25 years of service innovations: the Performance Plus from Omniplus for buses from Mercedes-Benz and Setra

• Jubilee year 2021: all-round service for buses from Mercedes-Benz and Setra
• Omniplus On: the digital service revolution
• SignalStore: highly sophisticated services for fleet management
• Retrofit solutions protect drivers, passengers and other road users
• A quarter-century full of service innovations

Full concentration on buses: services specifically aimed at buses are the recipe for the success of the Omniplus service brand under the roof of Daimler Buses. In 1996, shortly after EvoBus was set up, Omniplus started to revolutionise the service world of the bus business. Then as now, the basic idea was to provide an effective and above all a bus-oriented service from one source for both the Mercedes-Benz and Setra brands. The innovative power of Omniplus has continued unabated until today, as is shown by current innovations such as spare parts from the 3D printer, the revolutionary digital service world of Omniplus On, and also retrofit solutions to enhance the safety of drivers, passengers and other road users. 25 years after the start of Omniplus, this uniquely broad spectrum of classic and digital services can be neatly divided into five categories: Solutions, Mobility, Expertise, Support and Omniplus On. Bus companies can rely on the new Omniplus brand promise more than ever: "Omniplus. Your Performance Plus".

Jubilee year 2021: all-round service for buses from Mercedes-Benz and Setra

Omniplus guarantees all-round service for buses from Mercedes-Benz and Setra. If a bus should encounter problems en route, the 24h SERVICE is ready 24/7. More than 600 service centres, from the Arctic Circle to Sicily and from Ireland to Perm in Russia just west of the Urals, are at your service and form the tightly knit Omniplus Service network. Whether maintenance or repairs are needed, GenuineParts or Genuine Remanufactured Parts, service contracts, ServiceCard or training courses for drivers and workshop staff – the bus-oriented services from Omniplus are exemplary and unique in the business.

Bus companies can insure their vehicles individually via service contracts. For the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro with fully electric drive, Omniplus has developed specific eService contracts and also a multi-stage training system for workshops. And if fleets wish to concentrate on their core competences, Omniplus with BusDepot Management and its own staff even take care of service in the customer's workshop. Special services, such as BestAge Repair for older vehicles, round off the range.

Spare parts: from the Spare Parts Logistics Centre and from the 3D printer

A basic element of the service provision is reliable provision with spare parts; at Omniplus that always means either approved GenuineParts or top quality Genuine Remanufactured Parts. The Spare Parts Logistics Centre from Daimler Buses in Neu-Ulm, the world's largest central warehouse for bus spare parts, has more than 120,000 parts in stock. More than 650 service partners for the Omniplus service brand are supplied with spare parts for Mercedes-Benz and Setra brand buses. In an area of approx. 32,000 square metres, there are more than 120,000 quality-approved replacement parts and accessories in stock. The total number of active parts runs to more than 320,000 items and each year another 10,000 items are added.

In addition, spare parts are increasingly being produced via 3D printer, and now for the first time even locally from the printer directly from the service partner. Also, 3D printing makes personal decor parts for the interior possible. 3D printing has huge advantages, particularly in the spare parts segment. Daimler Buses keeps spare parts for buses available for at least 15 years after terminating production. However, there is still a possibility of shortages in parts supply years after production has ceased. For example, if suppliers no longer exist, if they demand large minimum quantities for later production, or if new tools are needed for the production. On the other hand, if the 3D data are available, in such a case an urgently needed part can be printed within hours. Each subsequently manufactured part is automatically of original quality.

Omniplus has created a mobile printing centre for the decentralised production of 3D printed spare parts in order to be able to provide bus customers with spare parts more quickly in the future. The "mini factory" in the form of a container includes all the stations relevant to the production of spare parts using a 3D printer on an area of only 36 square metres. In a next step, Daimler Buses intends to further expand and decentralise the business model: customers will then be able to purchase 3D printing licences from the "commerce" section of the Omniplus On portal and have the corresponding parts produced in a 3D printing centre certified by Daimler Buses.

Omniplus On: the digital service revolution

The comprehensive recent innovation is Omniplus On. Under this roof, Omniplus clusters its digital services and is constantly adding new services which are designed to make the bus business more simple and efficient. Omniplus On is supported by four connected pillars:

• "Omniplus On advance" ensures that bus companies enjoy maximum availability of their fleet, for example thanks to the Omniplus Uptime service, or optimum service transparency with their own service routines which can be set up individually for each bus. Omniplus Uptime monitors all important technical bus functions in real time. If a need for repair or maintenance work becomes apparent, the information is automatically transmitted to the bus company in one of the appropriate escalation stages and, depending on the urgency, also transmitted to the authorised service centre.

• "Omniplus On monitor" combines telematics services for cross-manufacturer fleet management and helps to assess the driving style of the individual drivers according to efficiency and safety. With the dual driving style assessment Eco Score and Safety Score, fleet managers can look over their drivers' shoulders discreetly and effectively. This serves to provide a realistic basis for analysis with an aim to reduce both fuel consumption and wear on the vehicle, as well as to increase the safety of passengers on board. The location services ensure complete transparency about the position of a fleet's vehicles. Operations planning provides businesses with an online route planner. "Time management" enables businesses to call up data directly from a vehicle, irrespective of its current location using the driver card download and mass storage memory download of the digital tachograph. Current driving and rest times are also visible here. Besides consumption data for conventionally-powered buses, the service bundle "Performance Monitoring" also includes values about the charging status or the remaining range of the fully-electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro.

• "Omniplus On drive" assists the driver, from the prescribed daily departure checks to remote control of individual components of the bus. Fundamental vehicle parameters can be viewed in the integrated "My Bus" web app, which can be operated anywhere via the internet and with all end devices. Proof of maintenance, interactive digital Operating Instructions ("Bus Guides") and Supplements from Mercedes‑Benz and Setra buses can be called up in the "Vehicle technology" section. As part of the departure check, Omniplus On drive guides the bus driver through the legally prescribed tests using a checklist. Each point of this is documented and completed. The driver can send faults or damage to his or her company with the log.

• "Omniplus On commerce" enables bus companies to purchase spare and replacement parts as well as book digital services in the new Omniplus eShop quickly and in a targeted manner at any time. The eShop provides the complete parts portfolio for Mercedes-Benz and Setra. Also, as the system is fully incorporated into the Omniplus On customer portal, it already knows the individual fleet of the person placing the order: the correct parts for the vehicle selected are shown to the orderer in the Quick Collect section and can simply be confirmed. During the ordering process the user can see directly whether the replacement parts are in stock in the required quantity at the Service Support Point.

SignalStore: highly sophisticated services for fleet management

Data networking is crucial for error-free functioning and the digital service world. Thanks to the wireless real-time interface in the Omniplus On SignalStore, these options are considerably extended and can also be used with systems from third-party providers. The virtual vehicle data interface enables buses to be linked to existing fleet management systems in real time and without physical plug connections. There are three highly developed services available:

Data Package light with about 250 data points in the categories of warning displays, drivetrain, doors and flaps, vehicle information, suspension and wheels plus vehicle battery and operating materials. The advantage for the customer here is above all efficient fleet management for conventionally driven vehicles.

Data Package plus with about 250 additional data points, including high-voltage systems, heating/ventilation/climate control, and extended GPS data. The advantage for the customer here is efficient fleet management and implementation of charging strategies for electrically driven vehicles.

Data Package diagnostic provides a range of diagnostic data, as well as quick tests in a machine-readable format and as a PDF document, which could previously only be read out via the Daimler "Xentry Diagnosis". This enables the customer to gain optimum transparency about service and maintenance requirements and can therefore accelerate ad hoc error correction.

Retrofit solutions protect drivers, passengers and other road users

Professional retrofit solutions are also an important component of the Omniplus service. For example, Omniplus reacted swiftly to the COVID-19 pandemic: For numerous bus models from Setra and Mercedes-Benz, protective driver doors and partitions for retrofitting were developed, to protect the driver from infection. By installing high-performance particle filters, companies can reduce the risk of infection in coaches even further. By the end of May 2021, OMNIplus had already installed, or supplied to transport companies, more than 5000 retrofitting kits for driver protection doors and particle filters with an anti-viral functional layer in buses from Mercedes-Benz and Setra – a real safety plus for drivers and passengers.

A turning assistance system avoids completely different risks. It warns of moving objects in the zone up to three metres in width along the side of the bus. When the vehicle is stationary, the assistance system covers a length of eight metres, and when moving, even a distance of twelve metres, including a strip to the side in front of the vehicle. Thus the entire area where cyclists and pedestrians are at risk when the bus starts to turn is covered. If a moving object is located in the monitored zone along the side of the bus, the driver is informed in a fraction of a second in a multi-stage process, visually and, if the indicator is activated, also audibly.

1996: Omniplus started with a whole bundle of service innovations

These high-tech topics of 2021 were unthinkable a quarter of a century ago when Omniplus started up. However, the new world of service for buses in Europe actually began on 23 March 1996: from that Saturday, the newly founded brand Omniplus invited both bus corporations and also its own staff to visit open days at its German service centres. Precisely one year after the fusion of Setra and Mercedes-Benz Omnibus to EvoBus under the roof of Daimler, a unique new service offensive began in the form of Omniplus. The idea was that within this merger, the independent service provision was intended to provide a unique "Plus for the bus" – that was the first motto for the effectiveness of the new service organisation.

Service for buses initially meant classic services such as maintenance and repair. Omniplus could deal with that – and much more. Omniplus started with a whole range of service innovations in 1996: its service centres and the Service Network, the ServiceCard and new types of maintenance packages called ServiceCheck. Also, right from the start Omniplus offered further services such as the established and popular drivers' training courses. The service centres were the core of the new concept right from the start, as competence centres with comprehensive cross-brand know-how and all-round service for buses – thus they were a real plus for the bus. The new services also provided this bonus: ServiceChecks as season-specific maintenance packages for touring coaches at a fixed price, the vehicle's own ServiceCard with a financial benefits and security regarding care while travelling, including emergency situations.

Two years after it was set up, Omniplus with its newly introduced service contracts once again set new standards for services specifically for buses. At the same time, in a central warehouse in Neu-Ulm, the spare parts organisation of Mercedes-Benz and Setra, which had previously operated separately from each other, was merged into one, and shortly afterwards the customer service of the two brands. In the same period of time, Omniplus professionalised its trade with used Mercedes-Benz and Setra buses – later, in 2013, that section became a separate business division with the brand name BusStore.

2004: Entry into the world of digitisation with an online service directory and an online shop

Omniplus chose digitisation early on. As early as 2004 an online service directory was available. At the same time, Omniplus did pioneer work by setting up its online shop which companies could use to easily buy parts for their own workshops. Also in 2004, Omniplus introduced a multi-layer system of service centres. Throughout Europe, these are classified according to their range of services, either as BusWorld and BusWorld Home, BusPort or BusPoint. This meant that on the one hand Europe-wide basic provision of services was guaranteed, and at the same time there was a unique range of available services in regions with high vehicle density and at important hubs. Since then, service standards have always been reappraised on a regular basis. Ten years after the launch of Omniplus, about 540 service centres across Europe cared for bus corporations and their buses – the largest service network in Europe for buses. Since 2008, all the service centres have been supplied from the huge, state-of-the-art Spare Parts Logistics Centre in Neu-Ulm.

For small repairs, Omniplus introduced its prompt, reasonably priced SmallRepair service that same year. With this service, small repairs can be carried out on the vehicle quickly and at a reasonable price. Scratches on the bumper, stone damage to the windscreen, holes in the upholstery or damage to the instrument panel: with special repair methods, paint, glass and plastic damage and damage to the interior can be dealt with quickly and simply.

In 2009 Omniplus initialised the first bus-specific fleet management system called BusFleet. Data transfer, analysis of digital tachographs and driving style documentation were only some of the buzzwords. At the same time, there was a new addition to the ServiceCard: it was individually adapted with the tiered concept of ServiceCardBasic and Premium. Similarly, from 2012 Omniplus adjusted its service contracts with basic and premium versions.

Service centres and mechanics compete with each other

The service experts of Omniplus do not need to be shy about their expertise. On the contrary: since 2010, Europe-wide they have been taking part in a unique contest called "BusTech Challenge" which is held at regular intervals. In the various phases of this contest of experts, they have to prove their expertise in both theory and practice, across the entire bus programme of Mercedes-Benz and Setra and also Mercedes-Benz minibuses including a wide variety of engines and transmission systems, for all these vehicles. The service centres of Omniplus are also in competition Europe-wide: At the "BusLeague" the focus is on customer satisfaction – bus companies rate the centres.

From 2015, Omniplus was in the news with another service: with the new BusDepot Management, authorised service centres, and thus Omniplus staff, provided services directly at customers' workshops. Nobody knows buses better than the manufacturer – so who is better able to maintain and repair buses? Depending on the contract, the regular maintenance and repair work, right up to paintwork and bodywork, is done on site at the depot. Bus Depot Management ensures the very best possible care and high vehicle availability. The operator receives everything from one source, from the vehicle to the services, and can therefore reduce the costs noticeably. Service contracts for newer used touring coaches of the Mercedes-Benz and Setra brands were another new feature. With the new programme entitled BestAge Repair, Omniplus also set up services for older buses appropriate to the current residual value. This includes GenuineParts for older model series, reconditioned parts as a reasonably priced way of replacing wear-and-tear parts, and also maintenance and retrofitting for the care of older buses. In particular, this applies to updating the passenger compartment with new textiles or fresh upholstery, or dealing with minor damage by means of Omniplus SmallRepair.

From 2016, Omniplus went in a completely different direction with the new long-distance coach service, tailor-made for the real mile-eaters. Timetables and price pressure allow little time or leeway for maintenance and service. Also, the coaches often do not return daily to the home depot. A clear task for the service: the buses have to keep running and be kept in top condition. The typical services are the long-distance coach check for all important technical functions, cleaning outside and in, refilling the fresh water supply, or the glass service for any window damage which might occur.

Whether long-distance touring coaches or all other buses: with the Telediagnosis service, in 2016 Omniplus opened another completely new service chapter. If a Mercedes-Benz or Setra bus should happen to break down, the driver was able to transmit a large amount of data directly to the 24h Service simply at the press of a button. With it, the bus was identified and its geo-coordinates were transmitted so that it could be accurately located, as were both the current codes and the stored error codes. The data was then transmitted to the closest Omniplus service centre and interpreted. Before a service technician was on the way, he or she could prepare specifically for the breakdown. With telediagnosis, Omniplus opened up tomorrow's service.

2017: Omniplus On – the new digital world of service

In autumn 2017, Omniplus presented a completely new service world: linking up the vehicle, driver, company and service with each other, thus creating added value for customers – that is now Omniplus On. Here, a wide range of current and future digital services for buses are bundled in one single portal.

Also in 2017, Omniplus presented the benefits of 3D printing for spare parts for the first time. At that time, many hundred parts for customers' vehicles had already been printed. And at the same time investigation into which bus spare parts could usefully be created by 3D printer had begun; with fascinating prospects: each 3D component can be retroactively ordered by the customer using the specific part number.

Only one year further on, Omniplus celebrated 25 years of bus safety training. Three years before Omniplus was set up, the first twelve bus drivers took part in a safety training course in 1993. 25 years later, about 18000 drivers had taken it.

Special services for buses with fully electric drive

At the same time, Omniplus looked ahead: for the new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro with fully electric drive, Omniplus had prepared an eMobility service concept in good time for the launch. This begins with classic support for the customer's workshop and continues to workshop services combined with service contracts at competence centres at the works, and then to bus depot management. In addition there were the tailor-made eBasic and ePremium service contracts. With this package, Omniplus has since then been assisting transport corporations as they switch over to electromobility. Transport companies can find out how to equip a workshop for electrically driven buses by viewing the outstandingly equipped Omniplus model workshop at the Dortmund training centre. There intensive training courses are offered based on a complete qualification concept. This concept has now been extended to the training centres in Mannheim and Winterthur/Switzerland. Omniplus Performance Plus is more relevant than ever in this newly awakening age of electromobility.