Through updates of their fleets and infra-structural measures, major Brazilian cities are already preparing themselves for the increased traffic volume expected during the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016. Fortaleza in Northeastern Brazil will be one of the cities to host World Cup soccer games. With an order of 135 new Mercedes-Benz city buses with BlueTec 5 technology, Fortaleza is one of the environmentally conscious cities to update their fleet of public transport vehicles in the run-up to this major sports event. The second major order was placed by the public transport companies in Ribeirão Preto. With almost 600,000 inhabitants, Ribeirão Preto is one of the largest cities in the São Paulo province. The transport companies have ordered almost 390 Mercedes-Benz bus chassis. The new fleet, which will begin to operate within the next months, is part of the local public transport concept aimed at improving the city’s traffic infrastructure. The concept also involves the establishment of new bus lines and the creation of exclusive bus corridors along the city’s main avenues. “The public transport companies chose our vehicles because of their state-of-the-art equipment, low fuel consumption, and high profitability. Our vehicles create maximum efficiency, which is well received by our customers. This is also confirmed by our outstanding market position. We are currently providing 60 percent of Brazil´s city buses,” says Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Buses.

Further sales impulses are expected through the upcoming major sports events in Brazil.

With around 7,000 new vehicle registrations in the first half of 2012, Daimler clearly defended its leading role on Brazil’s bus market. The company has a market share of around 50 percent of vehicles in the urban and intercity bus segment weighing over 8 tons GVW.

Mercedes-Benz do Brasil is the biggest commercial vehicle manufacturer in Latin America. Its São Bernardo do Campo plant is Daimler’s biggest outside of Germany and the only one where trucks, bus chassis, powertrains - including engines, transmissions, and axles - and truck cabs are produced at a single location.