Viajante Magazine Issue 20 April 2017
Focused on Operation
Panorama O What to expect from 2017 and the future of the bus
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Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
Economy Ricardo Amorim The time to act is now
Innovation What does the future hold?
DOSSIER
General Coordination Commercial and Marketing Department
Text Production and Edition Secco Consultoria de Comunicação Sabrina Leme MTB-RS 15062 Graphical Project Communication Department Printing Cromo Gráfica e Editora Digital Edition www.marcopolo.com.br
Reproduction is strictly forbidden without prior and expressive authorization. All rights reserved. Images merely for illustration and product configurations might undergo alterations without prior notice.
EDITORIAL
Innovation is in Marcopolo’s present and future. The road bus is in constant transformation
Julio Soares
Never has innovation been so In this scenario, Marcopolo is important and pertinent. It has also attentive to its mission of “seeing” into never been so difficult. The more we the future, developing solutions that will evolve, the more arduous the mission provide advantages and benefits to our for innovators. To be ahead, discovering clients and their users of our buses, and new paths, new products and creating that will anticipate their needs and desires. tendencies imply a myriad of other activities and stances. The development of the concept bus Marcopolo has been, throughout is a good example. It gathers the latest the years, consolidating available technologies its position of an innovatoday for our products, such Our focus is always tive company. Not only in as the Antisleep Couch, the road bus industry, but the client’s satisfacEasy Boarding, Smart Rack also in its business strategies, and how it relates and Smart Loading. But tion and improving to people, the market, and it will also present what the world. how we meet his we have in the immediate Once more, amidst future, like the Relax Seat this widespread crisis, the needs and desires. couch, and what the client, company seeks in innovaand user, will wish for. tion the raw material to overcome the adversities and challenges and to reorThe future needs to be created, like a ganize. And how fast did it adapt to the blank page to be filled. Innovation is what new market characteristics, to not stop we’re using to draw and build our own, or cease to seek new things for its partand helping build our clients’ as well. ners and clients! Ahead, you’ll be able to see how the The road bus is in constant transcompany sees both present and future. formation. New technologies for sustainability and environment protection. Different necessities to meet, readily Good Reading! and quickly, society’s needs for mobility. Paradigm shifts, on being just a André Armaganijan means of travel to become the extension of home or even work (how many spend, daily, Director for International Business and Strategies more than 25% of their time in a vehicle).
SUMMARY Viajante Magazine Issue 20 April 2017
18 - Panorama
10 - News Route
16 - Client
52 - Traveler’s Guide
34 - Cover La nuova Soluzione
SUMMARY Viajante Magazine Issue 20 April 2017
10 News Route
33 Article
90 turns around the sun
Bob Sharp The Third Safety
30 Urban Torinos to Manaus
34 Cover Sales Convention
Torino “S”
Making it Happen
Focused on operation
Growth in the Ivory Coast
41 Mobility Prioritizing public transport
Plusmar 40 Years
42 Recognition 15 Representative
Global Challenger
Amazon
AutoData 2016 Most remembered and innovative
16 Client
Featured Foreign Commerce
Grupo Metropolitano
44 Innovation 18 Panorama
What does the future hold?
Roberto Cortes / Walter Barbosa Fabiano Todeschini / Silvio Munhoz What to expect from 2017 and the future of the road bus
52 Traveler’s Guide
Turis Silva
60 Visits
Constant investments in new
Viação Mimo / Nuevo Léon
Natal - City of the Sun
vehicles and exclusive services
65 Memory Ricardo Amorim The time to act is now
Record shipping
NEWS ROUTE
Brazil
Julio Soares
90 turns around the sun
Inspired by the turns Earth takes around the sun every year, Paulo Bellini celebrated his 90th birthday in January. Marcopolo’s President Emeritus gathered
friends and family in an event in the Events Center of the Festa Nacional da Uva. The ‘happy birthday’ was sung by over 800 guests.
Paulo Bellini celebrates his 90 years together with his sons Paulo Alexander, James and Mauro.
30 Urban Torinos to Manaus Prima Comércio e Locadora de Veiculos Eireli, one of the main transport operators in Manaus, Amazonas, has recently acquired 30 Torino buses, part of the fleet renovation program, being used for public transportation in the city. Prima employs the strategy of investing in the acquisition of new vehicles to offer increased comfort and security to its passengers. With a modern visual, the Torino possesses an increased internal width, guaranteeing ample space for
circulation and easing passenger movement. Internally, it has LED lighting
and ergonomic City couches, offering more comfort and convenience.
Ronald Marcello S. Santos
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Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
Brazil
NEWS ROUTE
New buses to São Luís do Maranhão The urban public transport system in São Luís do Maranhão, now counts on 93 new buses from Marcopolo. The vehicles were acquired by the Autoviária Matos Ltda., Expresso Rei de França Ltda., Expresso Rio Negro, Patrol Transporte, Construção e Terraplenagem Ltda., Rio Anil Transporte e Logística Ltda., and Viação Abreu Ltda. companies. They’re composed of three models with different configurations and total length: the conventional Torino, Articulated Torino and the Senior Urbano, to better meet the necessities of the lines and routes in São Luís. The vehicles provide more comfort, security, and speed
for the citizens. The company constantly invests in developing and producing new specific products for the main
Brazilian cities, seeing that each county has distinct topographical and road conditions, with different needs and demands.
Douglas de Souza Melo
15-meter Paradiso 1800 Double Decker on Brazilian roads Douglas de Souza Melo
Since February, Soli-
from Marcopolo with the
mões Transportes, a com-
Volvo B450R 8X2 chassis to
pany in the Eucatur Group
operate on lines between ci-
from Paraná, has added to
ties in Rio Grande do Sul and
their fleet twenty 15-me-
Roraima. The units develo-
ter Paradiso 1800 DD buses
ped for Solimões Transpor-
tes also count with an exclusive paint job that featured the Brazilian fauna from the Amazon region. The model, launched recently, was chosen for being the longest road bus in the Brazilian market and, as a consequence, by increasing the capacity to 60 passengers, besides offering more space in the interior room. The new configuration allows for more spacing between seats and represents benefits and advantages for the operator and the passenger.
Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
11
SALES CONVENTION
Internal Market
Foreign Market
Douglas de Souza Melo
With the theme ‘Making it Happen - The acting optimists always win’, the 2017 Sales Convention gathered, in March, representatives from the internal and foreign markets to talk about 2016 results, align the company’s objectives and motivate sales growth. The event had attendance from the Quality, Commercial and Marketing sectors, Law, Financial and Engineering departments, as well as in-
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Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
dustrial and strategy areas. The teams acting on the internal market watched a lecture from economist Ricardo Amorim on ‘Taking advantage of recovery opportunities’ and participated in a Marketing Panel with FABUS president, José Antonio Fernandes Martins, NTU’s executive president, Otávio Cunha, and the Director on the Abrati’s Deliberative Council, Pedro Teixeira. The exe-
cutives debated the current scenario in public transportation and shared their perspectives on the sector. Moreover, the representatives on the foreign markets had a moment, in the Convention schedule, to evaluate the work done in the factories and auxiliary areas during the sales conduction and contributed with suggestions for improvements.
World
NEWS ROUTE
Growth in the Ivory Coast The delivery of nine Viaggio 1050 buses to the Union des Transports in Bouake is the first one to the Abidjan company, the biggest city, considered the economic capital in the Ivory Coast. The vehicles, to be used in shipping and interstate routes, have the Volvo B270F chasis and capacity for 62 passengers. They’re equipped with Executiva 865 couches in the 3x2 configuration and count on two access doors and audiovisual system.
Plusmar 40 Years
William Rufino
Divulgação Plusmar
With a fireworks display, the 40 year anniversary of the Transportes Automotores Plusmar S.A. company was celebrated in an event that gathered over 300 people, including employees, journalists, artists and businessmen in Argentina over the Rio da Prata, in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires. The company is one of the main passenger operators to the country’s coast and also specializes in student tourism. Founded in 1976, in Quilmes, it has over 400 two-stories bus units in its fleet and uses Marcopolo units since 1995. From left to right: Luis Teruel, Turiassu Araujo, Tarcisio Matos de Jesus, Andrea Taruel, Cecil Toledo e Laura Teruel, below Adrian Pereyra
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NEWS ROUTE
World
Paradiso 1800 DD now in Cameroon Douglas de Souza Melo
The first units of the Paradiso 1800 DD model exported to the Republic of Cameroon were incorporated into Finexs Voyages’ fleet, and connect the cities of Douala and Yaoundé. With a Volvo B430R 6X2 chassis, the Paradiso 1800 DD has 14 meters of length and capacity for 68 passengers. The buses are equipped with Semibed Leather-Flex couches, with neoprene and viscoelastic, and all of them possess power outlets to charge
electronic devices and individual headphone jacks. They also have fridges, Wi-Fi internet, monitoring
system, air-conditioning, AM/FM radio with CD and MP3, DVD player and six LCD monitors.
Urban public transportation evidenced in Iran
Disclosure Marcopolo
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Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
Marcopolo participated, in January, on the first urban bus exposition in Iran, gathering the main manufacturers of bus bodies in the country and businessmen from the services and components sectors. On a 100m² booth, the Brazilian company distributed catalogs and flyers with their main products and welcomed, besides guests and clients, members of the government attending the event. According to Ricardo Portolan, Executive Manager for Foreign Business, Marcopolo has a strong presence in the region, and the Iranian market looks to investing in renovating and modernizing the local fleet, opening new opportunities for supplying the brand’s vehicles.
Amazonia
REPRESENTATIVE
Experience as warranty 50 years ago, the relationship between Euclides Paese and Marcopolo began. As an employee, he remained in the company until 1985, when he was named representative to work in the Acre, Amazonas, Rondônia and Roraima states Douglas de Souza Melo
I
n March 1967, began the relationship of Euclides Paese and Marcopolo. “I was the second person the be part of the sales team in the then-called Carrocerias Nicola. I never considered myself a bus salesman, but someone who dealt in security, trust, warranty, liquidity and quality”, he recalls. As an employee, he remained within the company until 1985, when he was named a representative to work in Porto Velho/RO with an office, parts store and technical support over the states of Acre, Amazonas, Rondônia, and Roraima. In 1990, Amazônia Veículos was transferred to Manaus to focus on selling buses, with technical support on Amazonas and Roraima. In a region where rivers regularly act as extended avenues, and where boats are the main form of transportation for both passengers and cargo, there exists a predominance of the shipping sector, due to the multitude of facto-
ries in the Industrial District, followed by urban and road transportation. “Although we had huge extensions of territory, the roads in the region are very few, seeing as the municipal transportation is done through boats due to the number of riverways. We have a federal road, 800 Km long, connecting Manaus to Boa Vista, worked by three companies, and a 280 Km state road connecting Manaus to Itacoatiara,” explains João Carlos Portela, responsible for the sales in the region comprised by the Amazon, and the successor to Paese over the representation. With a team composed of 22 members, the representation counts on a structure of 5,2 thousand square meters, covering sales offices, training room, original parts store, technical support workshops and post-sales air-conditioning and bodies, as well as a wide area for parking the buses in maintenance. “We’re always seeking
to present our clients with offers that better meet their profiles, both in regards to products and to credit possibilities so that the sale is complete” adds Portela, emphasizing that a personalized customer service, network of technical support, availability of parts and resale value are important criteria favoring the sale. Portela signals that, in 2017, with the political and economic scenarios still suffering from instabilities, the challenge continues to be increasing sales in the region, without losing focus on the post-sale service to the clients. “We have expectations, for an improvement in the urban segment. We also hope for the dream to have the BR 319 federal road go through asphalting, connecting Manaus to Porto Velho, and through there, the rest of the country. That would certainly, bring benefits to the road transport segment and passengers in the region.” ends Paese.
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CLIENT
Grupo Metropolitano
Ariana Uhlmann
Paulo F. Chaves
Acting on the public transportation sector, marked by
Focus on management
elevate the positive results.
and commitment to results
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Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
changes following the constant evolution aiming to That defines the trajectory of the Grupo Metropolitano. Founded in 1975 by Paulo Fernando Chaves and currently, under the command of Executive Director Paulo Chaves Junior, the company residing in JaboatĂŁo dos Guararapes/PE covers Recife and the metropolitan area, besides Natal, Rio Grande do Norte
Grupo Metropolitano
Viajante: Throughout the company’s history, what were the main transformations? Paulo: In 1980, five years after the founding, Expresso Metropolitano became permissioner to the Public Transport System. In 1982, it doubled in size from the acquisition of Rodoviária Brasília. In that moment, the companies became called, respectively, Empresa Metropolitana and Rodoviária Metropolitana. In 1986 an important changed occurred in the stock control, making the two companies follow distinct paths. With the partners splitting up, my father ended up on the Empresa Metropolitana, who then became a Group. With the change, what were the company’s next steps? We sought to improve our services and create a movement towards expansion. In 2006, our cover is increased by acquiring Rodoviária Caxangá, a transport operator from Olinda. In 2011, the Grupo Metropolitano then acquired the Transportes Guanabara and Expresso Oceano companies, operating in Natal and the metropolitan region. Were there any challenged during the growth and consolidation? There were many events
that I list as challenging and that required decisions focused on the company’s perenniality. I’m going to highlight the creation of the Transport Manager Department, in 1980, the construction of the subway parallel to the existing bus corridors, which represented an impact on the demand. And then the increase in reach to the Rio Grande do Norte market, because of each region’s peculiarities, and the process of family succession on Business Management and Executive Directing. What guides the management’s philosophy? I can say it’s a continuous search for improving our service to transport people with quality, respecting society, the environment and the values that guide our work. Respect and transparency with the people; Pride to work in the company; Commitment to service quality for our clients and social and environmental responsibility, and meeting the legal requirements. That search is guided, too, by a well-executed operational planning in a one-year term and the constant monitoring of our results. What’s the current structure of the company? For a better management, the Group’s structure was divided into two distinctive approaches: the cor-
CLIENT
poration, and the business, which corresponds to each segment, the Empresa Metropolitana, Rodoviária Caxangá, and both Transportes Guanabara and Expresso Oceano. In total, we have close to 4.500 employees and over a thousand buses to transport, monthly, over 13.6 million passengers. There’s also the Deliberative Council, presided by my father, and composed by me and my brothers, Paulo Gustavo and Paula Roberta. It’s important to note there’s a dissociation of the management and the family’s decisions, so we seek professionalism in the management area. What are the company’s next challenges? I can tell you that, in a moment where we see an increase in private transportation apps, the challenge is to be tuned to follow the changes in a market that is, more and more, characterized by the technology to offer differentials to attract the user, be it through implementing a system to monitor the fleet, increasing the ticket sale network and sales through the internet. All that, equating the value cost aggregated to the service offered and the user’s acquisitive capacity and control over free tickets offered by the public sector. Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
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PANORAMA
Market View
What to expect from 2017 and the future of the road bus The Brazilian market for road buses is going through one of its most delicate moments, if not the most. At the same time when the demand has been reduced to levels from 30 years ago, the bus faces challenges to be, both
Malagrine
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Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
Auto+
in the urban and road segments, one of the, if not the first option in public transport. Investments in infrastructure on urban mobility, fleet renovation, connectivity and environment
Market View
preservation. All these aspects.Also, represent the springboard for public transportation to occupy a highlighted position in this scenario. On the next pages, Roberto Cortes, president and CEO of MAN Latin America, Walter Barbosa, Bus Sales
Wagner Menezes
PANORAMA
and Marketing Director for Mercedes-Benz do Brasil, Silvio Munhoz, Bus Sales Director for Scania in Brazil and Fabiano Todeschini, president of Volvo Buses Latin America, speak about their expectations for the market.
Humbeto Michaltchuk
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PANORAMA
Market View
Roberto Cortes President and CEO for MAN Latin America
Malagrine
Viajante Magazine: Based on the current political, social and economic situation, what are your expectations for the Brazilian market on buses for the next years? Roberto Cortes – The Brazilian bus fleet must go through a wave of renovation and modernization, prioritizing comfort and cost-benefit to the user and the businessman. We’ll also be able to observe, in the next years, an increase in the use of telemetry and digitalization to ensure a higher integration between modals and traffic control systems for the urban public transportation. There will be even more focus on the total cost of ownership (TCO). In that sense, we’ll see some technical characteristics gain even more relevance as a decision factor. It’s the case for the pneumatic suspension, the automated or automatic gearbox, and efficient motors, which don’t generate a signifi-
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cant increase in the acquisition How can the bus be the citizen’s choice for individual transport? The citizen expects to find a solution for transport that’s both comfortable and agile. As long as there’s a renovation of the fleet, with the more modern and comfortable products we offer today, the user tends to prioritize public transportation by recognizing those values on a daily basis. The context becomes even more favorable with the creation, and reinforcement, of exclusive bus corridors, making routes faster. The equation follows: you improve the bus fleet and the condition on the alternative routes to increase the offer on quality public transportation.
Market View
PANORAMA
Walter Barbosa Bus Sales and Marketing Director for Mercedes-Benz do Brasil
Auto+
Viajante Magazine: Based on the current political, social and economic situation, what are your expectations for the Brazilian market on buses for the next years? Walter Barbosa – We have an expectation for growth in the next years. Our segment has suffered greatly with the low volumes in the years of 2015 (15.700 units) and 2016 (10.300 units), getting to levels from the 80’s decade. With the positive signals from the economy for the next years, including a positive PIB, lower interest rates, and controlled inflation, we should have an evolution, even though a modest one, but in a rhythm of growth for the next years. We need to return to levels over 20.000 units and continue as the third largest bus market in the world. The federal government was sensitized by the segment and, in December of 2016, announced a new plan to renovate urban vehicles in 2017, called Refrota. Considering special conditions for financing, the program should motivate clients to renew their fleets. Remember that our Country contemplates a running fleet, counting on both urban and road lines, of over 590.000 buses with an average age well over 10 years. If we
consider just the legalized urban segment, that’s 107 thousand buses, with an average age of 4 years and 10 months. We have many opportunities ahead. How can the bus be the citizen’s choice for individual transport? In Brazil, the participation of buses on the public transportation of passengers is 86,3%. Considering the urban segment, that’s 1.800 operators in 3.313 cities. Due to the COuntry’s immense territorial area, the costs of investment and infrastructure for a mobility system, the bus has great advantages over the remaining existing means of transportation. In some capitals, we can count on transport systems like BRT, like in Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, São Paulo, Curitiba and Porto Alegre, among others. Those are efficient systems, with exclusive lanes, and high capacity buses, offering the population a faster, safer and more comfortable transportation. Today’s youth seek freedom, connectivity, and agility. With each evolution of the mass transport system, more passengers will migrate to buses. Evidently, all this evolution depends on infrastructure resources and fleet investments, but it is without a doubt a one-way path for the Country. Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
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PANORAMA
Market View
Silvio Munhoz Bus Sales Director for Scania in Brazil
Wagner Menezes
Viajante Magazine: Based on the current political, social and economic situation, what are your expectations for the Brazilian market on buses for the next years? Silvio Munhoz – The road bus sector will gradually increase the volume of commercialization. This slow and continuous improvement has to do with the economy’s recovery. The main motivator lies in the buses for the interstate lines in ANTT. The new ruling imposes the fleet’s modernization on a more accelerated basis and represents a huge investment, but the operator needs the motivation to invest, will need financing availability. The costs have gone up and that scares the investor.If there’s no accommodation of new costs with the operator’s economic reality, the renewal might take longer than the ruling asks for, even with its necessity due to the fleet growing old. Also, the segment is going through a process of reduction in the flow of passengers, line adjustments and waste elimination so that the companies can face the new reality. This new adequation has been happening in the past two years. With that, the next four to five years, I imagine we’ll have this scenario. In state transport, each state has its own legislation. Many changed theirs, like São Paulo, and still, don’t know what the outcome will be. The new bid was published and embargoed. Defining the new bid should lead back to purchases. I see an improvement in sales, though slower that the industry’s expectations. The competition is fiercer. On another side, there’s a necessity to increase the bus’ specifications to the safety and connectivity legislations. In this reduction scenario, the reduction in fuel consumption and operational control are fundamental. Now, urban transportation, that’s more complicated. New mayors have taken office, and are redefining systems and suffering a huge pressure to not increase fares. That has made many operations not viable anymore, resulting in bankrupt-
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cy for some operators and in the non-renovation of the fleets, as we had expected, going against the new technologies on emission reduction and safety. The need for more efficient transports has led to the search for buses with a higher passenger capacity. Alternate fuel sources are fundamental, society has been pressuring more and more the public offices, but they’re still not being bought as we had imagined. I believe natural gas and biomethane are great solutions, with a certified viability. How can the bus be the citizen’s choice for individual transport? In the great urban centers, traffic is getting bigger. The automobile fleet has grown too much in the past 10 years, but the infrastructure is the same as 30 years ago. The least problematic transport is the subway, but it costs a fortune and takes too long to be built. The alternative is the bus, but the road network also hasn’t been updated according to necessity. There was an initiative, on the previous federal government, with the urban mobility program, with investments in capitals and important cities, frozen because of the crisis. Many BRT projects and urban mobility projects are stopped. If they’re concluded, there’s going to be a huge improvement. I believe the migration to the bus will be inevitable because no one can stand spending hours stuck in a car anymore. However, the investment needs to continue, because it’s much smaller than the subway’s. Governments should go directly towards this solution, building exclusive lanes and acquiring buses with higher quality and capacity to be more attractive, different from the current reality. That way, there will be a natural migration over to the bus.
Market View
PANORAMA
Fabiano Todeschini Volvo Buses Latin America
Humbeto Michaltchuk
Viajante Magazine: Based on the current political, social and economic situation, what are your expectations for the Brazilian market on buses for the next years? Fabiano Todeschini – In Volvo’s vision, 2017 will be about 10% better than for the Brazilian operation than the preceding year, for a variety of reasons. First, the renovation of the road operators’ fleet, postponed for the last two years, will need to begin. In the urban segment, changes in town halls may favor the investment in mobility. On foreign matters, the markets in many Latin American countries, like Peru, Colombia and the Caribbean region have urban mobility projects and should grow, buying more vehicles manufactured in Brazil. With that, we hope to close the year with a light increase and keep the export share in 60% of businesses. In regards to production and the Brazilian market, the recovery goes through, effectively, the elevation of all the transport system, whether urban or in roads. There, the focus of the operators needs to be extending services, with more interactivity, information quality, like the internet of things and offering more advantages. In the urban segments, investments need to be bigger and involve both public and private sectors, because without this partnership it won’t be possible to offer more quality, predictability, safety and connectivity. And without that, public transportation - the bus - won’t be the first option for the users. How can the bus be the citizen’s choice for individual transport?
For transport in buses to increase, it’s fundamental the investment on everyone’s part, government, manufacturers, entities, and operators. Society’s pressure for a more efficient, modern and ecological transport demands the application for more resources. Urban public transportation needs to be clean, we need to think on smart mobility. For us at Volvo, the solution goes through a change in view. We’re world leaders in electromobility and we understand this is the way forward. We’ve been performing tests in electrical and hybrid electrical vehicles for years, and we can assure that in a modern system, with 26 bi-articulated buses, it’s possible to offer more efficient and lower cost transportation than with 150 conventional vehicles. It’s mandatory to think of technology cost versus the resulting benefits. It’s important to evaluate systems and their conformity through environmental impact per passenger. We need to find the ideal balance between transport capacity and generated pollution. Today, we have the largest hybrid fleet in Bogotá, 350 units, and about 30 vehicles operating in Curitiba, and the results prove that vision. In the road segment, the bus will always continue to have space, its penetration and reach go well beyond the aerial, but it will need to compete and offer more to beat the plane. For that, it will need to transform even more and be even more attractive and efficient with lower costs. Again service quality and price competition will be fundamental. Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
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PANORAMA
Management and Leadership
Jaime Silva Constant investments in new vehicles and exclusive services
Gelson M. da Costa
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Management and Leadership
PANORAMA
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PANORAMA
Management and Leadership
Specialized in continuous shipping for companies, Turis Silva sets itself apart by constantly seeking to elevate the quality standards to satisfy its customers. With almost 28 years in activity, it offers the most varied services in the transport sector, like the recently launched POA Express Airport Bus, and has a fleet of over 240 vehicles and around 350 highly skilled. Employees. The company prides itself on modern vehicles, with the most advanced technologies to offer security, comfort, and convenience to their clients.
Viajante Magazine - In your opinion, what’s the reason behind Turis Silva’s success and image? Jaime Silva – The commitment the company has to the needs and satisfactions of the client, and the partnership with our main suppliers and partners.
Gelson M. da Costa
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How was the company’s trajectory? Did it always work in the same segments? We started with special trips in the 80’s and, in the 90’s, began acting on continuous shipping. At the end of the 90’s decade, we focused more on the continuous seg-
ment when we saw that we could offer a differentiated service to the client, customizing the service according to different demands. Today we’re still in both areas, with 90% of them being continuous shipping. What are the reason and the goal for Turis Silva
Gestão e Liderança
in opting to constantly renew the fleet? Many factors influence the constant renewal of our fleet, like the market, contracts, clients and the vehicle’s’ maintenance cost. But we always look to quality. We want that, whenever a client thinks about us, he associates it with quality. And to keep on this objective, renewal is fundamental. How do you see the increased application of technology in transportation, both in products (buses) as well as in application, services, and maintenance? The application of technology is inevitable in our area because it’s in our daily lives. Obviously, it comes to ease and improve both the bus as a product and the execution of the service. We’re just still struggling with a huge generation conflict in the use of this technology. Whoever gets into the market today already comes prepared, but to people like me, who have been working for years in transportation, we need to adapt. That goes from the oldest driver who’s going to pilot a vehicle full of new tech to the maintenance area to the crews that need to prepare to maintain these vehicles. The fleet control methodology, service execution, and cost control all have been
made more precise and agile. Vehicles are more economic and comfortable. Anyway, there’s not telling it isn’t essential, it’s up to us to have the vision for adaptation. The Country is going through a serious crisis and the impacts on transportation are big. How did you accommodate your company to this new reality? As most of the companies did, we reduced our employee board, optimized costs and adapted to the new reality. It doesn’t matter if I want to readjust a client’s contract that
PANORAMA
market performance, overcoming the predatory competition from companies that haven’t adapted to the economic reality and think that slashing prices on services will keep them in the market and wait for the economy to stabilize to resume growth. The plane doesn’t pose competition to continuous shipping. On special trips, the situation’s already changing, as plane tickets have risen in price and the market already signals a change. What
message
do
We have already
you want to leave to bus
gone through
entrepreneurs from all
several crises,
over the Country? What I want to sha-
and this,
re with businessmen in our
although longer,
sector, all over Brazil, is that,
will pass as well.
in my 40 years of working in the transport business, we’ve
I know don’t work. We study each contract individually and check what’s possible to do without impacting quality. We work on partnerships with clients and suppliers both, and that’s what’s keeping us. What are the main challenges in the sector to overcome this crisis and grow? How do you see the competition with planes on road transport and how to keep passengers attracted? Being able to keep costs trimmed without that affecting
been through many different crises and this one, though longer, will pass as well. Passenger transportation, in Brazil, has been affected in all modes by this crisis, we’ve lost users, efficiency, and stamina, but if we make the necessary adjustments we’ll manage to grow again, recover most of the lost passengers and make the bus a more admired and valued transportation option. Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
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PANORAMA
Economy
Ricardo Amorim
The time to act is now
Gelson M. da Costa
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Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
Economy
PANORAMA
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PANORAMA
Economy
Economist, TV host, lecturer, and columnist for IstoÉ Magazine and author of “After the Storm”, Ricardo Amorim participated in Marcopolo’s Sales Convention and talked with Traveler Magazine. To Ricardo, the economy’s behavior demonstrates we’re already starting on a virtuous cycle of growth. When it will take shape, no one knows, but the opportunities for success will come, and soon. And he adds “the lower the expectations, like we have now with the Brazilian economy, the easier it is to have a positive surprise”
Viajante - How do you see the current moment in Brazil? Ricardo Amorim - Brazil is going through the worst crisis of its history, since I’ve begun analyzing economic data, from 1900 to here. The worst thing is, the crisis involves economy, politics, society, institutions. Changes need to be made in the Country and the moment for that is now, society is mobilized, attentive and demanding. If the pension reform passes, and it needs to pass, the Country will grow a lot, at least for a few years. If other reforms, on
tax and labor, are also passed, the favorable cycle might be longer. But why look back and not forward? If we guide a bus looking backward, no matter how straight and free the road is, eventually we’ll have a turn or a vehicle on the way, and the collision is inevitable. We need to look forwards and the future doesn’t look like the past. I believe 2017 will be better than the past few years, and worse than the next, and the future is full of possibility. I say that, if we know in which phase of the economic
cycle a country is, we can hit with the way the economy will go. Sounds simple, but it isn’t. What I can say is that good governments generate long cycles of growth and positive surprises. Bad governments, on the other hand, disappointing and long cycles. The good news is that no country that was in a war, or a civil war, showed a negative cycle for more than six years, and we won’t come close to that, we’re already getting signals that the cycle’s turned Why do you believe that opportunities are ‘knocking on the door”?
The economy behaves like a pendulum, it will grow and Can be much more than you can imagine.
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Economy
It’s a matter of timing. The factor that most influences a company’s success, unlikely as it sounds, isn’t product, market or price, but timing. The factors are many, and all consistent. I study the behavior of the world economy and Brazil’s, with 115 years of historical data and, after a crisis like the one we’re facing, there’s always a cycle of growth from three to eight years that, in the case of Brazil, always showed expansion rates over to 5% per year. In regards to the automotive and construction industry, that need financing, the return takes longer to be felt, but when it comes, it comes strongly. It’s how I see the next years. You are at the right time, place and sector. At the time, because the return is starting, it hasn’t got to the bus sector yet, but it will come strong. In the right place, because Brazil is an emerging country and one of the four biggest consumer markets in terms of growth potential, considering the next decades. It’s here that things will happen. In the next 20 years, around 35 million Brazilians should rise to the middle class and amplify consuming. And in the right sector because this enormous number will need to be transported, and the bus is the vehicle/mode that will absorb and make most of that.
Why do construction and automotive sectors take longer to return? Because they’re industries that need financing to meet demands. The operator needs financing to buy a bus and there’s no credit because trust is low, and banks believe the risk that they don’t get paid is too high. As trust rises, interest rates fall, and the exchange rate for the dollar as well, foreign investors enter the market, inflation falling, banks will resume financing. It’s simple: if interest rates continue to fall, the rate that’s 12% today will go to 7 or 8%. Isn’t it better to credit now, signing the rate at 12% than wait and lend with only 7 or 8% in income? Banks know that, and they will finance. And then the automotive and construction sectors will begin to resume. Note that the world automotive sector continues to grow at an accelerated rate in all big emerging countries in the last three years, except in brazil. One more indicative that bigger and better opportunities are here and now, with the perspective that the economy will get better. And what to do to reach success and enjoy those opportunities? It’s necessary to invest in training, education, efficiency, quality, producing with quality, and dealing with
PANORAMA
quality. Companies that want to succeed, and will succeed, are those that use and will be using this recession period to invest in training, in efficiency and in being better prepared when the economy resumes, which will be soon. What will set companies and products apart won’t be just price, but also service and support to the demand that will come, and might be bigger than expected. And when demand is higher than the offer, is when you can, besides recover production volumes, recover profit margins. In
Marcopolo’s
case,
what I see is that it produces buses, transportation vehicles, but it doesn’t “sell” buses, it sells solutions to improve people’s lives. Solutions to make it possible for their partners to offer a better, more comfortable transport. That makes people more satisfied, which makes them more productive, which brings in results. Better service, better support, more satisfied
people,
realizing
Marcopolo’s value. I’ve learned that, in any situation, what happens next depends on the way you look at that instant and how we’re prepared. That changes everything and changes our future. Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
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Earning your trust. That’s what moves us. Your trust in our work is what puts us in a constant drive to develop solutions for public transportation that contribute to your company’s growth. Thanks to your preference, Marcopolo has been recognized, once more, with the Lotus Award in the Bus Bodies’ Brand of the Year and Road Bus Bodies Brand of the Year Award.
www.marcopolo.com.br – on social media: OnibusMarcopolo
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Divulgação
ARTICLE
The Third Safety Bob Sharp Automobile journalist and ex-pilot. He’s technical editor and columnist for Carro Magazine and partner and chief editor on the AUTOentusiastas website.
No one wishes for accidents, whatever or with which vehicle they might be. Even less when it’s about buses, given the number of people they transport. The industry has occupied itself with applying techniques and concepts to reduce or eliminate, accidents, but nothing will be efficient if that part between the seat and the driving wheel doesn’t have absolute consciousness of its job and responsibility. There’s a lot of talk about active safety and passive safety. The first is the one that gives the driver as much control of the vehicle as possible, dynamic characteristics that make it difficult for the vehicle to escape his control, in a line or in a curve. And it’s based, fundamentally, in driving, brakes, and tires. The other safety is the passive, to minimize wounds of all orders through the body manufacture to be able to morph to a certain degree and, with that, dissipate energy from impacts, as well as preventing it from dismantling in a crash and harming the passengers.
The body retention system is made up of, in part, the seatbelt, who not only prevents that, in a crash, the occupant isn’t hurled outside the vehicle, but also that the body collides with the vehicle’s internal parts, which is called second crash - first there’s the vehicle crash against an object, static or mobile, and then the fragile human body crashing, at the same speed, with something inside the vehicle. How many wounds or lives lost could have been avoided if everyone inside
Accidents can decrease, have it like. The solution is in the details of the vehicles. the bus kept the seatbelt on! The third safety is the preventive one, which provides the driver with the best conditions to perform his job in the most efficient and safe way possible. It stars in the air conditioning, who, besides keeping the temperature around 22°C, allows the windows to be kept closed against the noisy and bothersome air currents that fatigue the driver. Then, come the low loads to operate the controls,
as well as their position, always within arm’s reach. Special attention must be given to the steering wheel, which should have the proper diameter to a person of average height, to be handled with both arms parallel, and have a vertical angle to the nearest vehicles. It’s common to see drivers that don’t operate the wheel naturally. A good contribution to preventive safety is in the robotic gears, making gearshifts easy and effortless, aside from, in speed reductions, allow for the welcome automatic acceleration that makes shifts seamless. Another relevant point is the driver’s seat, which should be adjusted in a way that it form a 45° angle with the wheel, the most comfortable position to drive even an F1 car. As a reference, we should do as it’s done in planes: no matter the build, from a small single engine to an Airbus A380, the pilot’s position is always the same. The seat needs to have the right foam density, not too soft, which impedes muscles from relaxing, and a well-controlled suspension to keep a good contact between driver and vehicle. The third safety always yields good fruits, more and more attentive drivers to the road ahead, having the sensation that the bus is an extension of their body. Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
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COVER
Torino S
La nuova Soluzione New Marcopolo bus, Torino S Even more strength and maintenance ease Marcopolo presents the new version of its most successful urban model, the Torino S. The product was developed throughout two years to offer quality, comfort, safety and space for the passengers and driver, as well as guaranteeing the focus on operation for the operator, with simplified maintenance, quicker and less ex-
Fotos: Julio Soares
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pensive, and the same strength and trustiness attributes common to all Torino versions. According to Paulo Corso, Commercial Operations and Marketing Director, with the new version, the company intends to collaborate to stimulate and quicken the fleet renovation in the urban segment.
Torino S
COVER
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COVER
Torino S
S for “Soluzione”
The S added to the model name represents Soluzione, solution in Italian. “We developed the Torino S to keep all the attributes in the Torino family and give the operator practicality, maintenance ease, reductions on cost and repair time, and easiness and simplicity to the driver”,
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highlights Paulo Corso. A study in 2015 made by the marketing and engineering areas of the company indicated the main points that could be optimized and make the Torino even more efficient and competitive. In such a sharp moment of economic crisis like Brazil is
facing, the new version can stimulate and help the urban segment operator to renew his fleet and make his operation even more efficient, reducing maintenance costs and keeping the vehicles longer in use by having an easier and quicker maintenance with reduced cost.
Torino S
COVER
Focused on operation The result of all this marketing and engineering work on Marcopolo is the reduction of the time the vehicle spends stopped for maintenance, with services eased. “The focus for the Torino S is on operation” assures Corso. “We’ve amplified the comfort, safety and accessibility attributes for the passengers, driver and collector, and, at the same time, adopted practical and efficient concepts to those that need to keep the vehicle always operating”. According to Luciano Ricardo Resner, Engineering Director in Marcopolo, the new version was developed based on what clients
wish for, with the main data transmitted to the representative network across Brazil. “Our job was to amplify our model’s vocation even more, towards heavy and constant application. Its characteris-
“We adopt practical and effective concepts”.
tics, mainly easier, quicker and less expensive maintenance will allow the transport company to keep the
vehicle longer in operation and perform any necessary repairs in the fastest way”, emphasizes the executive, The Torino S reflects Marcopolo’s idea of providing what businessmen seek in terms of cost, quickness, maintenance east and lower standby times in garages for servicing. So, it is the ideal product for this moment of necessity on reducing costs and product idleness. The practicality for the operator begins in the configuration offerings. Externally, the Torino S has a clean design, with new optical sets, both in front and rear, as a differential.
Standardization To make vehicle operation more efficient, special attention was devoted to component standardization. With that, reducing the need for repair items in stock on garages. According to Resner, with the new concept, some vehicle projects were set that will reduce manufacture time. “We’ve analyzed the buying habits of our main Brazilian clients
and sought component and optionals standardization, reducing the time to ship products. This is, right now, an important differential, because it makes our client put the vehicle in operation earlier” explains. A new superior lid to access the door system was developed. In ABS, instead of fiberglass, it allows for a faster ac-
cess, amplifying the life expectancy and reducing possible noise stemming from vibrations generated by irregularities on roads and avenues, and also helping the environment. The door opening system also counts on a new structure and tray that extends life expectancy for the drive pistons.
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COVER
Torino S
Check out the new items:
Standardized Side glass
New rear mirrors
Straight side skirts Rubber wheel ring
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New windshield wiper system
Torino S
COVER
Available initially in five chassis options - from 11,2m to 13,2m in length: Mercedes-Benz OF 1519 OF 1721 OF 1721 L
MAN VW 15.190 OD 17.230 OD
Interchangeable lights with more light efficiency
Rear view with smoothed corners
New air intake format and fixation and sealing systems
New battery support: handling easiness
Plate integrated with vehicle: bumper maintenance without moving the plate
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COVER
Torino S
Interior change Significative interior changes were made, focusing on comfort and driver ergonomy. To offer more movement space, driving post and console were redesigned and the defroster installed in a new location, under the panel. Driver repositioning and the new air exists on the
panel and ceiling, directed to a more efficient ventilation reduce the thermal stress caused by long activities. Maintenance items, electric central and superior internal front lid were also altered to ease access to commands. The instrument panel now has IP66 command
keys (European standard) guaranteeing higher isolation and sealing for cleaning operations on the bus. Air conditioning system, with new ducts, profiles and exits on ceiling with new directions improves the air distribution inside the vehicle, increasing thermal comfort.
New windshield wiper system Visibility is a critical item in urban transit, more so on rainy days. To ensure perfect vision for the driver and
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safety for the passengers, the windshield wiper system was improved to improve function and cleaning in the vision
area. The new arms provide more pressure over the glass, cleaning the area in a more uniform and complete form.
MOBILITY
Prioritizing public transport Municipal CIDE and Public Transport Bus Qualification Program can change brazilian scenario
Gelson M. da Costa
In an unheard of action, the NTU, with help from FABUS and Simefre, launched two important proposals to prioritize public transportation and, at the same time, provide ways for the user to consider the service more efficient and beneficial. According to FABUS and Simefre president, José Antonio Fernandes Martins, the first of these actions is the municipal CIDE creation proposal, with is the contribution to an official municipal fund for transports that has the goal of paying for the public transport service. “The goal is to subsidize public transportation through individual transport, by collecting a contribution from fuels (gas, ethanol, and natural gas), made directly by the counties. This will be one of the first measures to prioritize public transport in relation to individual transport, as is today” emphasizes Martins “With that, we’ll ele-
vate quality of service and reduces fares, recovering part of the demand lost throughout the past few years and, more importantly, meet Law 12.587/2012, which defines the National Mobility Policy”, he adds. To Martins, the NTU proposal sees an elevation of 6% in the listed fuel prices and would allow a collecting of 11,9 billion reais, which would guarantee the subsidization of 29,1% of public transportation. “To critics of that proposal, the result is a deflation in the Brazilian economy, of 0,40% on the IPCA because, besides the increase in inflation, instead of the fuel price elevation, it would allow for a reduction in public transport cost.” The second important act is the Prioritization and Qualification of Public Transport Bus Emergency Program, a simplified program with federal resources on lost fund for cities with
populations higher than 250 thousand people. The program’s focus is the immediate implementation of 3.330km of Exclusive Lanes for public transport via bus in Brazilian cities for up to R$ 300 thousand per kilometer, totaling approximately R$ 1 billion. “It might even be 100 contemplated cities, reaching 86 million Brazilian” highlights Martins. “With that, we’d have the increase in operational speed for buses and on trust in the service, reducing pollutant emission in more than 1,5 tons of CO2/year and particulate material and NOx. Society demands better quality from public transport. So, we’d create a permanent and unquestionable legacy for urban mobility, improving quality of conventional services and reducing operational costs”, finishes the executive.
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RECOGNITION
Global Challenger The increasing international presence and broadening of their businesses in different regions, both through export as well as the 12 operations in nine countries, have put Marcopolo amongst one of the 100 companies in the world considered the most challengers and engines of the emerging market. The study is made by the Boston Consulting Group and since 2008 the company figures among the companies of emerging markets acting fastest on a global scale. In the 10° edition of the BCG Global Challengers, besides Marcopolo, other Brazilian companies chosen
were BRF Brasil, Braskem, Embraer, Gerdau, Iochpe-Maxion, Natura, PetrobrĂĄs, Tigre, Votorantin and WEG. Founded in 1963, the
BCG is one of the main consulting companies in the world, in regard to commercial strategies, with 85 offices in 48 countries.
Disclosure Global Challenger
AutoData 2016 The continuous process of developing new products, launching new models to meet the demands of both Brazilian and foreign markets and the actions to keep its operational and financial performance, even in face of the worst crisis ever faced by the sector in the Country, made Marcopolo recognized as the Best Bus Body Manufacturer in the AutoData Award 2016. Promoted by AutoData Editoria, the award is the recognition given to the companies, products and professionals in the sector that most distinguish
themselves throughout the year seeking goals in in-
Disclosure AutoData
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novation, technology and productivity.
RECOGNITION
Most remembered and innovative In the Brands of Influencers 2017 research, made by the Journal of Commerce in partnership with Qualidata, Marcopolo figures amongst the 5 most remembered and preferred brands of company managers and high executives in businesses in the southern market. The company was recognized in the special categories of Big Gaúcho Brand and Innovative Gaúcho Brand. The award event was hosted at the beginning of March in the Event Center of the Plaza São Rafael Hotel in Porto Alegre.
Disclosure Marcas de Quem Decide
Foreign Commerce Highlight With the case “Project Conquest - Marcopolo faces crisis in the sector and broadens presence in global markets” the company won the Top of Marketing ADVB/ RS Award in the Building Successful Brands and Global Marketing category. The project opened a new path to overcome the challenges that the automotive sector is facing. According to Ricardo Porolan, Executive Manager of Foreign Businesses, exports partially compensated the drop in production and significantly broadened the supplying of buses manufactured in Brazilian plants
to countries in Latin America, Africa, Middle East and Asia. “This award is an important recognition of the
The 34° edition of the Top of Marketing ADBV/RS Award was hosted in the Event Center of Barra Sho-
Erik Barros Pinto
work of all the team involved in Project Conquest, who visited more than 60 countries, which represented the opening of ten new markets” he adds.
pping Sul in Porto Alegre, and counted on the presence of executives from the main businesses in Rio Grande do Sul.
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INNOVATION
What does the future hold? Allowing for better use of the mind, time and space make the bus the vehicle of the future.
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INNOVATION
Photos: Vinicius Pauletti
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INNOVATION
Marcopolo has developed the Concept Bys, gathering together all the most modern technologies available to clients, as well as what is still tendency and that up to 2025 should become a reality in collective transport. Ever more difficult and complicated, be it in urban center as well as roads, people’s necessity
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for mobility is changing the Brazilian culture and most of the world’s population in preferring individual transportation. Time, connectivity, and the possibility of a better use of mind and space are already transforming this concept, especially among young people. The dream of instant transportation in that, in
the next second, we’re at our final destination. So the nearest we can get to that is to make transport as fast as possible or take advantage of, in the best ways, of all the time we’re in transit as if we were already at the final destination. To be able to offer this new kind of transportation to the passenger, the Concept Bus is a
INNOVATION
unique vehicle. Its concept has the goal of showing how the bus can, on an average term, meet the future necessities and desires not yet imagined by our passengers and their operators. Its development represents two years of work and won’t have an end, for the challenge is to, continually, anticipate and foment all the solutions for a
transport that is always better, more efficient and one that the user feels ever more in his own environment. According to Design and Innovation Director Petras Amaral Santos, the Concept Bus is the vision for the bus today, tomorrow and in the “post-tomorrow”. “In this first moment, we’re showing what we’ve just launched or
will make available to our clients still in this year. In a second stage, we’ll unveil what will be in Brazilian buses in the next decade, like the internet of things and the most different forms of connectivity and equipment that allows for a unique experience in terms of comfort, safety, and well-being of passengers”.
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INNOVATION
Amongst the equipment and solutions that are already
electromechanical
available or will be launched
tions, cooling and heating,
later this year, the Antisleep
as well as inducing thermal
Couch sets itself apart, being
stress, it reduces sleepiness
developed with the goal of pro-
and promotes the alertness
longing the alertness state and
state. It has an integrated
acting during the sleep and fatigue phases of drivers of heavy vehicles (buses and trucks) and so, with that, reduce the high level of accidents caused in transporting people and cargo. A partnership between Marcopolo and CEMSA Multidisciplinary Center for Sleepiness and Accidents,
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schedules. Through audio, vibra-
module that receives varied data collected on the fatigue state, as well as travel length and time. Studies show that the main causes and reasons for sleepiness while driving are physical and mental fatigue, sleep
deprivation/restric-
and Woodbridge, the cou-
tion, too many wake hours
ch is equipped with devices
(over 16), monotonous si-
for mechanical and physio-
tuations and corporeal ho-
logical distraction, acting
meostasis through cooling
to prolong the alertness
of the central temperatures
state in these professionals
associated with the factors
in
above, amongst others.
critical
moments
and
INNOVATION
Another technology that’s already available is the Easy Boarding, a solution from Marcopolo offered as an accessibility alternative to ease boarding that allows for more comfort, security and ergonomy to people with varied motor difficulties. It was developed according to criteria established by ABNT - Brazilian Association for Technical Standards and Inmetro. According to Petras Amaral Santos, Marcopolo researched, interviewing clients and researchers, seeking to develop an innovative, safe and practical system to help with boarding and disembarking of passengers. “We’re offering alternatives to make bus trips even more safe and comfortable. Today there’s no mandatory term for installing this kind of equipment, but if we add up the part of the population with mobility difficulties, and other deficiencies, we come close to approximately 45 million people”, reveals the executive. Easy Boarding can be installed in all the road buses from Marcopolo, like the Audace, Ideal, Paradiso and Viaggio models. To the transport operator, the Easy Boarding system offers speed, practicality, safety, and represents a differential in terms of accessibility. Another differential is that, in most cases, it doesn’t incur in reducing the number of seats available, because it doesn’t reduce the passenger room space.
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INNOVATION
Also available to operators is the Smart Partition system of partitions capable of organizing and separating luggage according to their destination. Presently, luggage compartments don’t have any form of fixation for bags that, during the trip, are under the influence of the vehicle’s movement, and may cause impacts that harm the luggage. The new equipment has the goal of solving the problems in transporting and storing luggage, and allows for the separation,
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immobilization and identification, avoiding damages and losses. The system is composed of mobile, retractable rails with support rulers and mobile partitions, affixed to the support rulers, and permits the storing of luggage in an efficient manner, preventing their movement during the trip, separating and identifying luggage according to destination, avoiding incorrect unloading and offering safety, preventing theft. Luggage is grouped, separated and identified according to their destina-
tion, preventing unloading at the incorrect stop. And it can also complement the feature with safety locks that prevent the partitions from being open by non-authorized people, helping to prevent theft. And the Smart Rack allows easier access to the luggage compartment, offering more ergonomy to the driver. It has a sliding system, easing access to luggage and eliminating the bothersome need of the conductor to “step inside” the compartment to retrieve the luggage.
INNOVATION
Besides the solutions already on the line, Marcopolo is developing other technologies that will be available in a short term, like the Next Couch, where the passenger has the sensation of being physically and emotionally better. The seat respects the biotype of each user and alters the perception of travel time because it reduces fatigue. It has a vibrating massage system composed of four individual modules if mechanical vibra-
tion, providing a therapeutic massage, improving circulation and muscle relaxation in the cervix, low back, thighs and calf areas. The massage occurs in a cycle of differing intensities, varying frequency and interchanging vibrating areas. It also has a heating system in the low back area, through a thermal cape with electrical resistances, sewn internally in the seat, with temperatures varying from 35 to 42 degrees celsius,
providing a therapeutic and comforting action personalized to each passenger. And an anti-sweat system with forced air circulation through a micro fan installed internally, together with the application of Spacer 3D fabric, permeable to perspiration, as a seat cover. Thus it alleviates the sensation of heating and the formation of perspiration humidity between the seat and the passenger, increasing the sensation of comfort.
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TRAVELLER’S GUIDE
Tourism
Natal
n u S f o y t i C
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Tourism
Natural beauty, tropical climate, craftwork, gastronomy, and the resident’s hospitality are some of the qualities that turn Natal into one of the favorite destinations for Brazilian and foreign tourists alike during vacation season.
Known as “Cidade do Sol”, or the City of the Sun, for it’s high sunlight incidence, with nearly three thousand hours of insolation per year, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte is considered America’s gateway due to its proximity to Europe
TRAVELLER’S GUIDE
and Africa. Founded on December 25, 1599, the second smallest Brazilian capital, with little more than 167 square kilometers and 877 thousand residents, displays a hard to match beauty and holds many stories and unique tourist spots.
Fábio Pinheiro
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TRAVELLER’S GUIDE
Marco Barreto
Tourism
Duna’s Park Natal’s biggest green area, the first Ambiental Conservation Unit implanted in Rio Grande do Norte and the second largest urban park in Brazil was cre-
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ated in 1977 and has 1.172 hectares. It provides shelter to wild animals such as the possum, margay, marmosets, and hawks, and contains more than 270 species
of trees, like brazilwood, pink ipê, and peroba. This diversity can be found on several tracks that can be visited with a previous appointment.
Tourism
TRAVELLER’S GUIDE
W is e K ing s For t Build to protect the captaincy of Rio Grande do Norte, the fort is considered the beginning of the State’s capital. Located in Praia do Forte – Forte’s beach –, the Fort is shaped like a five-pointed star, and its construction began on January 6, 1598, Wise Kings Day. During the 17th
century, the Fort was occupied by the dutch until 1654, when they were driven off. The monument stills hold cannons displayed in the superior part of the building, a chapel with a freshwater well and barracks. It is considered a heritage building by the Natio-
nal Institute of Historic and Artistic Patrimony (IPHAN) since 1949, and, since 1965, integrate the Cultural Heritage of the José Augusto Foundation. The Fort is one Natal’s main tourist attractions and receives about two thousand visitors per day during the high season.
Luiz Magnus Correia Cardoso
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TRAVELLER’S GUIDE
Tourism
Marinelson Almeida
Genipabu One of the best ways to experience the dunes of Genipabu Beach, a 24 km drive from Natal, is a buggy, although it’s also possi-
Tourism Center This 19th-century neoclassic construction was once used over time as a residence, a shelter for homeless people, an orphanage, and a public jail. After being listed by Historical Heritage, it was restored in 1976 and today holds 38 crafts shops, restaurants and cafes. On Wednesday nights an event called “Forró com Turista” – Forró with Tourists - takes place, where young participants of the Dance Academy interact with the public, teaching forró steps and inviting all presents to take place in an improvised dance characteristic of Saint John’s Festival.
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ble to choose a more exotic experience riding a dromedary along Pitangui’s Lagoon, providing a splendid panoramic view. In Jacu-
mã Lagoon, the fun takes place in dune rides, which can be made in two different ways: over a board or on a zip line.
RDCFérias
Tourism
TRAVELLER’S GUIDE
World’s biggest cashew tree The origin of this centenary tree locate in Parnamirim, a 25 km drive from Natal, is a mystery. According to old residents, it was planted by Natal’s former mayor Sílvio Pedroza, who owned the land at the time, before he decided to give it to the State Government. In 1994, the Guinness Book registered it as the “World’s largest cashew tree”, since it occupies an area of 8.500 square meters, equiva-
lent to 70 normal size cashew trees or a soccer stadium. During harvest season it can produce about 2,5 tons. It is estimated that, given enough room for its growth, the tree could occupy 30 to 40 thousand square meters. Given its magnitude, an Ecologic Park was created where the tree is located, with crafts shops that help the local economy and allow tourists to behold the tree top from an observatory 10 meters above the ground. Div. Rosanetur
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r a u g i t o P s t e swe
TRAVELLER’S GUIDE
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Cooking
Cooking
TRAVELLER’S GUIDE
The making of homemade sweets in Seridó, Rio Grande do Norte, an important natural region of the Brazilian semiarid is an activity developed, probably, longer before the first trappings of Portuguese colonialism in the XVI century. One of the most popular recipes with the cooks in the region is the sweet rice, a dessert present in most of the Brazilian territory.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of rice - 2 cups of water - 6 gillyflowers - 2 cinnamon sticks - 1L whole milk - 1 cup of sugar - Ground cinnamon
Mix, in a pan, the rice, wa-
off, add the milk and the sugar
ter, gillyflowers and cinnamon
and let it boil again. As soon as it
sticks. Then, when it boils, lower
reaches boiling point, lower the temperature and stir until it gets
the temperature and let it cook un-
a creamy consistency. Sprinkle the
til dried. With the rice almost dried
ground cinnamon and enjoy.
www.puntomenos.com.br Instagram: puntomenosoficial
Recipe: Tiago Daltoé Photo: Graziela Chiattone Martins
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VISITS
Betetur Viagens e Turismo – Rio Grande do Sul
Paraíba Turismo – Paraíba
Grupo JCA – Rio de Janeiro
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Credits: Douglas Melo, Gelson M. da Costa, Sabrina Leme e Vinicius Pauletti
Rimatur Transporte – Paraná
Viação Ouro e Prata – Rio Grande do Sul
Expresso Gardênia – Minas Gerais
VISITS
Catuzzo Turismo – Rio Grande do Sul
Turisol Empresa de Viagens e Turismo – Uruguaiana
Feltrin Turismo – Santa Catarina
Viação Sorriso de Minas – Minas Gerais
Grupo Mingoti – Rio Grande do Sul
Expresso Sem Fronteiras – Minas Gerais
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VISITS
CMW Transportes – São Paulo
Viação Garcia e Viação Brasil Sul – Paraná
Viação Mimo The first Double Decker acquired by Viação Mimo, from Jundiaí - SP, a traditional company dedicated to shipping services, who say in the tourism segment an opportunity for growth in times of crisis. The purchase of the Marcopolo Paradiso 1800 DD is part of a set of actions focused on the tourism segment that also includes forming a proprietary agency and package sales through the internet.
MAN - África do Sul
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Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
Credits: Douglas Melo, Gelson M. da Costa, Sabrina Leme e Vinicius Pauletti
Expreso Sur S.R.L. – Paraguai
VISITS
Grupo Estrella Blanca – México
Trans Azul - Bolívia
Plusmar e Flecha Bus – Argentina
VTM e Litegua – Guatemala
Auto Buses Quirquincho – Bolívia
Comitiva Prefeitura de Dubai - Emirados Árabes Unidos
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VISITS
Comitiva FENATEI - Federação Nacional de Transporte Escolar e Institucional - EquadorBuses
Central Placeres Valparaíso CP – Chile
Nuevo Léon Passing through Brazil, Jorge Langoria, member of the board of Directors of the agency responsible for the rationalization and modernization of the Public Transport System of Nuevo Léon, and Alberto Drucker, Director of Grupo Zapata, visited the facilities of Marcopolo, Viação Santa Teresa - Visate, and the SIM Caxias system, as well as the Transport System and Passenger Transporters Association in Porto Alegre. Accompanied by Paulo Andrade, General Director of Polomex, they also went through Bogotá, Colombia, to meet the Transmilênio System. The visits are part of the reorganization process of the urban transport and mobility system of Monterrey, capital of the Nuevo Léon state, conducted by the state’s governor, Jaime Rodriguez.
Buses Igillaima Internacional – Chile
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Viajante - Issue 20 - April 2017
Credits: Douglas Melo, Gelson M. da Costa, Sabrina Leme e Vinicius Pauletti
ALENCO SAIC e Del Sur y Media Agua S.A – Argentina
MEMORY
Record Shippings In 2001, 331 units ma-
gra dos Reis port, in Rio
de port, in Rio Grande do
nufactured in the Caxias do
de Janeiro, 197 units were
Sul. The shipping was one
Sul and Rio de Janeiro fac-
shipped (31 Fratello, 112
of the biggest ever made by
tories were exported to Du-
Viale with the Scania chas-
a bus company in the world
bai and Jeddah, cities in the
sis, and 54 Andare with an
and marked the reopening
Middle East and the Arab
MBB chassis) and 134 de-
of the Angra port, inactive
Emirates. Through the An-
parted from the Rio Gran-
for 10 months.
Pilgrim transport Of the 331 shipped buses, 181 were part of the allotment of 1.500 units of the Andare model supplied to the Tamini & Sahiti Transport
Co. - TASE-CO company in Saudi Arabia. Manufactured with the Mercedes-Benz O 500M and Volkswagen 17240 chassis, the units were
manufactured and delivered between 2001 and 2004 and used to transport pilgrims in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
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G et in touch , we’re near.
Images merely for illustration. Consult with your region’s representative to know more about models and their configurations www.marcopolo.com.br – on social media: OnibusMarcopolo
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Paradiso
1200
Safet y and Perform ance
Seatbelts save lives.
Images merely for illustration. Consult with your region’s representative to know more about models and their configurations www.marcopolo.com.br – on social media: OnibusMarcopolo
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