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English   First Bus-Way vehicles based on Mercedes-Benz Citaro G articulated bus now operating in the French city of Nantes
02.11.2006 von admin

German version

First Bus-Way vehicles based on
Mercedes-Benz Citaro G articulated bus now operating in the French city of Nantes

  • 20 natural gas-powered Citaro articulated buses for Nantes (France)
  • The first vehicles have been in regular service since 6 November 2006
  • Unique, tram-style design inside and out
  • Natural gas drive with Mercedes-Benz M 447 hLAG engine


Since November 6, 2006 anyone waiting for the number 4 bus in Nantes could be forgiven for thinking that a tram has turned up in its place. In fact what they are actually looking at is one of the most cutting-edge articulated regular-service buses in Europe. The new vehicles are part of Bus-Way, an innovative transport initiative developed by the Nantes municipal authority. The concept is based on Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses with natural gas drive and a special, tram-inspired interior and exterior design. The weekend of 4-5 November 2006 saw the ceremonial launch of the first of these unique buses.
The Nantes authority is made up of 24 boroughs which joined forces to implement a plan to strengthen the region and its economy. A key part of the plan involves upgrading local public transport. Bus-Way is the first joint project in Nantes and is designed to promote bus use and public transport routes. In total 20 Citaro articulated buses were ordered for the number 4 route, and these now connect the 15 stops along the eight-kilometre route between Nantes and Porte de Vertou in less than 20 minutes. The key premises behind the new concept are protecting the environment and ensuring the smooth flow of traffic. The project not only involves the purchase of the new Mercedes-Benz buses but also the creation of dedicated bus routes which are separate from other traffic.
The Citaro articulated bus, which is painted in iridium silver with black and yellow highlights, surprises the observer inside and out. The tram-inspired side profile of the 18-m long Citaro G is highly distinctive. The side panelling extends above the roof of the vehicle, and this fake height extension means that the gas tanks on the roof are almost completely hidden from view.
To ensure that the design continues across the articulated section, the bellows have been extended upward to correspond with the new roof height. The long downward extension of the wheel-arch trim on the centre and rear axles and the double-glazed, venus green-tinted side windows give the perfect illusion of a tram. Inside, the hallmarks of Bus-Way are instantly recognisable. The attention is drawn first to the maple wood ceiling trim above the central aisle. The recessed LED spotlights divide the interior into three distinct areas by colour: the front is illuminated in yellow, the centre in white and the rear in blue. Polished aluminium LED uplighters at selected window pillars round off the special lighting effect. All of the grab handles on board have a distinctive Bus-Way design, made from ground stainless steel tubing, curved at the top and bottom and with a non-slip matt surface in the area used by passengers. The dark blue seats, with their anti-vandalism design, have a hollowed, elliptically-shaped backrest. The shape is reflected in the padded wheelchair rest.


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