Family - Setra

Number 48 | Issue 2/11 

www.setra.de 

Magazine for customers and friends of the Setra brand 

Family 

Imprint 

Publisher 

EvoBus GmbH 

Setra Omnibusse 

Carl-Zeiss-Straße 2 

89231 Neu-Ulm 

Tel. +49 (0)731 181-0 

Fax +49 (0)731 181-2418 

www.setra.de 

Responsible for content: 

Dr Jens Heinemann, 

Head Marketing Communication Setra 

The following people worked on this issue: 

Christine Denzel, BUS/MPM-S 

Bernd Goy, BUS/MSG-4 

Dieter Startz, BUS/MSE-2 

Sonja Waldenspul, BUS/MSD-D 

Concept, editorial work, layout: 

Newport3 Werbeagentur GmbH & Co. KG 

Neumann-Reichardt-Str. 27-33 

22041 Hamburg 

www.newport3.de 

Repro: 

Final Art Production 

Neumann-Reichardt-Str. 27-33 

22041 Hamburg 

Printing: 

Süddeutsche Verlagsgesellschaft Ulm 

Nicolaus-Otto-Straße 14 

89079 Ulm 

Final Edition 

Introduction of the elegant 

Coach Travel 2.0 

An opinion survey with young people 

60 years of Setra 

Setra partners across Europe 

ComfortClass 400 special series 

on the appeal of coach travel 

celebrate the brand anniversary 

Page 06 

Page 32 

Page 10

02 | Setra Impressions 

Setra Editorial | 03 

Dear customers and friends 

of the Setra brand, 

the 60 th anniversary of the Setra brand has 

brought back many wonderful memories 

from the year 1951, when Otto Kässbohrer 

founded the Setra brand with his first selfsupporting 

coach. I am sure that many 

of you have also remembered past times 

this year, since many of our partners, 

customers and friends had their own good 

reasons to celebrate. The SetraFamily 

magazine is pleased to report on these highlights 

in our cover story. I would like to take 

advantage of this opportunity to once again 

wish all the best to those celebrating a milestone 

anniversary – and to thank you for our 

great partnership. I am looking forward to 

ongoing success in the future. 

Over the past year, we often witnessed the 

fascinating evolution that Setra has undergone 

over the last six decades. We see that 

the brand has always remained true to itself 

and to its promise to be “Best in Class”. 

The most current proof of this is the Final 

Edition of the ComfortClass 400. With 

many attractive design accents, it makes a 

very distinctive statement, while being truly 

outstanding in terms of safety as well. You 

can read more about the Final Edition on 

page 06. 

Otto Kässbohrer, the mastermind behind 

our brand, would never have wanted to stop 

improving his coaches. He always asked 

himself how he could make coach travel 

more appealing to an even larger customer 

target group. We are still driven by this vision. 

In a recent workshop, we asked ourselves 

“How interesting is coach travel to young 

people?” and we uncovered some exciting 

results which we share with you in this 

issue. 

You may recall that we opened a search for 

coach and bus stories from all around the 

world earlier this year. We are delighted 

with the very positive response we received, 

and we thank all those who took 

part in the campaign! Beginning in this 

issue, we will be presenting to you the most 

touching, bizarre, spectacular and funny 

stories – as a regular column in the Setra- 

Family magazine. Soon you will also find 

a collection of “Coach Stories” on our 

website. 

Speaking of our website, we have initiated 

quite a few notable Setra developments 

online. And our new and even more userfriendly 

website has been launched. You’ll 

find out about our new online content and 

features on page 35. Setra Sales has also 

undergone structural changes – and not 

only of a virtual nature! Read about how our 

customers stand to benefit from them on 

page 25. 

Have you ever heard of Green Public 

Procurement? What’s behind it is the EU 

Guideline promoting more environmentally 

friendly road vehicles, which has been in 

effect for close to a year. We have brought 

together highlights of the changes made in 

terms of public contracting in the context 

of Green Public Procurement. Also in 

this issue: the benefits and innovations 

of the BlueEfficiency Power engine generation 

and the second generation of our 

PowerShift transmission, with its advanced 

retarder, clutch and gearshift. As well, we 

will be offering you an even wider selection 

of models with the rear-entry system for 

the S 415 GT-HD and the S 419 GT-HD. 

As you’ll see, it goes a lot further than 

simply opening up a more spacious luggage 

compartment. 

A memorable year with many wonderful 

events and outstanding success is now 

almost behind us. Once again we have 

achieved very good results in a challenging 

market with strong competitors, and we 

have even increased our market share. 

The committed Setra family has greatly 

contributed to this success and to making 

Setra an innovative, state-of-the-art brand. 

And I sincerely thank all its members for 

their dedication. 

I hope you enjoy reading this issue of the 

SetraFamily. 

With my best regards 

Lothar Holder 

Head of Sales Setra Buses and Coaches 

EvoBus GmbH 

At the anniversary gala in Neu-Ulm, guests were delighted with the performance 

put on by the “Pomp Duck and Circumstance” varieté group

04 | Setra Content 

Setra Content | 05 

10 Setra’s 60th anniversary was celebrated 

across Europe 

06 

An impressive special model: 

the Final Edition of the ComfortClass 400 

More comfortable travel with a hot beverage 

20 dispenser and an infotainment system 

35 

Just a click away: 

the new Setra website is now online 

31 

Teams and officials will be driven in Setra 

coaches during the 2012 EURO games 

Two more models are now available with 

43 rear entry 

Cover story 

Best in Class 

Highlight 

Family News 

Setra Individual 

10 | 60 years of Setra 

International celebrations during the 

anniversary year 

06 | The Final Edition is here 

The stage is set for a ComfortClass 400 

special edition 

08 | PowerShift 

The successful GO 240-8 welcomes its 

successor 

19 | Factory tour 

Behind the scenes at the Paint & Finish 

Center in Neu-Ulm 

28 | „Green Coach 2011“ 

The Setra ComfortClass wins an award 

for best fuel efficiency 

20 | From high-tech galleys through to 

infotainment 

Setra showed fascinating special customer 

requests in Kortrijk 

32 | How do today’s young people travel? 

An opinion survey on coach travel 

Premium Service 

18 | The BusLeague Champions 

General distributor Boekels wins OMNIplus 

service competition 

36 | SafetyTraining 

What bus drivers learn at the Hockenheimring 

circuit 

22 | Setra family get-togethers 

A look ahead and a look back at shows 

and fairs 

24 | “We want to delight our 

customers!” 

An interview with Angela Titzrath-Grimm, 

Head of Marketing, Sales and Aftersales 

Daimler Buses 

25 | The evolution of Setra Sales 

How customers will benefit from structural 

changes 

26 | Anniversary year coach stories 

Entertaining highlights from 60 years 

of Setra 

31 | 2012 European Football 

Championship 

Teams and managers will be driven by 

Setra 

35 | The new Setra world online 

Our new website wins over visitors at the 

very first click 

38 | Welcome on board! 

An overview of new Setra customers 

39 | Newcomer designers found 

Winners of the Children’s Painting 

Competition 

29 | Only the very best 

Dogus ˘ Holding takes delivery of an 

impressive VIP coach 

˛ 

43 | Please enter from the rear! 

Rear-entry system for the S 415 GT-HD 

and the S 419 GT-HD

06 | Setra Best in Class 

Setra Best in Class | 39 

A special edition for all Setra ComfortClass 400 models: 

The Final Edition 

At the end of October 2011, a special edition of the ComfortClass 400 was premiered at the Busworld 

show in Kortrijk, Belgium: the Final Edition. 

A 

s with the TopClass Special Edition 

which caused a sensation at 

the beginning of this special anniversary 

year, Setra has also presented a 

special series for the ComfortClass – the 

Final Edition. The ComfortClass’ already 

powerful curb appeal has been further 

enhanced with distinctive design features 

and unique equipment details. 

Elegant, distinctive styling 

The ComfortClass 400 Final Edition’s 

metallic exterior side trim and “Galaxsee” 

tinted side windows beautifully complement 

the coach’s comfortable “Voyage Plus” 

seats and striking “Final Edition” lettering. 

At the front of the coach, a leather steering 

wheel, bird’s eye maple detail, and driver’s 

and attendant’s seats with leather accents 

all contribute to a uniquely elegant atmosphere. 

This coach is much more than just 

beautiful. It features all the great qualities 

that make a ComfortClass 400 so unique: 

an exceptional vehicle concept, high-level 

comfort and impressive cost-effectiveness, 

and outstanding safety with its Adaptive 

Cruise Control (ART) feature with Active 

Brake Assist (ABA) or, optionally, a navigation 

system. The new coach was also introduced 

on the newly designed Setra website 

just in time for the Busworld show in October. 

The Final Edition on tour 

If you would also like to experience the 

Final Edition live, we invite you to join us 

at one of the many fairs and shows where 

the milestone coach will be exhibited. For 

specific dates, please refer to the trade 

show scheduling on page 22. 

The ComfortClass 400 Final Edition 

at a glance 

• Adaptive Cruise Control (ART) with Active 

Brake Assist (ABA) – or optionally with a 

navigation system 

• Dark tinted “Galaxsee” side windows 

• “Voyage Plus” seats with leather headrest 

• Instrument panel with bird’s eye maple 

design trim 

• Leather steering wheel with bird’s eye 

maple inlays 

• Driver’s and attendant’s seats with 

leather accents (depending on equipment) 

• Backlit Setra logo in the front 

entrance step 

“Final Edition” design package 

• Exterior brushed stainless steel side trim 

• “Final Edition” lettering above the driver’s 

work station 

• Setra logo in the rear arch 

• “Final Edition” insignias in the 

entry carpets


Setra Family News | 09 

A new PowerShift transmission gears up for launch: 

Unique worldwide 

At the beginning of 2009, the GO 240-8 PowerShift transmission was introduced to the market, 

setting an all-new standard in gear shifting comfort in coaches. Since then, the transmission has 

more than proven itself. In fact, it has become indispensible to both drivers and operators. 

W 

hen you drive a Setra with an 

automatic eight-gear GO 240-8 

transmission for the first time, 

you’ll be amazed by how easily you can 

maneuver a heavy triple-axle coach and 

how elegantly it performs. When the system 

was launched in early 2009, the market 

feedback was, to say the least, enthusiastic. 

Heinz Schlatzer, owner of Schlatzer-Reisen 

in Bärnbach in the German Styria region, has 

been the proud owner of a Setra 

S 416 HDH with an automated GO 240-8 

eight-gear transmission since April this 

year, and he is convinced it represents 

a quantum leap in coach technology: 

“PowerShift gives me, as an operator, 

many benefits: a long service life, great 

cost-efficiency, as well as maximum driving 

and operating comfort and convenience.” 

The GO 240-8 boasts many features which 

have proven themselves thousands of times 

in practical use. Its operating life of 1.5 million 

km speaks volumes. This outstanding 

performance is enabled by state-of-the-art, 

highly accurate manufacturing technologies 

developed to fulfil Setra’s Best in Class 

promise. The GO 240-8 PowerShift is the 

only automated transmission worldwide 

with progressive transmission stepping 

conceived specially for coaches and buses. 

This avoids unnecessary gear changes, 

while enabling a level of driving comfort 

that you would expect from a premium 

sedan. The transmission is manufactured in 

the Gaggenau production facilities, Daimler’s 

competency center for mechanical and 

automated transmissions. 

All switching and clutch operations are 

taken over by the PowerShift’s automation 

processes. It combines the highest driving 

dynamic with reduced tractive power interruptions, 

while ensuring extremely low 

noise levels. This facilitates the driver’s 

task while delivering the greatest possible 

driving comfort to guests. And, operators 

capitalise on the many economic benefits 

the system offers. For example, bus operator 

Fritz Hinterberger from Reiseparadies 

Kastler in Ottensheim, Upper Austria, is 

also very satisfied with the GO 240-8: 

“Since the PowerShift always works in the 

most optimal gear, fuel consumption is 

considerably reduced. We see this very 

clearly with our Setra.” 

And now, at the end of 2011, with the 

GO 250-8 PowerShift 3 for maximum 

2,500 Nm, the next PowerShift generation 

is gearing up to hit the market. And expectations 

are high. A “creep mode”, analogue 

to converter automatic transmissions, is 

all new. Simply by pressing on the brake 

pedal, the driver can maneuver with more 

sensitivity than ever. The clutch process 

takes place via a centrically positioned, 

pneumatically operated coupling cylinder. 

Mechanical parts such as the release fork, 

release bearing and clutch booster have 

been eliminated. The new secondary water 

retarder from Voith, also called Aquatarder, 

with its braking torque of up to 3,500 Nm, 

delivers the highest possible safety for driver 

and passengers. As braking and cooling 

medium, it works with the engine cooling 

water, no longer requiring the oil/water 

heat exchanger and resulting oil changes. 

Another benefit: the dry weight of the new 

transmission has been reduced by 20 kg 

to 285 kg. 

The new PowerShift gearshift, which uses a 

steering column lever instead of the previously 

used joystick, is completely new. It 

includes all functions and is easy to operate. 

The driver can switch between D/N/R 

driving modes, and between automatic and 

manual gear shifting as needed. He can 

access manual gear shifting by briefly 

pulling the lever towards him, and the 

retarder can be regulated downwards as 

usual by moving the lever. Schlatzer-Reisen 

is looking forward to trying out the new 

steering column lever. “It’s hard to imagine 

that seemingly perfect technology can 

actually be improved on”, says Heinz 

Schlatzer. 

 

The transformation of Merz Travel: 

The art of travel 

Merz Travel in Gnadenberg offers tours with a focus on art and cultural highlights. As you would 

expect, the standards and expectations in terms of coach safety and comfort are high. 

erz Travel has been a Setra customer 

M right from the beginning. In fact, the 

company purchased its first Setra coach 

back in the fifties. Today, Merz Travel has a 

fleet of 18 vehicles – all of which are now 

premium Setra coaches. A Setra S 9 is also 

available for special applications, such as 

promotional tours or excursions. 

Since joining the company’s management 

team, Managing Director Patricia Ehbauer 

has refocused the corporate strategy away 

from line services towards more exclusive 

tourism applications. From her perspective, 

there simply does not exist a real alternative 

to the Setra brand: “You can only survive 

and succeed over the long term if your 

spectrum of services is “authentic”, and if 

Preventing fuel theft: 

the company and its offering match perfectly. 

As an innovative tour operator, we offer 

exclusive cultural tours focusing on art and 

music events which are of interest to a discerning 

target group. You can’t show up in 

front of a five-star hotel with a second-class 

bus. You need a German-built, premium 

coach – and ideally, it should be a Setra.” 

The relationship between the Merz company 

and Setra is a very special one indeed. The 

two companies have been working closely 

together since the fifties. Setra’s Hermann 

General Distributor has been taking care of 

and supporting Merz Travel for 25 years – 

with Martin Hermann now in the second 

generation. Patricia Ehbauer looks back 

fondly at an experience that contributed to 

binding the two companies even more 

closely: “In the nineties, during an Ascension 

holiday, one of our Drögmöller coaches 

broke down in Italy. And of course, all 

coaches and drivers were already booked 

out for the Friday. We were able to find one 

driver, but he wouldn’t have been able to 

drive the whole distance on his own. When 

Mr Hermann found out about our problem, 

he didn’t hesitate for a moment. He interrupted 

his holiday and, together with our 

driver, brought a Setra to Italy so that our 

guests could continue their trip. That’s just 

the way it was. As soon as a problem arose, 

Mr Hermann was there for us – and that’s 

the way it had also been with his fatherin-law.” 

 

A small investment with great impact 

It’s a sad fact indeed that fuel theft from coaches and buses is on the rise. Setra now has a brilliantly 

simple yet highly effective solution to prevent fuel theft from taking place. 

oo many coach drivers and owners 

T have experienced the frustration of 

returning to their bus in a parking lot or at 

a highway service station, only to realise 

that their previously filled fuel tank is 

empty. The problem is most often not a 

leak, but rather theft – where the tank has 

been tapped with a hose and pumped 

empty. 

In response to customer requests, Setra 

created an ingenious system to prevent fuel 

theft. And now, with the ever increasing 

cost of fuel, demand for the device is growing. 

It is as simple as it is effective: a grid 

insert in the fuel tank filler neck prevents 

the insertion of a hose to pump out fuel. 

Mounting the device promises not to break 

anyone’s budget and can take place directly 

at the tank supplier’s facilities.

10 | Setra Cover Story 

Setra Cover Story | 11 

Even the musical equipment theme on stage reflected the Setra anniversary 

Setra family anniversaries: 

Everyone is celebrating! 

2011 was a year with three milestone anniversaries at Setra: the 125 th birthday of the automobile, 

100 years of coach and bus expertise and, of course, 60 years of Setra. SetraFamily magazine had 

a look around to see how members of the Setra family celebrated Setra’s anniversary in Germany 

and abroad, and how other notable anniversaries were celebrated. 

A 

t Setra in Neu-Ulm, the mood has 

been festive throughout all of 

2011. Since the beginning of the 

year, visitors are greeted at the Customer- 

Center with vintage vehicles such as the 

“Wiblinger Auto”, historic displays, model 

coaches and several display cases with 

unique exhibits from the Setra Museum in 

Ulm. A highlight of the anniversary year was 

a ceremony in May which Lothar Holder, 

Head of Sales Setra Buses and Coaches, 

opened with the following words: “Setra 

turned 60 this year. And we can all be very 

proud. Setra, with its distinctive philosophy, 

is a very special brand, and it has remained 

unique and “youthful” through six decades.” 

On this memorable evening, he unveiled 

the 100,000 th Setra coach, a Special 

Edition with state-of-the-art equipment. 

Another highlight of the evening was the 

show put on by the very successful variété 

artists “Pomp Duck and Circumstance”, 

who took the evening’s guests on a fascinating 

journey through Setra’s history, bringing 

it to life once again. Join us now as we 

take a look at other members of the Setra 

family who also celebrated this year, each 

in their own very special way.


Setra Titelstory | 07 

The EvoBus 2011 Family Day 

On 14 May 2011, on the occasion of the 

125 th anniversary of the automobile, 

EvoBus employees and their families were 

invited to the Neu-Ulm facilities. Guests 

could explore the factory premises where 

there was a lot to see and experience: for 

instance, an impressive line-up of vintage 

and new coaches. Many took advantage of 

the opportunity to introduce their families 

to their workplace and to offer them a 

behind-the-scenes look at what goes into 

engineering, designing and manufacturing 

coaches and buses. And, there was a lot 

more to enjoy as well. Throughout the day, 

the guests were entertained by staff, while 

kids participated in a quiz prize draw, or 

Wolfgang Hänle, Head of Production EvoBus, 

also expressed his gratitude to employees 

for their hard work and commitment. He 

also thanked their families, whose contribution 

is invaluable: “The support you give 

your partner every day cannot be over-estimated. 

You provide our employees with the 

strength they need to do the great work 

they do. Yes, you are also key to the success 

of the Setra brand and the EvoBus company.” 

In the evening, at the Setra Customer- 

Center, Pomp Duck and Circumstance once 

again offered a breathtaking adventure for 

all the senses – to some 2,300 guests. The 

world-famous potpourri of gastronomic delights 

and variété brought to life the history 

of the Setra brand for a very enthusiastic 

wholesale operation in Ulm under the name 

Sudhoff & Schauz. 30 years later, Karl Sudhoff 

separated from Schauz and began 

operating under the name sudhoff KG. In 

1975, his sons Klaus and Reiner together 

took over management of the company. In 

the early nineties, the two brothers took on 

split career paths. The Sudhoff GmbH & Co. 

KG, under the management of Reiner Sudhoff, 

was founded with a focus on automotive 

parts and accessories. And Klaus took 

over management of sudhoff technik 

GmbH, with a focus on special products 

made of rubber and plastics. Meanwhile, 

Klaus Sudhoff manages the company together 

with his son Roland – a successful 

team which, in 2010, achieved sales of 34 

A sweet surprise: a Setra S 8 as birthday cake 

Peter Halder, Setra General Distributor, also celebrated his 60 th birthday 

took part play in a human kicker tournament. 

Close to 17,000 visitors contributed 

to making the day an unforgettable family 

party. Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler 

Buses, was delighted to see so many attend 

the event: “The Family Day is a real tradition 

here at EvoBus – and has always been 

important to us. Today, the family was very 

much the focus of our attention. Our team 

is also a family – a bus family.” 

audience in Neu-Ulm. The evening came to 

a brilliant close, appropriately enough in the 

finishing hall, with an aftershow party with 

live band and DJ. The guests were, to say 

the least, delighted and are already looking 

forward to the next anniversary! 

75 years sudhoff technik GmbH 

It was three quarters of a century ago that 

Karl Sudhoff founded an automotive parts 

million EUR with its 73 employees. The 

partnership between EvoBus and sudhoff 

technik has gone on for 50 years, during 

which time EvoBus has evolved into a key 

customer. Plastic profiles and injection 

moulded parts, used for the most part in 

seats and in the coaches’ roof area, are at 

the root of the partnership. Sudhoff supports 

EvoBus in parts development and in 

the area of substituting metal parts with 

plastic parts. With their reliability and inspiration, 

suppliers like sudhoff technik make 

a significant contribution to the ongoing 

development and improvement of Setra 

coaches and buses. We thank sudhoff 

technik for an excellent partnership and 

wish them continued success on their 75 th 

anniversary! 

RDA turns 60 

On the occasion of the 60 th anniversary of 

the RDA, Setra organised a sweet surprise 

at the RDA Workshop in July 2011: Lothar 

Holder, Head of Sales Setra Buses and 

Coaches EvoBus GmbH, gave RDA President 

Richard Eberhardt a birthday cake designed 

like a Setra S 8, thanking him for a 

A reliable Setra partner for 50 years: sudhoff technik 

long-term partnership. The RDA Internationale 

Bustouristik Verband e.V. (International 

Bus Tourism Association) was founded 

in 1951 as “Reise-Ring Deutscher Autobusunternehmungen”. 

The main focus of its 

political commitment is the promotion of 

environmentally compatible, modern bus 

tourism. With more than 3,000 members in 

over 40 countries – from bus operators, 

tour organisers through tourism associations, 

cultural and event organisers through 

to suppliers of bus equipment, hotel and 

gastronomic equipment – the RDA is 

Europe’s leading association for bus and 

group tourism. Its philosophy “Services 

from members for members” is reflected in 

its extensive services and product port- 

folios. Setra is looking forward to continued 

successful collaboration in the future and 

wishes RDA all the best! 

Peter Halder’s 60 th birthday 

On his 60 th birthday, Peter Halder, Setra 

General Distributor for the North/East 

Württemberg region, invited family, friends, 

colleagues and several customers to the 

Boxenstoppmuseum in Tübingen – a well 

suited venue for a thoroughbred motorist 

like Peter Halder. Since 1966, when he first 

began his training as an automotive mechanic, 

Peter and Setra have been inseparable. 

From that point on, his love for the Setra 

brand was sealed, and it has deepened 

from year to year. In the eighties, Peter 

Halder was moved into sales and in 1985, a 

part of a team of three, he was given the 

challenge to establish a US sales operation. 

Peter was not only successful in business. 

He eventually married one of the colleagues 

he travelled with at the time and their son 

was in fact “made in the USA”, as Halder 

likes to say with a smile. In 1987, they returned 

to Germany. In the nineties he took 

over management of the delivery department 

in Ulm, and then became active in 

sales in Germany. In 1998, the time had



Senden Managing Directors Tobias Rulle and Ingo Windeln were pleased to accept a model of the Special Edition 

come to say farewell. However, he remained 

true to Setra coaches and to the Setra 

family, as he moved on to support the Knies 

General Distributor. As Knies retired in 

2000, Peter Halder took over leadership of 

the business and has, since then, sold 

well over 300 new Setra coaches and 

buses. Peter Halder will always be a part of 

the Setra family: “When I look at the 

opportunities I was offered during my time 

with Setra, I am very grateful. I started as a 

mechanic, and now I am a distributor. I 

can’t even begin to imagine doing anything 

other than selling Setra coaches!” We wish 

you continued success and a lot of fun. 

Congratulations Peter Halder! 

The Senden General Distributor 

celebrates its 30 th anniversary 

The Senden General Distributor also celebrated 

a notable anniversary in March, in 

the context of the SetraShow in Kerpen. 

On the occasion of its 30 th anniversary, 

Heinz Friedrich, Setra Sales Director Germany, 

gave a model of the Special Edition 

S 416 HDH to Tobias Rulle and Ingo Windeln, 

the distributor's managing directors. The 

history of the Senden company goes back 

even further than 30 years. In 1928, Leo 

von den Driesch founded a blacksmith shop 

and, in 1948, Heinrich Senden joined the 

company – taking it over four years later. 

Ten years after that, he had transformed 

the company into one of the largest agricultural 

machinery traders in Rhineland. 

And soon, a number of large public bus 

operations were among the business’ customers. 

The partnership with Setra began 

in 1981, as the managing director at the 

time, Hans-Willi Windeln, established 

contacts with Ulm, which soon led to a 

general distributor contract. Today, the 

Autohaus Senden GmbH is led by managing 

partners Tobias Rulle, the company 

founder’s grandson, and Ingo Windeln, Willi 

Windeln’s son. Rulle manages the coach 

business, while Windeln heads up the car 

business. 110 employees, half of whom are 

responsible for Setra, work at the Geilenkirchen 

headquarters and the Kerpen subsidiary. 

To the great satisfaction of their 

customers, as Ulrich Zeimers, coach operator 

in Eupen, explains: “The long service life, 

cost-effectiveness and above-average resale 

value, in combination with the excellent and 

very friendly service I enjoy at Senden, 

make buying Setra coaches an investment 

that simply can’t be beat.” We wish the 

Autohaus Senden continued success and 

all the best on your 30 th anniversary! 

General Distributor for Norway 

celebrates 75 th anniversary and 35 years 

of partnership with Setra 

In March this year, the Setra General Distributor 

in Norway, RSA (Rutebileiernes Standardiserings 

Aksjeselskap), took advantage 

of its double anniversary – 75 years RSA 

and 35 years of collaboration with Setra – 

to celebrate with its employees and partners. 

380 guests made the celebration a 

resounding success. A journalist hired by 

RSA wrote and presented a 15-page book 

on the history of the company. The historic 

context of the celebration was beautifully 

underscored with two vehicles exhibited – 

the first ever and the most recently sold 

Setra coaches: an S 140 from 1976 

purchased by the Team Tour AS company in 

1976, and an S 411 HD belonging to the 

Furuly Turbuss company. In 1936, RSA was 

founded by Norwegian bus entrepreneurs. 

Today, the Helling family owns 91 percent 

of the business, and managing director 

Frank Dunvold the remaining 9 percent. 

RSA is the largest Norwegian automotive 

importer, with close to 95 associated 

dealers. In total, over the 35-years partnership 

with Setra, RSA has sold close to 500 

The Team Tour AS company’s 1967 Setra S 140 

Setra coaches. Following the beginning of 

sales in 1976, there were no sales between 

1977 and 1982 due to an import embargo, 

since adhesive-sealed window screens – 

which are standard in all coaches today – 

were not allowed in Norway. The general 

distributor achieved its greatest sales 

success in 2008, when RSA became “Setra 

2008 General Distributor of the Year” after 

winning a bid for 21 coaches. 

60 years for the Société Régionale de 

Transports (SRT) 

The French transport company, la Société 

Régionale de Transport or SRT, is also celebrating 

its 60 th anniversary – just like 

Setra. The story behind the company 

founded by the Collomb family from Saint- 

Étienne in the South of France is that of a 

classical family business in the coach 

sector. At the end of the 19 th century, the 

great-grandfather of today’s managing 

directors Mick and Denis Collomb used a 

coach and buggy to transport visitors to the 

horse races in Villars, seven kilometres 

away – laying the cornerstone for the transport 

business. In the 1920s, his son, Jean- 

Baptiste Collomb, sold coal transporting it 

by horse and coach. On Sundays however, 

he carried visitors from La Talaudière to 

Saint-Étienne. In 1936, he gave up the coal 

business and founded the Cars Collomb 

company. During the Second World War, he 

was forced to hand over his coaches to the 

Managing director Mick Collomb welcomes his guests 

Conseil Général de la Loire. He got them 

back however in 1951, as the authorities 

transferred their public transport routes to 

various bus operators – including Cars 

Collomb. In the same year, Jean-Baptiste’s 

son Louis founded the SRT company. In 

1974, the company’s first expansion took 

place with the acquisition of Société des 

Transports Héandais. Two years later, son 

Mick joined the firm, and then in 1988, the 

second son Denis. Since 1991, both sons 

have been managing the company which 

today has 67 coaches, most of which from 

EvoBus. Mick Collomb explains why he more 

and more often opts for Setra buses as follows: 

“First of all, we choose Setra because 

of its unmatched cost-effectiveness and outstanding 

value retention. The company’s 

history – in terms of heritage and visionary 

personalities – suits our family business very 

well. The fact that we are both now celebrating 

our 60 th anniversary is the icing on the 

cake.” The SetraFamily says congratulations! 

The Baumeister-Knese company celebrated its 100 th anniversary by taking delivery of the 100,000 th Setra 

Baumeister-Knese coach travel 

turns 100 

The Baumeister-Knese family business in 

Ulm is in its prime! The veteran company in 

the coach business, founded by Benedikt 

Baumeister in 1911, celebrated its 100 th 

anniversary in July with over 400 guests at 

the Setra CustomerCenter. The decadelong 

association between the two companies 

began as the grandfather of today’s 

owner shared a school bench with Otto 

Kässbohrer. Over the last 60 years, the 

company from Unterweiler has bought 51 

Setra coaches. “We are a fully fledged 

Setra operation”, says Klaus Knese who 

manages the company in its fourth generation 

with his wife Angelika. This year, Baumeister-Knese 

has already invested in four 

new Setra coaches, one of which was the 

100,000 th Setra to come off the line in Neu- 

Ulm – fitting to the company’s 100 th anniversary. 

Lothar Holder, Head of Sales Setra 

Buses and Coaches EvoBus GmbH, praised 

the family-owned firm for its highly professional 

management – and for its big heart. 

For decades, the nuns from the Laupheim 

Abbey have travelled from Ulm to Laupheim 

at no cost. Klaus Knese says this was 

initiated once upon a time by the company 

founders. No one really knows why. But the 

offer remains.



International anniversary 

celebrations 

All over Europe, general distributors, subsidiaries and OMNIplus service points celebrated Setra’s 

60 th brand anniversary with their customers and employees. The SetraFamily magazine had a close 

look at the festive events. 

The Baltic region was treated to perfect birthday 

weather for its celebrations 

The Baltic states 

On a bright sunny day in May, Maris Gailis, 

Managing Director of Setra’s Latvian general 

distributorship M.E.LAT-LUX SIA in 

Cesis, welcomed 70 invited guests from the 

whole Baltic region. The occasion for the 

“Open House” event was the 60 th anniversary 

of the Sera brand. The very unique 

opportunity to compare a Special Edition 

S 415 HD with a ComfortClass S 416 GT-HD 

in a test drive captured a lot of interest. The 

closing tour led visitors through the picturesque 

town of Cesis into the surrounding 

country to an idyllic inn. There, guests were 

invited to take part in interesting presentations, 

or to simply enjoy chatting with their 

peers and making new contacts. A memorable 

day for the big Baltic Setra family! 

Slovenia 

In April, the Street Tour company, one of 

Setra’s largest customers in Slovenia, had 

two reasons to celebrate: their own 20 th 

anniversary and Setra’s 60 th brand anniversary. 

With a very successful event at the 

Grand Hotel Metropol, the company from 

Portoroz treated over 400 customers, business 

partners and representatives from the 

press to a great birthday event. To underscore 

the festive occasion, Street Tour 

In Slovenia, two Setra S 415 HD coaches were handed 

over during the festivities 

took delivery of two brand-new TopClass 

S 415 HD coaches which were then available 

for exploring. Street Tour now has an 

impressive fleet of ten Setra coaches – yet 

another reason to celebrate! Guests were 

also offered another notable attraction 

when a Setra S 415 HD Special Edition was 

presented. 

Bulgaria 

In October, Bulgaria celebrated Setra’s 60 th 

anniversary with an exceptionally successful 

roadshow. The visitor attendance in 

Sofia, Pleven, Varna, Burgas and Plovdiv 

was enormous. For the first time, an Eco- 

Training session was offered to the Balkan- 

Star general distributor in Sofia in a Setra 

S 417 GT-HD. Many customers took part 

Good business in Bulgaria, with customer Dimitar 

Boidev (left) and sales representative Lubomir Lubenov 

and proudly completed the training programme. 

To crown the anniversary roadshow, 

Setra sales representative Lubomir 

Lubenov received an order for a Setra 

S 416 GT-HD/2 demonstrator from the 

Boidevi company in Svilengrad close to the 

Rhodope Mountains. 

Poland 

In May this year, in picturesque Lichen, 

conveniently located between Warsaw and 

Poznan, Setra brand speaker Jerzey Folda 

and his sales team welcomed well over 100 

customers and representatives from the 

Polish press. With 15 coaches on display, 

almost the entire product range was 

Flowers for Krystyna and Euzebiusz Walerianczyk from 

Katarzyna Tourist, handed over by Frank Koschatzky, 

President of EvoBus Polska 

presented, as well as few selected preowned 

vehicles. Test drives and driving skill 

challenges with a variety of Setra models 

were a focal point of the event. The very 

successful event was rounded out with an 

unforgettable evening celebration. 

Serbia 

In 26 May, Andreas Binder, managing director 

of Setra’s MN-SCG subsidiary, invited 

guests to Belgrade for an Open House 

event at the OMNIplus Busport. Following a 

tour of Busport, guests had an opportunity 

to enjoy an unforgettable test drive with the 

S 416 HDH. The event then came to a close 

in a charming restaurant on the Danube 

where guests were treated to local gastronomic 

delights and live music. 

Croatia 

In Croatia, Setra’s 60 th anniversary was 

celebrated with a big Setra roadshow. Between 

the end of April and early May, over 

80 coach operators – in the cities of Varazdin, 

Istrien, Rijeka, Zadar, Dubrovnik and 

Split – were visited by an S 415 HD Special 

Edition and a ComfortClass S 415 HD. Test 

drives and in-depth technical discussions 

were in the foreground. The celebrations 

closed with an impressive event at our MB 

general distributor’s premises in Zagreb. 

The Czech Republic 

May was also a festive month in the Czech 

Republic for EvoBus Bohemia, our Czech 

subsidiary. The hotel complex “Unter der 

Sonne” in Trebiz was selected as venue – 

clearly a good omen since the sun shone 

brilliantly all day. Close to 60 customers 

enjoyed the gorgeous weather in the 

romantic North-Bohemian village. Setra 

brand speaker Jan Cizek presented a total 

of seven Setra coaches, inviting guests to 

test drive them on a nearby airfield in 

Panensky Tynec. Georg Kendlbacher from 

EvoBus Bohemia summed up the event as 

follows: “We are already looking forward to 

the next event. We know for a fact that our 

customers as just as crazy about Setra as 

we are!” 

The Czech celebrations took place at the “Unter der 

Sonne” hotel 

Bosnia and Herzegovina 

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Setra’s 60 th 

anniversary was celebrated with an anniversary 

roadshow, organised by the Branco 

Vajagic general distributorship in Sarajevo. 

Benjamin Gross (left) explains to Ivan Kovacevic how 

the Setra model got into the bottle 

Our customer Cicko Commerce graciously 

made their Setra S 415 GT-HD available for 

the event which included visits to all customers 

and all parts of the region. The big 

closing event was held at Cicko Commerce’s 

premises. There, Benjamin Gross, Setra 

Sales South-East Europe, handed over a 

grappa bottle with an embedded goldcoloured 

Setra model S 415 HD to the 

owner of the Cicko Commerce company, 

Ivan Kovacevic – as thank you for his generous 

support during the entire event. 

France in a festive mood: the Setra Tour encompassed 

no less than eight events 

France 

In France, eight events were held at various 

ServiceCenters and OMNIplus service 

points, to celebrate Setra’s 60 th anni- 

'versary. The tour travelled right through 

the country, from Tourcoing close to Lille, 

to the Marseille ServiceCenter in the South, 

and from Bordeaux in the West to the Strasbourg 

ServiceCenter in the East and to 

Genas near Lyon. Two models from the anniversary 

edition, an S 411 HD and an S 415 

GT-HD, were available for test drives. 

Guests were also surprised with the presentation 

of the TopClass S 431 DT for intercity 

passenger transport – in France, 

this coach is known for its use in touring 

applications. Further displays included a 

low-floor bus and an H vehicle, as well as 

various vintage coaches, accompanied 

by films, presentations and images – presenting 

an overview of the different ranges 

and of the Setra brand’s history. 

Germany 

In April 2011, Setra’s 60 th anniversary was 

also celebrated by our ServicePartner Rolf 

Bauer GmbH in Gundelfingen near Freiburg, 

together with general representatives 

Kuckluck and Hofmann. Coach operators 

from South Baden and Upper Swabia were 

invited to the festivities with their families 

and employees. The response was overwhelming: 

45 companies joined the event. 

Close to 140 guests experienced first-hand 

what the Setra family has to offer – with 

great food and beverages, and informative 

presentations. A vintage Setra S 8, a real 

highlight, was constantly surrounded by 

curious guests. As well, the TopClass 

S 416 HDH and the S 415 NF with EcoLife 

A great team (left to right): W. Fremdling, T. Hofmann, 

P. Bauer, G. Sägmüller, D. Kuckluck, R. Schertle 

transmission were also given a lot of 

attention. Seven more vehicles from the 

TopClass, ComfortClass and MultiClass 

ranges were available for test drives. The 

Rolf Bauer company has a long-standing 

heritage in Breisgau, and has been a Setra 

partner for many decades. The Kuckluck 

general representative, who has been 

responsible for Setra sales in South Baden 

for nine years, has now presented the complete 

Setra product line at exhibitions for 

the fifth time in collaboration with Rolf 

Bauer GmbH. Founded in 1927, the Rolf 

Bauer company is now one of the leading 

commercial vehicle and coach service 

operations, with over 60 employees at two 

locations in the area known as the threeborder 

region – at the intersection of 

Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

18 | Setra Premium Service 


OMNIplus SafetyTraining: 

Training for every situation 

Factory tour – Paint & Finish Center: 

A perfect finish every time! 

OMNIplus SafetyTraining takes place regularly at the Hockenheimring racing circuit. The sessions 

are adapted to the needs of the specific customer group and to the conditions of the customer’s 

home country. 

In the second part of the “Factory tour” series, Paul Leibing, 62, factory guide, leads us through the 

Paint & Finish Center in Ulm, Europe’s most state-of-the-art coach and bus painting and finishing 

facility. Since we are not allowed to enter the Paint & Finish Shop, the tour is virtual. 

I 

n September, Goerdt Gatermann, 

Head of OMNIplus DriverTraining, welcomed 

a customer group from the 

USA to SafetyTraining in Germany. Two 

Setra coaches – equipped to North American 

standards – were specially driven from 

Neu-Ulm to the Hockenheimring testing 

grounds. Gatermann, who has been implementing 

DriverTraining for the past 17 years, 

sees this approach as being absolutely 

necessary. 

Training adapted to market specifics 

The OMNIplus DriverTraining programme is 

targeted to meeting the needs of customers 

and drivers, and therefore needs to be implemented 

with authentic coaches. “This 

only makes sense, since the American versions 

feature another type of brake system, 

and therefore react differently when braking 

or in curves”, says Gatermann. Accordingly, 

the curve exercises tend to be 

somewhat less spectacular when performed 

with American coaches. 

Avoiding smaller accidents 

Reactions and handling the vehicle are 

focused on in detail – swerving and braking 

on a slippery surface, or comparing braking 

distances at various speeds. Moreover, 

participants improve their skills at handling 

the coach and their feeling for size by working 

with tight turns and slalom driving. 

Gatermann knows this is very important to 

customers: “The everyday concerns do 

tend to be the smaller accidents – with 

scratches and scrapes that really add up – 

rather than the bigger accidents.” 

All-around training 

Over and above the technical driving skills 

training, which is handled by the experienced 

drivers in the Safety and EcoTraining 

programmes, Goerdt Gatermann’s team 

also offers psychological and legal support. 

Two psychologists are available to practice 

dealing with conflict situations with passengers. 

And a chief police inspector provides 

assistance with laws and regulations. Two 

mechanics and nine driving trainers complete 

the team. OMNIplus offers the following 

training programmes: SafetyTraining, 

EmergencyTraining, CommunicationsTraining, 

EcoTraining, Training Social Regulations, 

Digital Tachograph Training, Fitness and 

TechnicalTraining. More information is 

available at www.omniplus.de, link Training- 

Portal. 

 

Mr Leibing, why 

can’t we enter 

the Paint & 

Finish Center? 

Because everyone 

has dust on 

their clothing. And 

that, of course, 

is deadly for any paint job! 

Does this mean that the Paint & Finish 

Center is hermetically sealed? 

Well, not exactly. But it is definitely a fully 

self-contained complex with all the functions 

required for varnishing, painting and 

finishing. 

Which coach bodies are painted here? 

Today, all bodies produced in Germany. 

Beginning in 2012, we will also work on 

those produced in France. Since 2010, we 

have invested in eight robots that apply 

the paint. This has enabled us to reduce 

painting time per body to under 30 

minutes – to about half. Today, we can 

paint 41 coaches a day. It used to be a 

maximum of 20. 

Do robots apply paint the same way 

humans do? 

Even more meticulously! Robots have 

resulted in a significant optimisation of 

quality and usage, since they allow us to 

use less paint, while ensuring a more uniform 

paint job. 

several plastic cleaning pins and liquids 

are sent through the system to thoroughly 

clean it. 

How many different steps are covered 

during painting? 

First, the body is cleaned thoroughly, then 

we move to filling and priming where any 

imperfections are evened out. Sanding and 

painting are the next steps. The painted 

body is then baked in a drying chamber at 

100 degrees Celsius. Only then is a painted 

version of the customer-specific design 

applied. For a Setra owner, the coach’s 

exterior design plays a vital role. Once this 

phase is complete, the coach goes into 

assembly. 

Are designs always painted onto the 

coach? 

No, customers can also choose to have 

their lettering and design applied by film. 

After assembly, the coach would be sent to 

the colour finishing area, where we have six 

positions within the Paint & Finish Center. 

This is where the coaches are given their 

customised film lettering and designs. This 

approach enables the old film to be removed 

The Paint & Finish Center – 

facts & figures: 

• Floor space: 28,000 m 2 

(equivalent to three football fields) 

• Employees: approx. 380 trained 

specialists at the Neu-Ulm 

manufacturing facility 

• Painting robots: 8 

• Base coat, primer and top coat 

application: approx. 180 µm 

• Paint application floor area: approx. 

600 µm (with underbody protection) 

• Amount of paint: 130 kg per bus 

• Variety of colours: 400 colours 

(yielding up to 6,000 colour 

variations) 

• Environmental protection: 

exclusive use of low-solvent paints 

• Exhaust air management: a regenerative 

exhaust combustion system 

clarifies residue and leads clean air 

to the exterior 

when the coach is sold, for instance, allowing 

the new owners to apply their own lettering 

and design. 

 

With the new painting robots (upper-right) painting a coach body now takes less than 30 minutes 

How does a robot know what type of 

paint should be applied? 

The different types of varnishes and paints 

are automatically fed to the robot through a 

central, computer-controlled supply depot. 

Changes of colour are also done automatically. 

When changing colours, the supply 

lines need to be “pigged”, in other words,

20 | Setra Highlight 

Setra Highlight | 21 

boasts low maintenance costs and a long 

service life. 

When hunger strikes 

Every bus driver knows that passengers will 

get thirsty or hungry – at the very latest, 

after the first two hours of the journey. 

Instead of heading towards the closest 

highway stop, Setra offers a solution that is 

ideal for both passengers and drivers – a 

snack cooler. The cooler can be filled with 

beverage cans and plastic bottles (up to 0.5 

litre) as well as chocolate bars and other 

snacks. If so desired, a change dispenser 

can also be built in. The one metre high, 

70 cm wide and 80 cm deep cooler can 

accommodate a surprisingly high volume. 

On the inside, it has three tracks, each of 

which can be filled with either 48 beverage 

cans or approximately 1,000 snacks. 

Special customer requests: a trade show highlight for Setra: 

Hot ideas 

At the Busworld show in Kortrijk, Setra once again proved its expertise in customising coach 

equipment. Whether with a galley solution featuring a hot beverage dispenser and snack cooler, or a 

high-performance infotainment system – in a Setra, passenger comfort is always in the foreground. 

The best in infotainment 

The anniversary Special Edition, presented 

at the Kortrijk show in the context of the 

60 th anniversary, also features state-of-theart 

amenities. The TopClass S 416 HDH 

features an advanced infotainment system 

for satellite TV and radio connection which 

doesn’t shy away from comparisons with 

home systems in terms of entertainment 

quality. Passengers can look forward to 

nothing less than the best – whether for 

music, films or individual music selection. 

And, interested passengers can also follow 

Entertainment for everyone: monitors positioned in seat backs allow a great view for every passenger 

the images sourced from the driver camera 

and shown live on monitors positioned on 

passenger seat backs, at entrance 1, as 

well as on the back wall of the galley. 

“All the comforts of home” 

“Isn’t it great that passengers can enjoy all 

the comforts of home in our coaches!”, 

comments Christoph Hofmann, Head of 

Market Management Setra Export Markets, 

in response to passengers’ obvious en- 

thusiasm. “A big part of it is that snacks and 

drinks are on hand, the seats are as comfortable 

as a sofa, a lavatory is available, 

the entertainment programme is a good 

one – so that boredom doesn’t have a 

chance.” Now this is something that no one 

has to worry about in these Setra coaches. 

At the very most, bus drivers could be concerned 

that their passengers will no longer 

wish to leave the coach at the end of their 

very comfortable journey. 

 

W 

hen it comes to interior equipment 

and amenities, Setra is 

committed to bringing every 

single customer request to life. This is key 

to the Neu-Ulm coach builder’s reputation. 

And, on the occasion of its 60 th brand anniversary 

year, it has once again introduced 

very unusual and distinctive special equipment. 

Among others, it presented a galley 

solution designed to pamper passengers 

with hot beverages and snacks, as well as a 

state-of-the-art infotainment system. 

Freshly prepared hot beverages 

In its Final Edition S 415 GT-HD presented 

at the Kortrijk show, Setra introduced a hot 

beverage dispenser, with a capacity of 250 

portions, opening a wide selection of freshly 

prepared drinks. Passengers can not only 

serve themselves a classic cup of coffee, 

but the SB dispenser can also provide cappuccino, 

chococcino and delicious hot 

chocolate. As a self-serve unit, the device 

features a cup and mug dispenser as well 

as a container for lids. The system is as 

convenient for passengers, who can serve 

themselves whenever they feel like it, as it 

is for drivers who no longer have to concern 

themselves with pouring beverages or 

providing small change – the dispenser can 

also be equipped with a change device. 

Further equipment options can include a 

supply unit with a 35 litre fresh water tank, 

luggage nets, ashtrays, a table with a cup 

holder, as well as a hot water dispenser for 

tea and instant beverages. Along with an 

affordable price, the automatic dispenser 

Perfect when hunger strikes: the snack cooler has lots of room for chocolate bars, 

and canned or bottled drinks 

In great demand! At the hot beverage dispenser, passengers can choose from a 

wide variety of freshly prepared beverages

22 | Setra Family News 


well as monitors built into the passenger 

seat backs. Yet another highlight: images 

sourced from the driver’s camera can be 

transmitted to these monitors. 

Tomorrow”, and accordingly, a Setra S 8 

from 1951 was exhibited along with the 

complete fleet from the 2011 Kortrijk show. 

Parents could take advantage of the kids’ 

programme to take in factory tours, test 

drives and even qualify for the Setra Grand 

Prix. Exciting presentations addressing topics 

such as the Euro VI and infotainment 

rounded out the offering. 

SetraShow Salzburg, 11/11-13/2011: 

The SetraShow at the Salzburg Service- 

Center took place this year for the 10 th time. 

Attractive perspectives at the SetraShow in Hamburg 

A look ahead and a look back: 

Setra get-togethers 

The coach and bus sector thrives on personal contacts and exchange. It places great value on close, 

direct business relationships which can be enriched with visits to trade shows and fairs. Here, the 

SetraFamily magazine provides you with an overview. 

A look back: 

Mir Autobusov Kolomna, 4/20-22/2011: 

The Mir Autobusov, close to Moscow, has 

established itself as a very successful 

exhibition for coaches, buses and equip- 

Mir Autobusov: Russian-Swabian impressions 

The calm before the storm: the Setra stand at the Busworld show in Kortrijk, Belgium, just minutes before opening 

ment in Russia. It took place this year for 

the fourth time. On the occasion of its 

milestone anniversary year, Setra presented 

the “Special Edition”, while Setra customer 

Avtokolonna showed its first Setra S 215 H, 

built in 1991, as well as a luxurious Setra 

VIP coach. Several bus operators accepted 

the invitation to the company and aftersales 

presentation, enjoying the ensuing 

chats and discussions with peers. 

RDA Workshop Cologne, 7/26-28/2011: 

For its 60 th anniversary, Setra exhibited an 

S 8 from 1951, the first self-supporting 

Setra coach, as well as an S 415 HD and an 

S 416 HDH from the TopClass – two vehicles 

from the current anniversary edition. 

The pearl white vehicles featured exclusive 

equipment and amenities. 

Transexpo Kielce, 9/20-22/2011: 

More than 600 customers visited the Setra, 

Mercedes and OMNIplus stand which was 

awarded a medal for its sophisticated 

corporate presentation and state-of-theart 

construction. Here as well, Setra’s 60 th 

anniversary was in the foreground. In the 

hall, a Special Edition S 415 GT-HD was presented, 

and in the outside area, visitors 

could experience an S 416 UL and an 

S 416 GT-HD. 

SetraShow Hamburg, 10/11-12/2011: 

For the anniversary year, organisers came 

up with something extra special and moved 

the Hamburg SetraShow to the “Golf 

Lounge”. Many customers from Northern 

Germany through Mecklenburg-Western 

Pomerania experienced the current Setra 

ComfortClass 400, the TopClass 400 and a 

Setra S 8 from the year 1951 – set against 

a panoramic backdrop of the Elbbridges. In 

various presentations and seminars, guests 

were offered an overview of current sector 

topics, such as Euro VI and infotainment, 

while enjoying a glimpse of the future of 

coach travel. 

Busworld Kortrijk, 10/21-26/2011: 

Setra profiled itself with eight vehicles 

from all three ranges, including the 

ComfortClass 400, the high-floor S 416 H, 

the MultiClass 400 as well as a TopClass 

S 416 HDH Special Edition, to commemorate 

the brand’s 60 th anniversary. As well, 

with the S 415 GT-HD Final Edition, a 

design-oriented, exclusive interior was offered 

in combination with an exclusive 

equipment package. Further highlights included 

the innovative infotainment system 

with satellite TV and radio connection, as 

A look ahead: 

The 19 th International Used Coach and 

Bus Show (IGOM), 1/4-6/2012: 

The IGOM at the Setra plant in Neu-Ulm is 

the traditional “first show of the year” 

which has evolved into an important 

contact platform with international flair. 

Once again, in 2012, over 200 pre-owned 

vehicles from various brands will be available 

for sale. 

Omnibus 2011 Kloten, 11/3-4/2011: 

At the multi-brand event at Setra’s subsidiary 

in Kloten, Switzerland, Setra presented 

part of its premium exhibits from Kortrijk, 

such as the S 411 D, the S 416 HDH with 

infotainment system, the S 431 DT from the 

Special Edition, as well as the Final Edition 

S 415 GT-HD. Additionally, the Setra 

MultiClass was represented with a lowentry 

bus. A further highlight was a display 

of the Euro VI engine. The event, which 

takes place every year, attracted between 

600 and 800 visitors per day. 

SetraShow Neu-Ulm, 11/5-6/2011: 

During the anniversary year, the Setra 

family met for the 19 th time in Neu-Ulm. The 

show’s slogan was “Yesterday – Today – 

UMA Motorcoach EXPO, California 

2/8-12/2012: 

The 2012 UMA will be held in Long Beach, 

California at the Long Beach Convention & 

Entertainment Center. As every year, close 

to 2,000 bus operators and their employees, 

service providers in the motor coach 

and bus sector, as well as hotel and tour 

organisers are expected to attend. 

The highlight was the festive delivery of the 

4,500 th Setra coach to Austria, as well as a 

display of an Euro VI engine. Additionally, 

many demonstration and inventory coaches 

were available for sale. Representatives 

from our OMNIplus service brand were 

available to answer any questions from 

visitors to the event. 

 

SetraShow Berlin, 

Spring 2012: 

“We’re driving to Berlin!” After eight years, 

the SetraShow will once again be held in 

Berlin. Visitors will be offered an exciting 

and entertaining programme with a variety 

of fascinating displays, including the Final 

Edition, test drives and driving demonstrations.



Interview with Angela Titzrath-Grimm: 

“We want to do more 

than simply satisfy our customers. 

We want to delight them!” 

Since 1 July 2011, Angela Titzrath-Grimm has been Head of Marketing, Sales and Aftersales at 

Daimler Buses. SetraFamily met with Ms Titzrath-Grimm to look back at her first half year with EvoBus. 

Ms Titzrath-Grimm, what fascinated you 

most about your new position? 

I especially looked forward to working with 

our exciting coach and bus products and 

our very attractive brands, while being able 

to apply my international experience. With 

regard to Setra, I am really looking forward 

to working within the legendary Setra family 

and to pursuing the excellent relationships 

we have with our customers. 

What exactly are your responsibilities? 

My sales team and I continuously analyse 

the markets together with our customers 

and our regional sales representatives. We 

identify trends and then develop appropriate 

strategies and measures for our customers 

and markets. Our global strength 

helps us in a big way. This really is an exciting 

challenge! 

What are your specific objectives? 

Well, to answer your question in detail, I 

would need much more time than this interview 

allows. But, as Head of Sales, my objectives 

are to strengthen the business, to 

work on building up internationalisation and 

to continue driving Daimler’s success along 

with my management colleagues. 

And how will you achieve this objective? 

I work with a great team, and together, we are 

committed to reaching our goals. The focus is 

very much on the outside, on the markets. We 

don’t want to spend time focusing on ourselves, 

but rather on being a good partner to 

our coach and bus operators. 

From an economic point of view, you 

didn’t choose the best time to start 

your new job. Is the impact of the 

financial crisis in Europe still being felt? 

In Europe, having just overcome the crisis, 

we are seeing a sort of catalyst effect: the 

number of European bus operators with 

transnational large fleets is lowering, while 

the few bus operators are becoming larger. 

This is resulting in a concentration of 

purchase volumes, and we are experiencing 

an increasing desire for international 

contracts. This is a current development for 

which we are not only well prepared, but we 

are already dealing with it very successfully. 

What role does Setra play in the EvoBus 

brand framework? 

Of course, the Setra brand is an essential 

component of the EvoBus brand strategy. 

With our big vehicle brands, we have proven 

that our two-brand strategy is a very successful 

business model. The Setra brand 

has a long heritage. One that carries many 

positive values, while bringing together 

long-standing expertise with top quality. 

This is something we very much want to 

build on and drive forward. And in fact, this 

is what building brands and markets is all 

about. 

What is especially important to you 

personally? 

I see my personal mandate as being to continue 

developing our international presence 

and growing around the globe, so that we 

can best support our customers in “internationalising” 

their business. Dealing with our 

customers directly and building close partnerships 

are vital to me. 

How do you see Setra developing in the 

future? 

Setra also needs to grow, and we have every 

reason to be optimistic. Setra’s excellent 

brand values – as expertise leader in the 

“Best in Class” segment – represent the 

best possible platform for future growth, 

both in traditional and new markets. As a 

global coach and bus manufacturer, delivering 

sustainable products and a unique spectrum 

of services, we not only want to satisfy 

our customers – we want to delight them! 

New tasks and responsibilities: 

The evolution of Setra Sales 

As part of a Sales development process at Setra, tasks and responsibilities have been reorganised. 

Those who will most benefit from the changes are our customers. At the same time, with the new 

sales structure, Setra has created a platform to enable us to successfully and actively develop the 

brand in the future. SetraFamily has highlighted key changes for readers. 

S 

ince July 2011, Setra Sales has 

been reorganised into two new 

vehicle departments – national 

Sales and Sales for export markets. The 

latter will be coordinated in close collaboration 

with subsidiaries and local distributors. 

Moreover, effective immediately, a new 

department will complete the Sales area, 

addressing the following functions: business 

development, lifecycle management, 

sales control as well as the Customer- 

Center and DesignCenter. Pre-owned Sales 

has not undergone any changes. 

BUS/MSG – Germany 

For national Sales, both previously separate 

departments – one for private customers in 

Germany, and the other responsible for 

public authorities’ special issues – have 

been brought together into a single department 

under the leadership of Heinz Friedrich. 

Through consolidation of both German 

businesses, German customers will now be 

able to capitalise on even more employee 

expertise and know-how. 

BUS/MSE – Export 

The existing export department has also 

evolved, bearing in mind significant growth 

levels in export markets. Along with the 

previous department’s areas of focus, 

market strategy focusing on sustainable 

positioning with even more strongly targeted 

implementation of customer and market 

requirements will also be key. The BUS/ 

MSE department will be headed up by 

Christoph Hofmann and Michael Frey. 

From left to right: Michael Frey, Heinz Friedrich, Angelika Kittl, Christoph Hofmann 

BUS/MSD Business Development 

and CustomerCenter 

Business development and lifecycle management 

functions, sales control as well as 

the CustomerCenter and DesignCenter, will 

be brought together within the Business 

Development & CustomerCenter department. 

This will ensure the Setra brand’s 

long-term positioning and ongoing development 

in its competitive environment. At the 

same time, operative Sales will be relieved 

of some of its duties, enabling us to 

strengthen customer support. The department 

will be headed up by Angelika Kittl.



Setra anniversary year coach stories: 

Real-life Setra stories 

For the 60 th anniversary of the Setra brand, we have been compiling stories about Setra coaches and 

buses from around the world. The result is a rich collection of heart-warming, moving, at times even 

bizarre and funny anecdotes. Beginning with this issue, the SetraFamily magazine is pleased to offer 

you a selection of these very unique stories. 

I 

n 

the eighties, an Austrian bus operator 

drove one of his coaches from Salzburg 

to Munich to pick up passengers 

at the airport. On the way, he saw something 

very unexpected and couldn’t believe 

his eyes. A brand-new Setra was driving 

towards him. But not just any Setra: it was 

an exact replica of the one he was sitting in – 

with his company logo. “How could it be? 

All my coaches are parked in my courtyard”, 

stunned, the driver continued on his way. 

But he couldn’t forget about the mysterious 

look-alike. He decided that he would have 

to get to the root of it: was it just an illusion 

or did the look-alike coach actually exist? 

Two days later, he drove to the Kässbohrer 

facility in Salzburg to find out what was 

The look-alike coach 

going on. You can imagine what he saw: a 

new Setra S 212 H coach with exactly the 

same finish and graphics as his coach. There 

it was in the yard – but it wasn’t one of his. 

As soon as the bus operator recovered 

from his shock, he approached the sales 

office, somewhat irritated. “But I didn’t 

even order a new coach!”, he called to the 

first sales person he saw. The sales rep 

simply smiled and said: “You’re right, but 

you’ll surely need another one soon!” Completely 

flabbergasted, the bus operator left 

the sales office. But this was far from being 

the end of the story for the bus operator. 

He couldn’t stop thinking about “his” new 

coach. And with every visit, he appreciated 

the new S 212 H more and more. Finally, he 

could no longer resist and he bought the 

coach – just like the clever sales rep had 

anticipated. Although this sales strategy 

may not be commonly used at Setra, there 

is no doubt that bus operators still find 

Setra irresistible – quite often in fact. 

Submitted by Gerhard Benz, EvoBus Austria 

GmbH, Salzburg/Austria 

Setra. For two weeks, he went back to the 

sales office again and again to admire the 

I 

n 

1981, a brand-new Setra S 215 HU 

was on its way from Spain to Germany. 

The coach was equipped with a 210 hp 

Pegaso engine, as well as a ZF transmission 

with six gears and rear-axle transmission. 

The driver who brought the vehicle to 

Germany was immediately fascinated by 

the coach’s unmatched technology and its 

indescribable handling. He got so caught 

Faster than allowed by law 

up with the fun he was having, he simply 

pressed on the gas pedal and completely 

forgot everything around him. The German 

police were somewhat less enthusiastic 

about his performance, and couldn’t believe 

their eyes when the coach sped past them 

at 156 km/h. It finally took a helicopter to 

abruptly wake the driver out of his euphoria, 

and to call him back to hard-road reality 

with a juicy fine. We are quite sure that the 

driver has never forgotten this trip. And still 

today, anyone who has ever driven a Setra 

can understand just what he felt behind the 

wheel of the S 215 HU. 

Submitted by EvoBus, Spain


Setra Individual | 29 

Award for eco-friendliness: 

S 415 GT-HD selected “2011 Green Coach” 

The “Omnibusrevue” and “Busfahrer” trade magazines have given the Setra ComfortClass S 415 GT-HD 

the coveted “Green Coach Award”. The touring coach, with its outstanding fuel efficiency, delivered 

a clear advantage. 

Turkey – VIP Setra S 415 HD coach for Dogus ˘ Holding: 

Nothing but the best with Setra 

˛ 

With 124 companies and 29,000 employees, Dogus ˘ Holding is one of Turkey’s largest companies. 

Just like Setra, Dogus ˘ is celebrating its 60 th anniversary this year. To commemorate the milestone, 

˛ 

˛ 

Dogus ˘ took delivery of a luxurious Setra S 415 HD. 

˛ 

L 

othar Holder, Head of Sales Setra- 

Buses and Coaches EvoBus GmbH, 

accepted the prize at the Busworld 

show in Kortrijk. “I am very pleased with 

this award. It is the best testimony to the 

fact that the S 415 GT-HD is the most costefficient 

touring coach for operators. With 

over 5,500 ComfortClass 400 coaches 

already sold, the results speak for themselves!” 

Outstanding fuel efficiency with Setra 

The “Green Coach Award”, given for the 

first time in 2011, honours coaches that 

deliver exceptional fuel efficiency. The prize 

will be awarded to either a touring coach 

or a city bus – alternating yearly. In tests 

performed over the last two years, the 

S 415 GT-HD achieved top results among 

the seven double-axle touring coaches 

assessed, and can now carry the “2011 

Green Coach” title which places fuel consumption 

and CO 2 

emissions in the foreground. 

To ensure comparability of the data 

measured, fuel-efficiency formulas take 

into account the exact weight of the loaded 

test vehicles. Furthermore, all vehicles 

are driven along the same 600-km-long, 

demanding test course in Saxon Switzerland 

and all seats are loaded with 100 kg each. 

“Based on this award, operators can see 

which coaches have proven their ecofriendliness 

and cost efficiency in practice”, 

adds Katrin Wieser, editor-in-chief 

“Omnibusrevue” and “Busfahrer” trade 

magazines. 

 

At the Busworld show in Kortrijk, Belgium, Anne Katrin 

Wieser, editor-in-chief “Omnibusrevue” and “Busfahrer” 

magazines, hands over the “2011 Green Coach” award 

to Lothar Holder, Head of Sales Setra Buses and Coaches 

EvoBus GmbH 

D 

ogus ˘ is a service provider active 

in the financial, automotive, 

construction, media, tourism, real 

estate and energy sectors. With its vast 

spectrum of services, it is quickly becoming 

Turkey’s leading service provider. 

˛ 

A focus on quality and comfort 

In April this year, the company fleet was expanded 

by a Setra S 415 HD coach featuring 

nothing less than first-class equipment 

and amenities. In 2002, the company had 

purchased a Setra S 411 HD to carry executives 

and high-ranking guests. The decision 

was based primarily on quality and comfort. 

And, Dogus ˘ was so delighted with the 

S 411 HD that they decided that the next 

coach would also have to be a Setra – 

somewhat longer however in the case of 

the S 415 HD. 

˛ 

First-class equipment 

The VIP coach features equipment and 

amenities of the highest quality, which, 

along with an eight-gear PowerShift transmission, 

offer a reversing camera, darkly 

tinted windows and an anti-theft warning 

system. The coach’s 15 seats include three 

electrically adjustable VIP seats which can 

be rotated by 360° and reclined by up to 

very relaxing 180°. They also feature heated 

cushions and a massage function. The 

other twelve Ambassador seats are all 

leather – as are those in the cockpit. 

Sheer comfort and pleasure 

Of course the coach galley is equipped to 

ensure passenger satisfaction as well. A 

customised galley with Gaggenau appliances, 

a Jura coffee machine and a wine 

shelf open up a wide variety of gastronomic 

delights. A Bang & Olufsen sound system 

and five flat screens guarantee a great 

entertainment platform and, thanks to an 

integrated satellite system, reception of 

Turkish broadcasters is always flawless. 

A wardrobe ensures wrinkle-free coats and 

jackets, while blinds on side windows, 

spacious lavatories and materials of the 

highest quality round out Dogus’ ˘ new 

S 415 HD VIP coach. Congratulations on 

your 60 th anniversary and keep enjoying 

the ride! 

 

˛ 

The Setra S 415 GT-HD test vehicle now carries the “2011 Green Coach” title



The new BlueEfficiency power engine generation: 

A clean conflict resolution 

2012 European Football Championship: 

Setra supports top sports event 

We’re ready for Euro VI! The new BlueEfficiency power engine generation already meets the 

emissions standard’s requirements which become mandatory in 2014. In this issue, SetraFamily 

offers a first glimpse of the advanced technological solutions developed by Daimler engineers. 

The consortium which brings together the two Polish bus operators Sindbad and RafTrans has 

reached a decision: during the 2012 EURO, 25 Setra touring coaches will be deployed to carry the 

teams, their managers, as well as officials and their guests. 

T 

his innovation represents a key 

step towards an environmentally 

friendly and cost-efficient future. 

With the introduction of the new 

BlueEfficiency power engine generation 

from Mercedes-Benz, pollutant particulate 

emissions are reduced by 66 percent compared 

to the Euro V standard, and nitrogen 

oxide (NOx) is reduced by as much as 

80 percent. At the 2011 Busworld show in 

Kortrijk, Belgium, Daimler Buses showed 

the new engine generation which will be incorporated 

to Setra-branded vehicles in time 

for the introduction of the new regulation. 

The stringent requirements of the future 

emissions standard are in fact contradictory 

to the demands for lower fuel consumption. 

And, for coach and bus operators, low fuel 

consumption remains the strongest argument 

for a cost-effective fleet. The new 

engine generation not only delivers equally 

significant benefits to bus operators and to 

the state, in combination with an all-new 

emissions system, it fulfils regulatory 

demands, while meeting customer requirements. 

With the new engine generation, our 

engineers anticipate a reduction in fuel 

consumption versus Euro V. The new 

engines effectively resolve the apparent 

conflict arising from emissions reduction in 

combination with reduced fuel consumption 

– in a “clean” way! The proven BlueTech ® 

system was evolved to the BlueTech ® 6 

system, which comprises highly efficient, 

sustainable engines with exhaust gas 

recirculation (EGR), common rail injection 

(CR), as well as an emissions after-treatment 

with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) 

and SCR technology (Selective Catalytic 

Reduction). 

However, in order to avoid increased counter-pressure 

in the exhaust system, which 

could lead to higher fuel consumption, the 

entire exhaust after-treatment is designed 

with twin pipes, and all components are 

brought together in a casing. Through the 

cooled exhaust gas recirculation, less nitrogen 

oxide is released during combustion in 

the engine. This, in turn, benefits AdBlue 

consumption which is reduced by up to 40 

percent compared to Euro V. Through an optimised 

dosage unit, the AdBlue is injected 

into the exhaust flow without air. In the SCR 

catalyser, the nitrogen oxide is transformed 

almost entirely into water and nitrogen. 

The new generation’s OM 471 straight sixcylinder 

engine replaces the OM 502 LA 

with 16.0 l cubic capacity and 2,100 Nm 

torque. With a cubic capacity of 12.8 l, the 

new powertrain achieves 350 kW (476 hp) 

at 1,800 rpm. The high maximum torque 

amounts to 2,300 Nm at 1,100 rpm. 

The new engine is equipped with the unique 

X-PULSE common rail injection system 

with pressure amplification. The key benefit 

is that fuel is injected extremely precisely 

and can be freely modulated. A cylinderselective 

control and high injection pressure 

of up to 2,100 bar are the requisites for low 

fuel consumption, low exhaust emissions 

and smooth engine running. 

I 

n close consultation with the UEFA 

European Football Association, the 

consortium has decided to exclusively 

deploy Setra coaches during the 2012 European 

Football Championship, scheduled 

to take place between 8 June and 1 July 

in Poland and Ukraine. The quality and 

safety provided by Setra touring coaches 

were key criteria for the two Polish bus 

operators during the decision-making 

process. A total of 25 coaches from the 

TopClass and ComfortClass were ordered – 

news that was received with enthusiasm in 

Neu-Ulm: “We are happy and proud to support 

a first-class sports event with top 

quality from Neu-Ulm”, says Hartmut Schick, 

Head of Daimler Buses. 

“Both Setra and football are 

emotionally charged” 

Sindbad and RafTrans ordered twelve 

S 416 GT-HD coaches, as well as eight 

S 415 GT-HD from the Setra ComfortClass 

to carry the teams. An S 417 GT-HD, an 

S 419 GT-HD as well as a double-decker 

S 431 DT, an S 417 HDH and an S 415 HDH 

from the Setra TopClass will also be available 

during the championship to transport 

officials and VIPs. Lothar Holder, Head of 

Sales Setra Buses and Coaches EvoBus 

GmbH, is delighted with the decision made 

by the two bus operators: “I am very proud 

that we will be supporting the organisers of 

The Polish consortium selected Setra for the 2012 EURO 

the 2012 European Football Championship 

with the Setra brand. Especially since football 

and Setra have something important 

in common: they are both emotionally 

charged!” 

Service offering and network also key 

to the decision 

The 2012 European Football Championship 

matches will be kicked off in Polish arenas 

in Warsaw, Poznan, Breslau and Gdansk 

as well as in Ukrainian stadiums in Kiev, 

Donetsk, Lvov and Kharkov. In the past, 

Setra has successfully passed the test at 

international football matches in the 2006 

World Championship as well as at the 2008 

European Championship in Switzerland and 

Austria. For these two large-scale events, 

the comprehensive OMNIplus service offering 

in combination with the extensive service 

network were key to the consortium’s 

decision.

32 | Setra Highlight 

Setra Highlight | 33 

The study also highlighted that the image of 

train travel benefits from perceived travel 

comfort. “For me, train travel is something 

relaxing”, comments 24-year-old Benny. 

Travellers quickly reach their destination, 

while enjoying changing landscapes along 

the way. However, the image of travel by 

train suffers from the fact that there are 

often delays and that many trains are 

overcrowded. Additionally, workshop participants 

referred to the shabby and often 

dirty train stations. 

“When I think of coach travel, I can’t help but remember 

all the school trips we went on by bus.” 

Julia, 19 years old 

More comfort, more service, more entertainment 

Along with the right travel destination, the 

respondents indicated that changes and improvements 

in the areas of service, comfort, 

technical equipment and entertainment 

would be required to make coach travel 

more attractive to young people. Comfortable 

seats should offer a lot of leg room. 2+2 

seating with a table is preferred. The wish 

list also includes a variety of multimedia 

options, free Internet access and monitors 

in seat backs. More exclusive equipment 

with e.g. wider seats and a “wellness” area 

with massages would make longer trips 

much more attractive. And, increased 

flexibility with regard to length of trip, destination 

and connections would contribute to 

making bus travel less complicated. 

Coach travel opinion survey 2.0: 

How do today’s young people travel? 

“How attractive is coach travel for you?” This is what Setra asked young people in the context of a 

recent market survey. SetraFamily has summarised the highlights of the study in view of offering 

insight and ideas on how young target groups can be addressed more successfully through finely 

tuned product and service offerings. 

E 

ffectively communicating with young 

travellers has always been important 

to Setra customers. Setra knows 

this through the feedback its employees 

receive from bus operators. Both sides, 

manufacturer and service provider, have a 

responsibility to provide their customers 

with products that can also appeal to younger 

target groups. In three workshops, each 

with eight participants, Setra asked young 

women and men between the ages of 18 

and 24 about their experiences, motives 

and feelings when it comes to coach travel. 

What are their expectations and wishes? 

And what are the possible constraints or 

“negatives” young people associate with 

coach travel? 

By coach, train or plane? 

The objective of the workshop was to find 

out how young people choose a method of 

transportation when planning a holiday, 

while exploring the image of coach, train 

and air travel, and the role it plays. The 

results clearly indicated that plane travel is 

the most fascinating way to travel for young 

people. Only positive things are associated 

with plane travel: far-away countries and 

cultures, summer, sun, beaches and oceans, 

as well as the actual travel experience itself, 

make it the most popular option. 

Often, air travel is the only possibility available 

to reach a certain destination. Like no 

other method of transportation, flying is 

associated with speed, a memorable travel 

experience and comfort. 

Coach travel is reminiscent 

of school trips 

Young people also have very mixed feelings 

and associations with coach travel. On the 

one hand, it is seen as an economical alternative 

when compared to other types of 

transportation – an important plus. As well, 

the views are more attractive and travel in 

a group can be fun. On the other hand, bus 

travel is often associated with memories of 

“annoying school trips”. Further negative 

associations are long driving times, uncomfortable 

seats, frequent stops along the 

way, defective lavatories, too many rules 

and regulations, unfriendly bus drivers and 

“unfunny” tour guides, along with less than 

impressive entertainment electronics. And, 

time-consuming detours to pick up other 

passengers are also considered a problem. 

“On longer trips, it’s all about comfort.” 

Coach travel preferred for weekend trips 

For the most part, choosing a method of 

transportation depends on the distance to 

the destination. Further decision criteria 

include costs, the size of the travelling 

group, timing, travel comfort and mobility 

needs at the destination. 

When it comes to covering long distances, 

air travel knows no competition. However, 

the closer the travel destination, the more 

the respondents would likely choose bus 

travel. Depending on how much time is 

available to travel, the distance to possible 

travel destinations increases. For day 

excursions and weekend trips, city destinations 

within Germany are mentioned 

most often: Berlin for shopping, Munich for 

the “Oktoberfest“ and Cologne for sightseeing. 

Excursions to attractive nature-oriented 

destinations, for instance to the beach 

or the mountains, are also appealing. 

Destinations outside of Germany are preferred 

for two-week trips, e.g. Paris, 

Amsterdam or Barcelona. Being together 

with friends is more important than the 

destination itself. The freedom to flexibly 

determine the travel agenda is extremely 

important. None of the respondents want 

to be forced into a stringent travel schedule. 

Julian, 21 years old 

Young people prefer to spontaneously 

decide what they feel like doing, once 

they have arrived at their destination. 

When it comes to “creature comforts”, 

young people know exactly what they want. 

A friendly hostess could serve refreshments 

and food. Younger bus staff would 

also be nice, and the bus driver should be 

more personable and friendly. According to 

the respondents, listening to customers’ 

needs, getting their feedback and trying to 

address their wishes and requirements are 

decisive factors as well. 

Enhancing the image of coach travel 

Participants indicated that the coach sector 

needs to become more active in terms of 

communicating with a younger target 

group. Today’s world calls for much more 

than simply a good website.

34 | Setra Highlight Setra Family News | 35 

The target group is best addressed with advertising 

on the web, in social networks 

such as Facebook, on television, in cinema 

advertising, as well as with flyers and postcards 

in clubs. Additionally, the use of viral 

marketing, e.g. on YouTube, is recommended 

since young people are very receptive 

to recommendations from friends and 

acquaintances. An advertising campaign 

featuring young celebrities that our target 

group can identify with could effectively 

round out a campaign. One thing is clear: 

the image of bus travel in general needs to 

be improved, even more importantly than 

the image of a specific tour operator. 

The price is right! 

For young people, price is key to the appeal 

of coach travel. Whether with group rates 

(more economical for five people or more), 

special discounts (three friends pay, one 

travels for free), student or couple discounts 

or travel vouchers from the Internet, 

the feeling of having been given a “deal” 

increases the appeal of coach travel 

immeasurably. Guarantees are also popular 

these days: for instance, a money-back 

guarantee if the trip wasn’t satisfactory. 

Collecting loyalty points is interesting too: 

after ten trips, the eleventh is free. For special 

events, the young people recommend 

that coach operators work with suitable 

coop partners. For example, affordable 

student trips with universities. Or, coop programmes 

with open-air festival organisers, 

with discounted entrance tickets. In the 

case of football trips, a coop programme 

with the football club, where a visit “behindthe-scenes” 

is offered – as an exclusive 

touch – would be very appealing to young 

people. 

A dream coach 

At the end of the workshop, the young 

people were asked to design and equip 

their dream coach. During the exercise, it 

became evident just how important a 

coach’s exterior is for young people. The 

results were extremely varied, ranging 

from elegant designs with shiny surfaces 

and large tinted windows, through sleek 

race car designs, to a very bold design 

study in black, pink and silver. The coach 

represents so much more than just a 

“I love the idea of travelling 

in a really well designed coach.” 

method of transportation, and inspiration 

abounds! Comfort couldn’t be more 

important. Imagine a mix between a spa 

and a games arcade with a series of extra 

amenities and equipment. A quiet space 

with recliners and panorama roof, massage 

seats with room to sleep, sofas, rotating 

seats, shower cabins or self-cleaning lavatories. 

A snackbar, galley or kiosk would be 

a must for serving snacks and refreshments. 

But ultimately, entertainment is 

what plays an even more important role for 

young people. Along with a television area, 

they would like tables with flatscreens 

or rotating monitors on the ceiling. Also 

a playstation, pinball machine, pool table, 

kicker table or even a party zone with a 

mirrored disco ball. All of these would go 

a long way towards making coach travel as 

amusing and entertaining as possible. 

The perfect combination between price 

and luxury 

Even if many of the ideas proposed may 

appear extreme, one thing is clear: 

comfort, service and a certain level of 

luxury are also very important to young 

Anna, 20 years old 

people. Achieving the right balance between 

an attractive price and an equipment 

package that includes a wide entertainment 

offering, will greatly contribute to coach 

manufacturers and operators attracting 

and keeping younger target groups. 

An all-new Setra website: 

The new Setra world online 

Setra celebrated the culmination of an eventful anniversary year – special series, a special edition, 

several anniversary celebrations and a larger-than-life Setra Grand Prix – with the Kortrijk show and 

the SetraShow in Ulm. These events offered the ideal framework to introduce an all-new Setra website. 

„N 

ow is the ideal time to give 

our great products an updated 

Internet platform”, 

said Dr Jens Heinemann in Belgium, Head 

of Marketing Communication. “The show in 

Kortrijk sets the stage for the launch of the 

Final Edition, which is the entry topic for our 

new website.” If you need information on 

the various series and models, the www. 

setra.de or www.setra-bus.com sites are 

exactly where you should be looking. You 

will also enjoy quick access to key dates, 

news and press releases. For now, the new 

website is available in German and English. 

Further languages are currently in planning. 

A clear structure 

With fascinating images and videos, visitors 

to the site can immerse themselves in a 

new, evocative Setra experience. An easyto-follow 

navigation was key to us along 

with a single-minded focus on what is 

important for visitors to our site – an 

optimal overview of our vehicle range, 

technical details, information and details 

on equipment, variety, design and comfort – 

where everything can be accessed quickly 

and with just a few mouse clicks. Links to 

key pages are offered throughout the site, 

thus eliminating the need for endless 

searches. 

Digital highlights 

Even if you don’t have a specific reason to 

visit the site, it’s worth having a look at – 

and we hope you’ll enjoy it! The convenient 

vehicle search, structured according to applications, 

delivers technical highlights and 

all specifications for the coaches. You’ll 

also find current information on products 

and events. “A model comparison enables 

a direct “compare & contrast” between up 

to three vehicles”, explains Dr Jens Heinemann. 

“And, in the site’s extensive download 

and video area, visitors will find everything 

that promises to get coach lovers’ 

hearts beating faster.”

36 | Setra Premium Service 

Setra Premium Service | 37 

workshops can provide assistance to customers, 

the less time the vehicles spend in 

the shop and the more productive they can 

be for our customers”, explains Noller. 

“Every year, we are very proud of the high 

level of advisory support our service points 

offer. Customers assess them as being 

expert partners, who can quickly provide 

diagnosis and, in the case of a breakdown, 

quick and reliable support. With the Bus- 

League competition, these key quality 

dimensions are evaluated and improved, 

service is further enhanced. Employee 

ratings of customer orientation and friendliness 

are assessed as well. And, it goes 

without saying: our customers love it.” 

And the 2010 winner is ... Boeckels! 

The winner this year is the Theo Boeckels 

Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH in Willich, North Rhine 

Westphalia, who has been an independent 

general distributor since 1960. With deeply 

rooted ambition and a strong team spirit, 

the company’s 50+ employees took on the 

2010 BusLeague challenge, and came out 

winners, doing full justice to the company’s 

slogan “We keep you moving”. Boeckels 

ranks among the select OMNIplus Bus- 

World operators and attaches great importance 

to the quality of the services it offers. 

And this is paying off – which makes 

managing director Christoph Boeckels very 

proud: “This victory shows that our ongoing 

work and consistent employee development 

are achieving what we hoped they would. We 

are delighted that our customers acknowledge 

our positive performance and are very 

satisfied with it. Recognition from our customers 

is the best motivation to continue 

delivering top performance. This success 

reflects our commitment to give our best 

day after day – over the long term.” 

Theo Boeckels Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH 

In 1960, Theo Boeckels began working as a 

general distributor for coaches and buses 

in Neuss, Germany, for the Kässbohrer 

company. Soon, he had to add on staff to 

support him and, over time, Boeckels continued 

to expand. In 1972, a warehouse for 

replacement parts was added on and in 

1977, a repair hall. In 1978, the company 

had outgrown its premises and relocated to 

Willich. By establishing the Coach & Bus 

Service Center (OSC) in 2003, Boeckels 

split its coach and truck businesses, opening 

up further capacities. Today, on premises 

of 35,000 m 2 , close to 100 employees 

offer comprehensive services for 

coaches, buses and other commercial 

vehicles. 

Distributor Boeckels wins BusLeague service competition: 

The OMNIplus Champions League 

Once a year, the OMNIplus BusLeague internal competition takes place – as an instrument conceived 

to enhance performance and development of service points. The 2010 winner is Theo Boeckels 

Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH. In last year’s competition, the company had reached 11 th place. 

15 

countries – Austria, Belgium, 

Denmark, France, Germany, 

Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, the 

Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, 

Spain, Sweden and Switzerland – with their 

over 500 service points, participate in the 

BusLeague competition. All EvoBus service 

points, including smaller, contract-certified 

workshops, are eligible to take part. The 

competition places customer care in the 

foreground – the key objective being to 

optimise service quality and increasing 

customer satisfaction. 

A proven incentive to strengthen 

performance 

The excitement surrounding the BusLeague 

competition builds throughout the whole 

year. Results are assessed regularly to 

ensure an incentive for ongoing improved 

performance, and are communicated in a 

ranking of the best service points. At the 

end of the competition’s one-year timeframe, 

the three best service points are 

awarded an impressive trophy and are 

treated to a very special barbecue event – 

an unforgettable reward for committed 

employees and the outstanding performance 

of a successful team! 

Effective troubleshooting and 

outstanding advice 

The BusLeague competition has been held 

for the last six years – with positive repercussions 

for everyone involved. Harald 

Noller, Head of Brand Support Service 

Network, is convinced of this: “The Bus- 

League competition contributes to further 

enhancing the high service level of the 

OMNIplus service points. The faster the



Two Setra S 416 HDH for Schlienz Travel: 

“A new dimension in coach travel” 

Schlienz Travel had been organising group tours for close to 80 years. The successful tour operator 

is further enhancing its standards of service with two new luxurious Setra coaches. 

he mobility service provider in Greater 

T Stuttgart is rich in tradition and organises 

coach tours Europe-wide, maritime 

cruises worldwide as well as group tours. 

Recently, Schlienz has been offering a new 

dimension in coach travel with its two luxurious 

S 416 HDH Setra coaches. In fact, 

with its “SuperClass 2+1” offering, Schlienz 

is the first tour operator in southern Germany 

to provide passengers with this level 

of luxury. 

Three thickly upholstered, ergonomically 

shaped Ambassador recliners in leather 

and fabric, and with extra-wide seats, open 

up a lot of space in each row of seats. Panoramic 

windows and a glass roof ensure an 

excellent view, while a DVB-T tuner and 

iPod/laptop connection ensure state-ofthe-art 

access to entertainment. A hot 

beverage dispenser also contributes to 

pampering passengers. The Adaptive Cruise 

Control feature with Active Brake Assist 

(ABA) and Lane Assist make for exceptional 

safety. 

Schlienz’s two new flagship coaches are 

not only impressive on the inside. The 

coach’s paintwork in metallic black anthracite 

is a real eye-catcher. And finally, as 

Schlienz Travel promises customers on its 

website, the coach’s eco-friendly 335 kW 

engine makes every journey worth the ride. 

We wish you the best of success! 

A painting contest for kids: 

Newcomer designers found! 

Welcome to the Setra Family 

Austria: Jandrisevits, Deutsch-Tschantschendorf • K & K Busreisen, Hornstein • Pölzl, Zirknitz • Rechberger, Neufelden • Wiesinger, 

Schwertberg • Czech Republic: Lubos Kaiser, Prag • Sebus, Vinicne Sumice • France: Cheze, Terrasson • Couchouron, Alzonne • ECF 

Avignon, Avignon • ECF Istres, Istre • ECF Niort, Niort • Keolis Oise, Paris • Loli, Douai • Marron, Vermondans • Not’Car, Roncq • 

Place, Trith Saint Leger • Ravennes, Saint Pierre • Riviera, Grasse • Satar, Agen • SCAL, Gap • Segala, Naucelle • Vallée d’Azergues, 

Saint Just d’Avray • Veolia Cfti Metz, Metz • Veolia Musso, Pegomas • Verdie, Rodez • Volvestre, Carbonne • Germany: Auro, Hasloch • 

Betz, Niedernhall • Bröskamp, Harsewinkel • Diakonie Neuendettelsau • Dietz, Rodenbach • Fa. Meissner, Singen • Franke Reisen, 

Hohenahr • Gansneder, Weilheim • Gebr. Rötzel Reisedienst OHG, Hennef • Gerstmayr, Amerdingen • Glanz, Haibach • Haberl, Wallerfing • 

Haslach, Kempten • Hippeli, Nordheim • Hofmeier, Bodenkirchen • IN-Bus, Ingolstadt • Kaiser, Rotenburg • Kirfel Tours, Kaltenborn • 

Kreutzer, Rieseby • Kurz, Pliezhausen • Lillig, Bad Mergentheim • Linden Reisen KG, Schleiden • Merk, Odelzhausen • OVB, Bischofsheim 

• OVK, Kirchheim • Plesa, Diedorf • Pletl, Nürnberg • Pomper, Neudrossenfeld • Rosemi, Aurich • Schäfer-Tours, St. Peter-Ording • 

Scharf, Maria, Thalheim • Schwab, Mulfingen • Susen, Brachttal • Thumm, Waldenbuch • VG Vogtland Tours, Oelsnitz • Wagner, Altenthann 

• Wallmeroth Busreisen GmbH, Willroth • Will, Schleswig • Wimmer, Sittensen • Zeltmission, Cologne • Italy: AUT.NEE Varesine, 

Varese • Brocadello, Padova • Curcio AUT.NEE SRL, Salerno • Predebus, Vicenza • Ricci Autonoleggi, Siena • Roma Marche Linee, 

Macerata • Sardabus, Otranto • Luxemburg: Alltra S.A., Strassen • Bollig S.A., Echternach • Netherlands: Taxi Roelofsen 

VOF, Lichtenvoorde • Romania: Patriarhia Romana, Bucuresti • Spain: Antonio Gonzalez Sanchez, Salt (Gerona) • Autocares Garcia, 

Alicante • Sweden: Ahlens Buss, Lidköping • Holms Busstrafik, Herrljunga • Sundspärlans Buss, Helsingborg • Tibrobuss, Tibro • 

Switzerland: Bucher Reisen AG, Lucerne • Gander Chateau d'Oex • Kessler Betriebe AG, Davos Wolfgang • Kobler, Gossau • Zahn René 

Carreisen, Neerach • UK: Deans Coaches, Ellistown • USA: Harms/Brooking, SD • Kingdom Coach/Englewood, TN • Peoria Charter 

Coach Company/Peoria, IL • 5 Star Transportation/Bonneau, SC • Sunshine Tours/Dublin, VA • U. S. Marine of California, LLC/ 

Los Angeles, CA 

In the last SetraFamily issue, with our “Looking for young designers” campaign, we called on our 

young readers to create their very own Setra artwork – with impressive results! 

T 

he response was overwhelming: 

SetraFamily’s editorial team received 

many really creative Setra 

designs! And we would like to thank all the 

young artists who submitted their artwork. 

Ideally, we would have liked to reward 

each and every one of them. We enjoyed 

them all – and each one was very special in 

its own way. But unfortunately, we only had 

11 prizes to award. 

The first prize goes to Hungary 

The main prize, an Aiptek Media Tablet 

14000U graphic tablet, goes to Nikolett 

Havlik, 15 years old, from Hatvan in Hungary. 

With its imaginative design and attention to 

detail, her design for a Setra bus convinced 

us that she deserved to be awarded the 

first prize. More prizes for further impressive 

designs go to these 10 winners: 

A set of 24 Staedtler ergo soft 

157/157 SB24 coloured pencils each 

goes to: 

Louis Hiller, 3, from Dettingen/Erms; 

Lea Breit, 5, from the Community 

Kindergarden in Berghülen; 

Vitus Aufschnaiter, 6, from Aurach 

in Austria; 

Frida Forfang, 6, from Bodø in Norway; 

Sonja Köllner, 49, from the Tannenhof 

in Ulm. 

A copy of the book “365 Ideas 

to Paint and Draw” each goes to: 

Noemi Bennici, 6, from the Community 

Kindergarden in Berghülen; 

Johanna Marxer, 7, from Constance; 

Lea Emily Fuhrbach, 9, from Darmstadt; 

Silas Nikodem, 9, from Mindelheim; 

Dominique-Sebastian Marty, 15, 

from Varen in Switzerland. 

We congratulate all contest winners and 

wish all of you great fun painting and drawing. 

Keep up the good work!



USA – seven S 407 ComfortClass motorcoaches for the Martz Group: 

From the valley all the way to the coast – 

everyday 

The Martz Group, headquartered in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, has been in the bus operating 

business for over 100 years. The group has now joined the international Setra family. 

T 

he Martz Group includes six companies 

located on the East Coast 

of the United States – from New 

York through Tampa, Florida. Martz offers 

one-day or several-day motorcoach tours, 

city tours and trips to cultural and sports 

events in the US and Canada. The company 

strives to deliver reliable, comfortable bus 

travel at an affordable price. 

Martz offers a luxurious week-day commuter 

service from Pennsylvania to New 

York City. There are many people who 

prefer to live outside of New York City but 

will continue to work inside the city. These 

are the commuters Martz wants to serve 

with the seven new S 407 motorcoaches 

that Martz took delivery of at the end of 

September. “Setra builds just the right 

motorcoaches for our close to 100-milelong 

professional commuter route from 

Wilkes-Barre in Wyoming Valley to New 

York City”, comments Craig Smith, CEO of 

the Martz Group. “We are sure that the new 

ComfortClass motorcoaches will successfully 

take on this challenge.” 

Patrick Scully, Chief Commercial Officer at 

Daimler Buses North America, is also convinced 

that his customer made a wise 

choice. “There couldn’t be a more suitable 

customer for a large order of the Setra 

S 407 CC motorcoach”, he says. “The 

ComfortClass really is a high-performance 

coach, and we are delighted to have an opportunity 

to prove this to the Martz Group 

on this challenging route.” The Setra S 407 

is the North American ComfortClass version 

that was designed specifically to meet 

the needs of this market. With the new Setra 

ComfortClass’ comfortable seats, WiFi and 

laptop connections, employers in the region 

can also look forward to having their employees 

arrive at their workplaces relaxed 

and ready for the day. 

 

A relaxed trip to work: the Martz Group is deploying 

the new S 407 motorcoaches for business commuters 

EU Guideline promotes cleaner, more energy-efficient vehicles: 

Green Public Procurement 

The EU 2009/33/EG Guideline promoting more environmentally friendly road vehicles has been in 

effect since December 2010. SetraFamily explains what changes are being made with regard to 

Green Public Procurement (GPP) for public authorities and contracting parties. 

T 

he new EU Guideline proposes 

that, for all future public tenders, 

the energy and environmental impact 

needs to be taken into consideration. 

According to this Guideline, contracting 

parties and certain operators, when procuring 

road vehicles, are obliged to consider 


during the whole service life of the vehicles, 

in order to support and promote the market 

for clean, energy-efficient vehicles. 

A focus on public authorities 

The Guideline is specially relevant to public 

authorities who are obliged to consider 


when procuring vehicles. To ensure correct 

implementation, contracting parties can 

either include technical specifications in 

the tendering process or incorporate them 

as key criteria when making a procurement 

decision. 

Calculating GPP values at Setra 

The International Association of Public 

Transport (UITP), in collaboration with 

the European Automobile Manufacturers’ 

Association (ACEA), developed concrete 

proposals and approaches to calculate 

GPP values. The methods developed by the 

UITP/ACEA task force were implemented 

by EvoBus. 

Setra provides assistance 

To ensure that the listing of values for Setra 

customers is as transparent and “comparable” 

as possible, we have greatly simplified 

and clarified the complex calculation 

process. So that Setra customers can see 

just how green their Setra coach is – knowing 

that they are ideally equipped to fulfil 

Green Public Procurement criteria.

42 | Setra Individual 

Setra Individual | 43 

Rear entry for the S 415 GT-HD and S 419 GT-HD: 

Please enter through the rear! 

Along with the S 416 GT-HD, Setra now also offers models S 415 GT-HD and S 419 GT-HD with a 

rear-entry option. The entrance is located behind the rear axle, enabling a considerable increase in 

luggage compartment volume. 

France – eleven Setra MultiClass coaches for the CTBR: 

Crossing the one hundred mark 

The top administrative authority of the Lower Rhine Department in France took delivery of its 100 th 

Setra. Together with the landmark vehicle, they also purchased ten other Setra MultiClass 400 

coaches. The Compagnie des Transports du Bas-Rhin (CTBR) now has a total of 107 Setra coaches 

deployed throughout 24 lines. 

A 

key benefit to the rear-entry 

system now offered on Setra 

ComfortClass S 415 GT-HD and 

S 419 GT-HD models is the front-to-back 

spacious luggage compartment. With a 

generous volume, it offers lots of room for 

luggage. Compared to the standard version, 

the luggage compartment is not interrupted 

by a door, while being extremely convenient 

and safe to load and unload from the right 

vehicle side – a real plus for drivers. 

A further benefit: through the rear entrance’s 

special construction, customers can now 

choose from a variety of rear designs and 

equipment. For instance, a coach can be 

equipped with a spacious rear galley or a 

rear lavatory behind the seating area. The 

latter offers passengers more privacy compared 

to the standard WC near the seats. 

For the galley, customers can select 

between two versions. A smaller galley unit 

leaves enough space for a double-seat at 

the rear next to the galley. Or, in the case 

of a large rear galley with spacious refrigerators, 

the lavatory and large galley are 

located across the whole width of the 

coach instead of rear seats – opening up an 

opportunity to offer excellent on-board 

service. 

There are no limits to the variety of equipment 

available at Setra. It is even possible 

to have a table mounted in front of the 

galley, enabling operators to transform the 

rear section of the coach into a travelling 

bistro. Yet another possibility is to build in 

two tables along with a glass separator 

wall, making for a very comfortable mobile 

meeting space. 

 

T 

he Strasbourg General Council of 

the Lower Rhine Department took 

delivery of eleven new MultiClass 

400 vehicles at the Setra CustomerCenter 

in Neu-Ulm, Germany: one S 415 UL, four 

S 419 UL and six S 417 UL models. These 

included the 100 th Setra for the Alsace 

administrative authority. 

“High quality standards!” 

Guy-Dominique Kennel, President of the 

General Council, didn’t object to travelling 

to Neu-Ulm himself to take delivery of the 

100 th anniversary coach on behalf of the 

CTBR. It was his first visit to the Setra 

manufacturing facilities, and he was very 

impressed with the production processes 

he saw. “For me, these manufacturing facilities 

confirm the high quality standards of 

Setra coaches and buses. There are three 

reasons why we decided to purchase Setra 

inter-city coaches. First, because we want 

to offer the best to our passengers and 

users. Secondly, because Setra delivers 

outstanding customer service. And thirdly, 

we very much appreciate the extraordinary 

sales support given to us by Michel Kugler, 

the Setra sales representative for Eastern 

France.” 

According to Michael Frey, responsible for 

the export business at Setra Sales, the 

CTBR plays an extremely important role 

at Setra: “A public sector customer with 

a fleet of this size represents the best 

possible reference in France, our biggest 

export market.” 

Following the last large order placed in 

October 2009 for 52 Setra inter-city 

coaches, this order represents a further 

step in establishing a regional scheduledservice 

network in the Lower Rhine Department. 

In the overall network comprising 64 

lines, the CTBR operates 24 lines with 

which they carried 2.3 million passengers 

last year. 

 

Available with rear entry for quite some time: the ComfortClass S 416 GT-HD/2. Now there are two more models available in this version: the S 415 GT-HD and the S 419 GT-HD

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