 20.

The best known example of this advanced

passenger transport system is to be found

in neighbouring Colombia. The “Trans-

Milenio” BRT system in the capital Bogotá

is a shining example of a successful public

transport solution for a major city. The net-

work was set up in just 24 months, and is

being gradually rolled out across the met-

ropolitan area. More than 1,800 buses –

some 700 of them from Mercedes-Benz –

running on dedicated lanes serve main

arterial routes into which several second-

ary routes feed. TransMilenio’s high pas-

senger volumes and high average speeds

make it one of the world’s leading Bus

Rapid Transit systems. The plan is to in-

crease network density so that, by 2015,

80 % of the city’s residents will have a stop

no more than 500 metres from their door.

Brazil, too, has already had some experi-

ence of BRT: Curitiba, in the south of the

country, is where the foundation stone

for what is today still an exemplary BRT

system was laid as long as 30 years ago.

So it is no wonder that the BRT projects

planned to coincide with the 2014 football

World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games

are seen as providing the backbone of the

public transport network in many loca-

tions. t

24 Omnibus 2 2012 Daimler Worldwide

How is the Brazilian economy perform-

ing, and how is the country responding

to depressed global economic forecasts?

Ricardo Jose da Silva: Even though global

growth is slowing, the Brazilian economy

is doing well. Last year our gross domestic

product rose by 2.8 %. And we have even

bucked the trend so far in 2012, growing

by 3.3 %. Inflation is likely to remain under

control. The key drivers in terms of gov-

ernment policy will be a planned increase

in the minimum wage and funding of new

construction projects. This will create new

jobs and a steady income, which should in

turn have a positive effect on the bus mar-

ket. It is performing outstandingly well al-

ready in fact.

Mercedes-Benz do Brasil’s bus sales

have grown strongly in recent years. Back

in the year 2000 we produced 12,000 chas-

sis units; the 2011 figure was 28,000.

That’s a 130 % rise! Even during the eco-

nomic crisis in 2009, we produced a pleas-

ing 19,000 units. That positive trend is

like ly to get a further powerful boost from

the 2014 football World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, both of which

are being held in Brazil.

Are there already specific projects underway in preparation for

those events?

da Silva: A�growth programme labelled “PAC da Copa” has been

instigated. It provides Brazilian federal states and host cities with

funding to invest in stadiums, airports and – most importantly from

our point of view – local public transport.

A�total of 49 such projects have already been approved, 19 of which

feature BRT systems. Bus solutions are also being considered for

a further 11 of the projects. In view of those developments, we are

preparing for additional demand of 2,000 units in the articulated

bus segment alone. We also expect to see large numbers of tourists

coming to Brazil before, during and after the events, which will

boost demand in all bus segments.

What role will the new 23 metre chassis play in terms of urban

mobility?

da Silva: This new articulated bus solution

is the ideal response to the increasing

demands of local authorities who are cur-

rently investing intensively in local public

transport. The extra-long articulated buses

can deliver much greater efficiency as part

of a BRT system for example. They can, after

all, carry more than 200 passengers.

Apart from their high capacity, what

other key features do the new buses

offer?

da Silva: We are confident that the new

long-wheelbase articulated buses will pro-

vide commuters with improved services.

At the same time, we expect operating costs

to be comparable to existing benchmarks

for standard articulated buses – with high -

er passenger capacity of course.

Do you see possibilities to advance BRT

systems further?

da Silva: Certainly. But to do so we need

to communicate their advantages more

strongly! Very soon the first BRT system

designed for the World Cup – relying entirely on Mercedes-Benz

buses – will be launched into regular daily operation in Rio de

Janeiro. Rio is Brazil’s flagship city. And I�believe it is one of the

best places in the world to spotlight the benefits of combining a

BRT system with Mercedes-Benz buses. The Daimler global Com -

petence Center for bus chassis is located here, in São Bernardo

do Campo.

How does the facility work together with other Daimler

locations?

da Silva: Our plant has had a long and successful history to date.

We have been building buses and bus chassis units here for 55 years.

Today Brazil is Daimler’s most important bus chassis market world-

wide. But despite that prominent position, we never lose sight of the

fact that we export to some 40 other markets, where we also seek to

provide tailored offers. So our engineers are able to profit from the

plant’s decades of experience on the one hand, and from intensive

cooperation with export markets on the other.

Thank you for talking to us! t

“Powerful boost”Brazil’s bus market is growing – not least in preparation for its hosting of major sports events such as

the 2014 football World Cup. An interview with Ricardo Jose da Silva, Vice President Buses Latin America.

Text_Thomas Mechelke | Photo: © Daimler AG

Ricardo Jose da Silva, Vice President

Buses Latin America, Mercedes-Benz.

Daimler Worldwide Omnibus 2 2012 25