MERCEDES-BENZ O100 CITY
CGFTE, Bordeaux no. 9469 (3567 ME 33) - September 1999
I've seen some bizarre looking buses, but somehow nothing quite touches the
Mercedes O100 City for sheer strangeness. The O100 was Merc's first attempt at a
low-floor midibus, and as you can see it features a front-mounted engine and
three axles. The type was supplied new to Bordeaux, Aix-en-Provence and Brest
(one example), although the Aix buses have now disappeared in favour of
something a bit more... er... conventional. One bus (I presume from the Aix
fleet) has since turned up in La Rochelle. This is one of the twelve buses
supplied new to Bordeaux - they operate on very obscure, lightly-loaded suburban
routes and take some finding, but I was determined to track one down and have a
ride on it. Lack of work has since caused some of them to be sold.
MERCEDES-BENZ O530 CITARO
Westeel, Sallaumines no. 019029 (3634 TQ 62) - March 2002
The trusty O405 range was replaced in late-1999 by the striking-looking
Citaro. The Citaro has a relatively small, turbocharged engine in lieu of the
huge unit found in the back of the O405 range. No doubt this is to ease the
passage of the new bus through ever more stringent emissions regulations. The
number of Citaros in service in France is growing rapidly, with sizeable fleets
already in service in Marseille and with companies in the Paris suburbs. The
most surprising order so far has been one for 70 buses from RATP, which in past years
has rarely bought machinery from a foreign manufacturer. This bus is one of
a number in service with Lens area company Westeel, and was photographed leaving
Lens bus station.
MERCEDES-BENZ O530 CITARO
STAS, St. Etienne no. 308 (3290 XZ 42) - September 2000
The Citaro is just as distinctive from the rear as from the front.
One of the first French operators to take the plunge and order the new type was
St. Etienne, who now have 14 such buses in their varied fleet. 308 was
photographed at the Firminy terminus of route 26 when still quite new.
MERCEDES-BENZ O530G CITARO
TICE, Evry no. 457 (890 DFT 91) - October 2002
An
articulated version of the Citaro (the O530G) is also available - this can be
found in service in Brest and with a number of Paris suburban operators. This
one is one of a substantial batch working in the new town of Evry in the
southern Paris suburbs. TICE also have a number of rigid Citaros, also painted
in this stunning silver and green colour scheme.
MERCEDES-BENZ O520 CITO
TUR, Reims no. 514 (3249 ZV 51) - September 2001
This
bizarre bus is a Cito, a type which enjoyed some popularity in France. The most
unusual thing about the Cito (aside from its looks) is its driveline.
This consists of an electric motor supplied with current by a generator, driven
by the 4-cylinder Mercedes engine mounted above the rear axle. The Cito is
available in three lengths (8m, 9m and 10m), but the 10m version shown here is
the most common. The engine compartment takes up quite a lot of space at the
rear of the bus, and there can't be much room for passengers inside an 8m Cito!
MERCEDES-BENZ O520 CITO
RTM, Marseille no. 905 (741 WZ 13) - September 2000
Aside from the 8 buses in service in Reims, Citos may also be found in
number in Marseille (18 buses) and Toulouse (16 buses). There are small batches in
service in other French towns as well. This rear view of two of
Marseille's buses shows the windowless rear end and the amount of space taken up
by the engine compartment. These buses tend to be classed as midibuses, although
10m long by 2.4m wide isn't very midi. In something of an about-turn, Mercedes
have now withdrawn the Cito from their range, blaming excess competition in the
midibus market. However, those Citos in service in France do seem to have a
reputation for being troublesome, and it may be that Mercedes have simply given
up with this bus and its unusual transmission arrangement.