Foreign Manufacturers - Neoplan

 Neoplan are well known for their bold designs. Despite moderate success in the coach market, Neoplan buses are a rare sight in France. So far, only one French urban operator has invested heavily in Neoplan products, that being Avignon.

NEOPLAN CENTROLINER N4407
TCRA, Avignon no. 90097 (3700 WK 84) - September 2000
Avignon is a city of narrow streets, and local operator TCRA has always struggled to serve the centre of the city effectively. In 2000 the company took the radical step of replacing many of its conventional buses with 42 of these Neoplan Centroliner midibuses. The Centroliners also ushered in this new and striking livery, replacing a rather boring white scheme.

NEOPLAN CENTROLINER N6108
TCRA, Avignon no. 90080 (7490 WL 84) - September 2000
Eight of the new Centroliners are diesel-electric hybrid buses in a similar manner to the Mercedes Cito. These look rather different to the diesel versions, as demonstrated by this example parked up at TCRA's depot.

NEOPLAN CENTROLINER N4416
Louis Gaubert, Vélizy no. 54 (224 BYX 78) - October 2002
Paris suburban operator Gaubert has a taste for the unusual - the fleet already contained four rare Scania L94 Omnicity buses by the time they bought four of these three-door 12m Neoplan Centroliners. As far as I am aware they are the only buses of this type in service in France. It's rather a shame that the operator has chosen to leave them in this very dull all-white livery.

NEOPLAN CENTROLINER N4416
Louis Gaubert, Vélizy no. 64 (118 CDM 78) - October 2002
Another of Gaubert's Neoplans, seen arriving at Versailles Chantiers station.