The German Federal Ministry of the Interior, which is responsible for the federal police, has rejuvenated the police fleet with the addition of "heavy team transport vehicles" in the form of 33 Mercedes-Benz Tourismo buses via an agreement concluded by the procurement office. On 21 October 2008 the first 16 Mercedes-Benz Tourismo buses with police vehicle detailing were handed over to the German federal police at the Mannheim plant.

Flexibility and functionality were the key requirements specified by the German federal police to the Mercedes-Benz Bus and Coach Unit of EvoBus GmbH and the ServiceCenter for special construction. The Tourismo offers the best and most economical prerequisites for implementing various vehicle variants or vehicle lengths without changing the vehicle concept. It has been developed according to a modular system, which guarantees optimum flexibility and functionality for satisfying customers‘ wishes at any time.

The 33 Tourismo buses have been stationed throughout Germany as “heavy team transport vehicles“ to be available for the diverse responsibilities of the federal police. For example, the buses are used during large events such as national football league games, demonstrations or in the event of disaster to quickly transport a large number of police forces. To make the wait time for these events as pleasant as possible, the 32 kW air conditioning system has controls separate from those for the driver’s seat. Together with convector heating on the sidewalls, the climate control provides a consistently pleasant temperature on board.

"We are pleased to supply the federal police with these new team buses," said Director Karl-Heinz Maier, head of police technology and material management in the executive board of the German federal police in Potsdam. He came to Mannheim to accept delivery of the buses on behalf of the federal police. "These buses guarantee that the police officers will be travelling safely, comfortably and in an environmentally friendly manner to their deployments.“ The vehicle of choice is the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo. With ESP (Electronic Stability Program), ABS (anti-lock braking system), ASR (acceleration skid control) and BA (Brake Assist) Tourismo sets high standards for safety in its class.

The federal police will not only be travelling safely from now on but also in an environmentally friendly manner in their new team buses: with the help of new BlueTec® diesel technology the 300 kW (408 hp) engine of the Tourismo meets the EU Euro 5 emissions guideline.

The equipment for the Tourismo includes typical police vehicle detailing: rotating beacons (blue flashing lights), front flashing lights and a special signal system. There is also room for stowing 40 protective helmets in the vehicle interior and a fixture for the protective shields.

The telecommunications and data equipment necessary for deployments have also been installed at the EvoBus ServiceCentre. Additional electrical sockets for notebooks and mobile telephones were another requirement of the federal police. Two tables allow for an initial briefing of the officers on their way to the deployment site. As another optional extra, six of the 33 Tourismo buses have been equipped for driving instruction.

Even the base vehicle is state-of-the art: its technology, drive system, safety and lifecycle costs have justifiably made the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo the market leader amongst touring coaches in Europe. Well-engineered large-scale production technology and reliable engines from Mercedes-Benz guarantee the necessary availability.

The German federal police (Bundespolizei, BPOL) are the national police force in Germany. Within the German safety system the federal police perform a comprehensive and diverse range of tasks. Until mid-2005 the federal police were known as the federal border protection force (Bundesgrenzschutz). As a result the responsibilities of the fleet are correspondingly diverse: from passenger cars and vans to trucks and buses, the right vehicle is available for every purpose.