With the current COVID-19 set of measures from Mercedes-Benz, coach operators can give their passengers the feeling of being well protected on the road at all times.

Even in times of COVID-19, many people are planning holidays. Whether it's an active holiday, visiting cities, or simply enjoying culture or the scenery – travelling always makes a welcome change. Touring coach operators using Mercedes-Benz coaches have for a long time been able to access an extensive set of measures to increase protection from infection for their drivers and passengers.

Despite COVID-19, people are planning holidays. Many countries provide attractive holiday destinations and numerous leisure options all year round: whether it's an active holiday, visiting cities, or simply enjoying culture or the scenery – travelling always makes a welcome change. Due to the pandemic situation, many rules and regulations in holiday destinations have been tightened. This especially applies to infection protection in rooms and apartments, and in restaurants, bars and cafes. But there is also a focus on tourists' arrival and departure from their holiday destinations. Touring coach operators using Mercedes-Benz coaches have for a long time been able to access an extensive set of measures to increase protection from infection for their drivers and passengers.

The COVID-19 hygiene measures for touring coaches are an important component helping to make coach travel even safer in times of COVID-19. This is because the safety pledge made by Mercedes-Benz coaches includes protection from infection. That is why the brand with the three-pointed star has increased its efforts to support coach operators effectively, ever since the beginning of the pandemic: with special COVID-19 protective equipment for retrofitting, technology updates and practical action recommendations for drivers and operators. The most important hygiene measures here at a glance.

More than anything, the constant supply of fresh air in the touring coach ensures greater safety on coach journeys. Thanks to the highly developed ventilation systems and air-conditioning in Mercedes-Benz touring coaches, the risk of virus infection spreading on board has already been considerably reduced. Depending on the external temperature, the air-conditioning operates with maximum fresh air level or in mixed mode, and the air is renewed every two to four minutes. On request, the maximum amount of fresh air from roof-mounted air conditioning systems can be increased by one-third by means of a software update, by extending the temperature range for the maximum fresh air supply both upwards and downwards.

By installing modern high-performance particulate filters, touring coach operators and fleet managers can reduce the already very low risk of infection in coaches even further. These multi-layer, progressively designed high-performance particle filters additionally feature an anti-viral functional layer which filters out the finest aerosols. Studies have shown that up to 99 percent of aerosols (>=0,3 µm) are filtered out. In the OMNIplus Service workshops, active filters are installed swiftly and professionally. Customers can order suitable active filter sets for retrofitting in their own workshops.

Because, contrary to the passenger compartment, the air in the toilet cabin cannot be completely filtered using the new active filter with antiviral function, there is an air-recirculation system for Mercedes-Benz coaches with which the air in the toilet cabin can be largely decontaminated. This system uses the natural phenomenon of photocatalysis and thus makes viruses, bacteria and germs harmless. This significantly reduces the risk of infection for passengers in the entire vehicle interior. Retrofitting is possible in every touring coach toilet cabin from Mercedes-Benz.

The OMNIplus service brand is your competent contact if you wish to make your touring coach even safer with the help of COVID-19 retrofit packages. This applies in particular to protective driver doors and transparent partitions made of real glass or polycarbonate, which effectively protect your bus drivers from infection via droplets. Installing contact-free hand sanitiser dispensers at the entrances can prevent the transfer of germs. For right-hand drive vehicles, please contact your local representative.

Any more questions? Mercedes-Benz offers a brochure for coach tour operators on how to increase safety in general on board your touring coach or bus in times of COVID-19: in it all available retrofitting solutions are summarised clearly. Here you can also find many practical instructions for the use of on-board technology and tips to help you deal with your passengers and increase confidence in coach travel.