At the 63rd IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover, Winfried Heckt, Head of Bus Sales at Mercedes-Benz Germany, handed over the original Travego M show vehicle to Günter Bohr, Managing Director of Bohr Omnibus GmbH, on 24 September 2010.

The show vehicle is the first Mercedes-Benz Travego touring coach to feature the new generation of seats. The seats are manufactured in-house and set the standard within the industry in terms of safety, comfort and design details. The design of the new seats is both attractive and practical. Aluminum is used for the side trim for instance, providing an overall stylish, high-grade, and lightweight finish. A large, clearly labeled rocker-type switch provides effortless, intuitive lateral adjustment of the aisle seats and adjustment of the backrest angle.

The armrest for the new seats has an elegant shape as well as a large and ergonomic surface. The extremely simple and easy-to-use pivoting mechanism for folding away the armrest is a patented development. The backrest and the seat cushion also have a new shape. The seat cushion rests on a sprung design for the first time and can be easily removed for cleaning or repairs.

The optional stitching for the new upholstery allows a multitude of color, shape and material compositions, providing an even higher quality look and more individual appointments. The new coach for Bohr GmbH is a Travel Star Xtra (TSX) version with Luxline upholstery featuring the distinctive hallmark side fold. The badge with the Mercedes star as an emblem in the backrest is reminiscent of the Travego front panel. Seat center sections in “Duo” fabric, mars red side folds on the backrests, leather headrests in silver, fabric pockets on the backrests, footrests, folding tables, seat numbering, and bag hooks are just some of the numerous equipment options.

The range of choices is virtually unlimited, thanks to the use of a modular system. The developers have designed both fold-down cinema-style seats and fully folding seats for vehicles used as both inter-urban regular service buses and as travel coaches.

A steeper backrest angle in the starting position makes it easier for passengers to stand up. If the backrest is inclined, it can revert to its starting position when the passenger leaves the seat. The aisle-side arrangement of the belt buckles on all seats is a new feature, making them easier to use for passengers sitting nearest the wall and facilitating access for the rescue services after an accident.

The seat frame is based on a lightweight aluminum twin-tube design which, together with a new mounting, prevents annoying seat vibrations when the bus is driven with no passengers on board. The use of lightweight materials has substantially reduced the weight of each double seat. In a 12-meter-long three-star touring coach, the reduction amounts to around 70 kg.

In 1986, the company Bohr Reisen was founded under the ownership of Günter Bohr. On January 1, 2000, this company became Bohr Omnibus GmbH, which has its headquarters in Frankfurt-Hahn. The company is now active in all areas of bus and coach travel. Approximately 95% of the more than 80 vehicles in the firm’s fleet are from Mercedes-Benz.