21
October
2020
|
10:00
Europe/Amsterdam

Tune in and listen: MAN experts talk about the future of bus and coach travel in a podcast

Summary

Travelling by bus now and in the future, innovative ideas, new concepts and a well thought-out design – Stephan Schönherr and Heinz Kiess from MAN Truck & Bus talk about all these topics and many more in the BUS2Talk podcast. An exciting journey from the present to the future!

  • BUS2Talk is the podcast of the BUS2BUS Trade Show, which will be held in Berlin from 14-15 April 2021
  • The main topic: the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on bus and coach travel – MAN focuses on an in-depth exchange of ideas with associations, customers and suppliers on sensible protective measures for drivers and passengers
  • Other issues: What could travel look like in the future and what would make travelling by bus even more attractive?
  • The podcast is available in German language on the BUS2BUS website, on Spotify, Deezer, LinkedIn and in the Apple Podcast

How would we like to travel by bus in the future and what will it be like? How will the mobility industry master the challenges of the coronavirus crisis? And what surprising effects, in terms of atmosphere and equipment, can design and appearance have on the overall travel experience? During the BUS2BUS podcast, Stephan Schönherr, Vice President Design Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, and Heinz Kiess, Head of Product Marketing Bus at MAN Truck & Bus discuss these and many other issues connected to bus and coach travel with Kerstin Kube-Erkens and Reiner Strauch from Messe Berlin GmbH. With their guests from MAN, the two BUS2Talk presenters talk about the topic of “Fresh travel – how would we like to travel by bus and coach in the future?” – and, in particular, in the current context of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Even in Covid-19 times, the bus offers the highest safety and hygiene standards for drivers and passengers and is, therefore, safe,” emphasises Stephan Schönherr and adds: “However, what’s important for the bus industry, and especially for the coach market, is now to regain passengers’ trust in travelling by bus or coach. To do this, MAN is focusing on an in-depth exchange of ideas with associations, customers and suppliers on sensible coronavirus protective measures for drivers and passengers.” Some of the measures that MAN offers its customers include hygienic protective barriers for the driver's workplace, disinfectant dispensers for passengers and assistance to correctly operate the air-conditioning system. “The topic of air-conditioning systems, in particular, is attracting public attention and raising questions. That is why we are committed to collaborating in the working group with the Bundesverband Deutscher Omnibusunternehmer bdo (Federal Association of German Bus Companies), i.e. the bdo expert panel on air-conditioning systems,” says Kiess. The working group recently published an information leaflet for bus and coach companies.

In addition to the challenges that operators, manufacturers and passengers are facing because of the coronavirus pandemic, the BUS2Talk also addresses topics such as individual customer requirements, trends in the industry, for example 2-to-1 seating, customer journey and the appeal and popularity of bus and coach travel. In particular, design and appearance, in terms of atmosphere and equipment, are important factors that impress passengers. “It's possible to create a positive mood among people with an attractive design. We need to get away from: I go buy bus because I have to. To: I go by bus because it’s cool and sustainable,” says Stephan Schönherr.

That is also achieved by implementing new and innovative designs and solutions while taking the needs of the different target groups into account. “Topics such as environment, accessibility and networking are particularly important for the younger target group. However, we are also closely examining the needs of the older generation – whether in city buses or in coach travel.” The goal is to build attractive buses in which people of any age will feel comfortable. “Because the trip already begins in the bus and the journey is part of the experience,” emphasises Heinz Kiess and adds: “We are working intensively on what the bus of the future will look like.”

The BUS2Talk podcast is available in German language on the BUS2BUS website at https://www.bus2bus.berlin/Zusatzseiten/BUS2Talk/, and on Spotify, in the Apple Podcast, on Deezer and LinkedIn. The BUS2Talk podcast series is also published in the Future Mobility Summit of ‘Der Tagesspiegel’ newspaper at https://dialog.tagesspiegel.de/future-mobility/themen/mobility-transformation/.