Mercedes - Benz 412D Sprinter
Technical sheet
- Registration no: B-3314-XG
- Make: Mercedes - Benz
- Bodywork: INDCAR
- Model: 412D Sprinter
- Entered into service: 2000
- Withdrawn: 2019
Summary
The first minibus of the TMB fleet arrived in 1998 (a very small model that did not exist until then in the fleet of the company). It was for the start-up of the first route of the new local service, called the District Bus. These new routes were unusual as they daringly ran through narrow streets, where until then buses could not pass through.
The new model of bus was built by INDCAR, based on the chassis of a Mercedes- Benz Sprinter van. It has a total capacity of 23 places (7 seated passengers and a wheelchair). It has a 122 hp engine and an automatic gearbox, along with air-conditioning. This type of bus is known as "Busito".
During the following years, this successful bus and the significant improvements made in districts with this new service, led to the expansion both of "busitos" and District Bus Routes in Barcelona. The serial number assigned to these vehicles starts with 4200 and is currently at 4397, with new generations of these models.
It should be underlined that the bus exhibited was the last one of the TMB fleet to be registered with provincial plates (B-331-XG). It is also the last bus to run through Barcelona with this identification number. The 4224 started operating from the old Borbó depot. This depot closed and the bus was then transferred to the Lutxana depot. Finally, this depot also closed, and the bus went to the Horta depot until its last day after 19 years of service: 5th April 2019.