Stuttgart, 15 June 2009:
Following an EU-wide call for tenders, Daimler Buses has been awarded the contract to supply Berlin’s public transport authority Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) with 144 Mercedes-Benz Citaro LE city buses from October 2009. Deliveries will take place successively over a four-year period, with 50 buses to be delivered before the end of this year. The buses will be manufactured at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Mannheim.

Hartmut Schick, head of Daimler Buses: "We are delighted to have secured this contract from Berlin. For us, this is another indication that our high-quality, eco-friendly city buses continue to be successful – in spite of these economically challenging times." The Citaro LE combines a comfortable low-entry (LE) design with economical high-floor technology. BVG will operate a 12 metre, two-door variant of the Citaro LE. The Citaro LE’s fuel-efficient, low-emission engines feature pioneering Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC® SCR diesel technology and comply with the Euro 5 and EEV emissions standards.

The 144 city buses, which are not articulated, come with a variety of special equipment features for use in the capital city. With their low-entry design, two ramps, and wider aisles, the buses are particularly well-suited to transporting people with limited mobility. The buses are also equipped with an enclosure to protect drivers from unruly persons and a video surveillance system to ensure the security of passengers and drivers.

With 1300 buses, the BVG is Germany’s largest public transport company and already has 600 Mercedes-Benz buses in its fleet. Together with other partners, the transport company serves a metropolitan area with 3.4 million residents and a catchment area covering around 1000 square kilometres.