N º 2 2 0 1 9 Go digital The world of MAN in a new format #CityTraffic What cities want Paris as role model: how buses improve our quality of life DFB DRIVES MAN An exclusive interview with bus driver Christian Hochfellner GREETINGS FROM HOLLYWOOD “The World of Hans Zimmer” on tour with his orchestra

Contents Focus on CITY TRAFFIC 08 A day in Paris MAN buses are a distinctive feature of Paris. Because this metropolis relies on clean urban transport. The best solutions for sustainable urban transport could moreover be experienced at Busworld Europe. 18 Forging the future Four employees relate how they use new technologies and new ways of thinking to forge ahead at MAN. 24 Bus business is people business Rudi Kuchta reveals in an interview how MAN successfully attuned it- self to its bus customers. 26 Sound of Hollywood Travelling across Europe with film music by Hans Zimmer and two NEOPLAN Tourliners. 30 DFB on board Christian Hochfellner on his job as bus driver for the German national football team and his new MAN Lion’s coach. 03 08 08 ) t f e l m o t t o b i ( s a n M o v a t s u G ; ) t h g i r e d d m i l 18 The world of MAN also now online in a new format Videos, photo stories, reports and customer cases on all matters relating to MAN on the new website www.mantruckandbus.com ( N A M ; ) t h g i r m o t t o b , t f l e l e d d m i l ( i k s w o w a P n a m o R l ; ) r e v o c , e d d m m o t t o b i , p o t ( h c a b r i M n i t n a t s n o C : S O T O H P ON THE ROAD Buses are the most important means of public transport in Brazil. This photo series shows scenes from three large cities. PARIS BY BUS Many places in the French capital can best be explored by bus. Tips on five attractions. ON THE MOVE Sandra Reich from MAN gives a video interview about the future of mobility and women in our sector. M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 30 STANDARDS 04 Statistic 05 News 06 Route 16 Check 22 Moments 23 Imprint 34 Zoom

#News MAN has reduced the CO2 emission from its plants by over a quarter since 2008. ANNIVERSARY 100 years Plauen 5 . and vans. 2 MAN bus production in Plauen is celebrating its 100-year anniversary. The company VOMAG built its first bus chassis there from 1919. The takeover of NEOPLAN Omnibus GmbH by MAN Truck & Bus resulted in the plant being reorganised from 2001. This site now houses the modification experts who realise individual fit-outs, special equipment and complete solutions for buses COMMERCIAL VEHICLE AWARD “Bus of the Year” Fully electric, fully convincing: our new MAN Lion’s City E was crowned as “Bus of the Year” in the Slovenian Commercial Vehi- cle Award 2019. The future-oriented overall concept of this emission-free urban bus resulted in it receiving the award from the trade journals “Transport & Logistika” and “Mehanik in Voznik”. MAN Truck & Bus has won the “Bus of the Year” category in this competition for the third time in succession. MILLIONS OF EUROS HAVE BEEN INVESTED IN THE MAN TRUCK & BUS CENTRE IN MONTENEGRO. The first MAN Truck & Bus Centre in Montenegro, near the capital Podgorica, has been completed after a seven-month construction period and investment of 2.5 million euros. This centre is equipped with three transit lanes and ideal amenities for servicing all MAN vehicles – from our MAN TGE trans- porter to our premium NEOPLAN Cityliner coach. 05 M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 ) m o t t o b ( N A M ; ) p o t ( r h u S n a i t s i r h C v h c r A - g a m o V i : S O T O H P

BRASÍLIA SÃO PAULO RIO DE JANEIRO METROPOLITAN EXPRESS From Brasília to Rio de Janeiro DISTANCE: 1412 KILOMETRES TRAVEL TIME: 17 HOURS HIGHEST POINT: 2787 METRES TERRAIN: CITY TRAFFIC, MOUNTAINS, RIVER VALLEYS Modern architecture, fashionable beaches, poor favelas, ancient rainforests, high mountains: Brazil is a land of contradictions and vast expanses. The best mode of transport for travelling without your own car between the large cities Brasília, São Paolo and Rio de Janeiro is the bus, since there are few train connections in the world’s fifth-largest country. Street photographer Gustavo Minas took to the road. His camera captured magical mo- ments of urban life in Brazil. ON THE ROAD PHOTO STORY Street photo grapher Gustavo Minas reveals the colour of life in Brazil: go.man/219busroute M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 07

A day Paris in Paris is converting to clean transport. So transport operator RATP also relies on MODERN BUSES: they are reliable, environmentally friendly and cost-effective. A report from the city on the Seine. Text Photography Florian Sievers Constantin Mirbach 09 09 M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9

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ing, around 250 buses swarm from the bus park for deployment in the French capital. Now, during the day, there are still a few of them ready for de- ployment in the jade-white-dark-grey RATP livery, including numerous MAN Lion’s City buses with diesel, natural gas or hybrid drive. RATP operates its central bus workshop for Paris right next to this depot. In its enormous workshop, an 18-metre-long articulated MAN bus is floating in the air for inspection, raised by three huge lifting jacks. Only the chassis remains from some other vehicles, the rest has just been re- moved. “We have specialists here who can prac- tically rebuild a bus in its entirety”, says Marc Lemercier with pride. He is employed at RATP as manager of the “Matériel Roulant Bus” division and is responsible for the acquisition of and tech- nical specifications for buses. Lemercier knows from his day-to-day work: the specific urban structure in Paris presents pub- lic passenger transport with extreme challenges. Because the city, whose metropolitan area hous- es twelve million people, is designed to be highly centralised – everything gravitates towards the centre. The inner city is consequently one of the most densely populated in Europe, with twice as many inhabitants per square metre as Berlin. This is the destination for many RATP passengers, in particular via star-shaped underground stations (metro), suburban railways (RER) and ring-shaped tramlines. Everything gravitates towards the centre Buses act as fast feeders and flexible connection elements within this structure – the farther away from the centre, the more frequent. “That is why our buses are very important to us”, explains RATP manager Lemercier: “They form a network that collects passengers and takes them to other modes of transport.” RATP buses transport a total of more than a billion passengers each year. Their number will continue to increase. Be- cause traffic volume is on the rise – not only in Paris, but in many cities in Europe and around the world. More and more people are crowding into the urban centres. The population is growing. Commuter numbers are increasing. Delivery traffic is booming – not least due to online trade. City tourism is also continuing to thrive. A resilient public transport system is required to prevent ma- jor cities degenerating into permanent gridlock. Bus and train. Paris is the pioneer and role model for other cities. RATP has realised a traffic concept that is well received by Parisians. Calculations by CITY SOLUTIONS Busworld with MAN MAN presented the latest vehicles and services for city traffic at the Busworld Europe trade fair. Fully electric The MAN Lion’s City E runs emission-free. The battery reliably achieves a range of 200 to 270 kilometres under optimum conditions. All drives Diesel or natural gas plus optional Efficient- Hybrid –the portfolio of MAN Lion’s City drives caters for all requirements. More passengers The new Lion’s City 19 offers four more seats over 18.75 metres than a Lion’s City 18 in a com- parable configuration. Fewer exhaust gases The D1556 LOH diesel engine with up to 360 HP is now also used in the MAN Lion’s Intercity. It meets the Euro 6d ex- haust emission standard. I It is a rare sight in the centre of Paris, where oth- erwise the buildings are packed closely together: a large, empty space secured by gates and barri- ers opens up to the north of Montmartre hill. It is adjoined all around by typical old Parisian build- ings. The inhabitants have views from their balcon- ies onto rows of numbered parking spaces, each as long as three cars. This is the Rue Champion- net, where the public Parisian transport company Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) maintains one of its 25 bus depots. Every morn- M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 13

later by the 18-metre model. “This will give trans- port operators like RATP the opportunity of fully emission-free city driving – and the extensive range means they won’t have to plan new routes”, says Isabel Jeschek, Product Launch Manager for the Lion’s City E. “It would be hard to design a more convenient and flexible transition to the mo- bility of the future.” Whether with diesel, natural gas or very soon the completely emission-free electric motor: buses offer solutions for the mobility of today and tomorrow. This triad of drives enables local au- thorities to realise traffic concepts according to their needs. It improves the quality of life for citi- zens. This is a real plus, even in a city like Paris, which is already considered to be one of the world’s most liveable. PARIS BY BUS OVERVIEW These are the best bus lines for exploring the city’s attractions: go.man/219parisbybus be available at up to 18.75 metres in length, and as a fully-electric version from the second half of 2020. There was an opportunity to experience all models of the latest generation of urban bus live at Busworld Europe 2019. The international offshoot RATP Dev relies on the Lion’s City M. There are 242 midi buses of this type driving in the Saudi capital Riyadh, among others. MAN is currently producing a new batch of natural gas buses for RATP. These will be in service from 2020. “RATP is a demanding customer with plen- ty of experience and expertise”, says Stéphane Lorho, the responsible Key Account Manager at MAN in France. “This customer comes to us with its own conceptions and ideas. Jointly we have already pursued multiple projects and developed tailor-made technical details.” The “Bus2025” project The Paris public transport company makes ex- tremely intensive use of its buses. “We have vehi- cles that have driven a million kilometres by the end of their life cycle”, says RATP Manager Marc Lemercier in the workshop, knocking on the side panel of a vehicle. He reports that his employer usually buys an average of one new bus every day. Currently this value has doubled – to two new buses every day. The reason: RATP is currently converting to electric and gas drives as part of the “Bus2025” project. This is intended to spare the nerves and health of residents in the centre of Paris, because it curbs noise emissions and air pollution. “It is important for us to use the best available drives to minimise the emission load as far as possible”, emphasises Lemercier. The associated conver- sion of the bus depot during ongoing operation is “almost comparable to a revolution”. This refers mainly to the transition to elec- tric mobility, which represents a completely new drive technology for RATP. The transport compa- ny has already taken its first electric buses into service. Two-thirds of the fleet is to run with an electric drive by 2025. RATP wants its buses to run continuously throughout the day, so without interim charging stops. MAN too is relying on just this concept with its Lion’s City E. This new electric bus, which was also presented at Busworld, is equipped with es- pecially high-performance batteries: it will have a reliable range of 200 kilometres, in good condi- tions up to 270 kilometres. This bus should go into series production in the second half of 2020, first in the 12-metre version, followed six months M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 Greater safety The active turning sys- tem detects road users, even in the blind spot. It gives acoustic and visual hazard warnings. Intercity connection MAN has included the Lion’s Intercity in its product portfolio as a bus with up to 53 seats for intercity and school transport. Flexible minis Two new minibuses are available: the all-electric eTGE Kombi and the wheelchair-accessible MAN TGE City. Strong concepts The experts at MAN Transport Solutions provide holistic advice to bus companies regarding their mobility concepts. Yet more bus MAN presented these and further innovative solutions at 15

5 4 1 N A M : O T O H P Easy maintenance Upright installation and modular design make this diesel engine especially maintenance-friendly, because the relevant parts – such as 1 fuel filter and 2 oil filter – are easily accessible. This also reduces service costs. The D15 with an output of 280, 330 or 360 horsepower is available in the new generation of our MAN Lion’s City buses. 2 Greater capacity New production pro- cesses and new ma- terials resulted in con- sistent optimisation of the weight of individual parts like 3 cylinder head cover, cylinder head, 4 engine mounts, camshaft and 5 oil cooler. The D15 weighs in at a to- tal of 230 kilogrammes less than its D20 pre- decessor. This weight reduction improves the capacity for transport- ing passengers. Lower consumption The common-rail injection system, energy saving air com- pressor and electron- ically controlled water pump, as examples, all contribute to the 9 litre six-cylinder’s improved fuel efficiency. The engine can optionally be linked to the 6 MAN Efficient- Hybrid system. This enables a further reduction in consump- tion and emissions. 17 3 7 M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9

Forging the future Flexible processes, innovative solutions, modern technologies – the DIGITAL REVOLUTION is rapidly and permanently altering our work routines. Four MAN employees venture into new territory – and report how they are preparing themselves and the company for the future. Text Photography Rebecca Lorenz Roman Pawlowski W orldwide demand is probably only five computers, estimated Thomas Watson, head of IBM, in 1943 – and could scarcely have been more wrong with this forecast. By now it’s clear: computers are changing people’s everyday lives – more rapidly and permanently than virtually all previous inventions. Proven business models, tried and tested aids and even everyday interactions: the digital transformation calls everything into question barely 60 years after Watson’s death. And it is creating a whirl of confusion in the global economy. This in- cludes altering the market with its products, processes and players at an ever faster pace. For this very reason, many companies are still uncertain what is actually meant by this catchphrase. Is digital transfor- mation a process? A technical solution? A mindset? Or really just a feeling? “There is no right or wrong in this complex topic; instead there are many conceivable ways forward and above all a wide range of opportunities. So I felt it was important for us to clearly define the direction in which we want to proceed”, says Dr Sandra Reich, Chief Digital Officer at MAN in Germany. M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 19

successful in digitalization. Early recognition of how a product needs to be amended is immensely important. Entirely in line with the slogan: build, test, learn – ideally in the fastest possible cycles”, stresses Sandra Reich. “Because we’ve missed the boat if we always wait for the fully developed product.” Boris Koller shares the same view. He has worked for eight years in the IT department at MAN, where he is responsi- ble for visualising 3D content: “It’s important that we use our existing potentials and aids as extensively as possible.” Here Koller is especially referring to solutions in the fields of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), which have personally fascinated him for over ten years. MAN uses them for instance to simulate assembly pro- cess in the development of human-machine interfaces and in vehicle design. Koller is responsible for the latter. “Think of it like this: draft designs are normally produced as wood or clay mod- els to test their effect. That’s not only expensive, but also time consuming”, states Koller. Now our designs can also be evalu- ated on a virtual basis – and across sites. Designers can use VR goggles to perceive vehicles in realistic size in the current data version. They can also easily compare versions and thus make less risky decisions. The result: faster and better quality devel- opments. Yet it is not merely new technical aids that provide valua- ble support in day-to-day work – regular training and profes- sional development also ensure that employees and company are ready to meet the challenges of the future. The best exam- ple of this is Katharina Wiest. She is a commercial vehicle technician working in par- ticular on buses at MAN Austria in the Vienna-Leopoldsdorf service centre. In the past year she successfully completed her training as a high-voltage technician. “I believe electric mobility is the future”, says Wiest. But this involves completely new technology and the trade has to be learnt from scratch, accord- ing to Wiest. “Electric vehicles use high-voltage – so you need to know exactly what you’re doing”, she explains. Preventing accidents means that electric vehicles may only be serviced at MAN by specially trained employees. Shaping our transformation Christoph Herr, Head of Strategy and Product Management at MAN, also sees electric mobility as the future. Although he attributes even greater influence on the transport industry to an- other development: “In the course of digitalization, autonomous driving will more significantly change the way in which commer- cial vehicles are used and operated than any other technology.” Autonomous trucks were admittedly not to be expected in large numbers in mixed traffic before 2030, Herr informed us, but faster achievements would be seen in hub-to-hub traffic. “The traffic situation along motorways and between warehouses or terminals is less complex than in mixed traffic”, states Herr, “so it’s easier to automate.” The Hamburg TruckPilot project promises the first successes. It plans that from mid 2020 two autonomous trucks will perform test drives on a 70 kilometre stretch of the A7 and on a closed terminal at the port of I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY. Katharina Wiest Commercial vehicle technician Hamburg to pave the way for fully automated transport. Christoph Herr is confident: “We can master the transformation if we proactively address the changes, as we always have done in the past 250 years.” Sandra Reich is also certain that MAN can successfully master and above all forge the changes. She sees the employ- ees playing a central role. “The company also grows at times when our employees grow with new challenges. We have the opportunity to develop the mobility of the future – and that starts today.” M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 21

to the athletes W hen Munich hosted the Summer Olympics in 1972, this presented a challenge in terms of traffic logistics. Along- side four million visitors, there were around 7000 athletes and their mentors who were travelling in the city. Natural gas buses from MAN chauffeured the games. This enabled Germany to present itself as a technologically advanced country. “Our natural gas drive was also a reaction to the emerging oil crisis”, remembers Dr Hans Hagen, who then led the initial development at MAN. The buses were equally distinguished by their environmental friendliness. Emis- sions from the natural gas engine are odourless and mainly consist of water vapour. The level of pollutants USING NATURAL GAS WAS ALSO AN ANSWER TO THE OIL CRISIS. Dr Hans Hagen Retired MAN employee is well below the permissible limit values. Many newspapers reported enthusiastically about this technol- ogy from MAN. The sporting event was, however, terribly marred by the terror attack on the Israeli team in which eleven hostages and a police officer were killed. The games nev- ertheless continued as a signal of international understanding. Natural gas expertise has continued to de- velop ever since. The Lion’s City G now makes MAN the European market leader in natural gas buses. Its reliable and efficient drive plays a major role in the future of clean mobility. 1 Low emission The 1 cold tank stores the natural gas in liquid form after it has been cooled to minus 160 de- grees Celsius. The gas then vaporises in the 2 heat exchanger. A 3 mixer adds intake air and it is fed to the 4 engine, where it is combusted without solid materials emissions. Imprint Publisher: MAN Truck & Bus SE, Stefan Klatt (responsible under German press law), Dachauer Straße 667, 80995 Munich | Editor-in-chief & project manager: Joachim Kelz | Contact: +49 89 15801175, man-magazin@man.eu, www.man.eu Publishing/realisation: muehlhausmoers corporate communications gmbh, Invalidenstraße 112, 10115 Berlin, info@meuhlhausmoers.com | Business Directors: Stefanie Moers, Hans-Jürgen Moers | Project management: Lisa Pommerenke, Stefanie Lysk | Editors: Wilfried Lülsdorf, Felix Enzian, Matea Prgomet | Creative Director: Anja-Martina Hamann, Pascal Schöning | Graphics: Conrad Wegener, Sophie Feist | Image editing: Jan Steinhauer, Charlotte Zellerhoff | Staff for this edition: Elena Berhausen, Britta Klasen, Rebecca Lorenz, Angela Nguyen, Florian Sievers | Translation: Proverb | Production: muehlhausmoers corporate communications gmbh Printing: Kunst- und Werbedruck, Bad Oeynhausen | Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Amendments must be agreed with the editors. Subscription service: Thomas Mahler GmbH, PO box 50 04 65, 80974 Munich, contact: +49 89 15803724, thomas.mahler-gmbh@t-online.de Advertising sales: Daniel Jäger Medienservice, Gewürzmühlen- straße 19, 80538 Munich, contact: +49 89 21269054, dj@jaeger-medienservice.de Copyright: ©2019 by MAN and muehlhausmoers corporate communications gmbh. The MAN Magazine appears twice-yearly in 16 languages. The magazine articles are protected by copyright. | The MAN Magazine is climate-neutral and printed on FSC-certified paper. 3 4 2 CLEANER DRIVE WITH TRADITION OVERVIEW These are the features that distinguish today’s natural gas buses from MAN: go.man/219busmoments M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 23 ) t h g i r m o t t o b ( N A M ; ) t h g i r p o t ( e t a v i r p ; ) t f e i i l ( e v h c r a l a c i r o t s h G A s u B & k c u r T N A M : S O T O H P carbon neutralnatureOffice.com | DE-149-562299print production

From crisis to summit: MAN and NEOPLAN sold more buses in 2018 then ever before. Head of Bus Sales RUDI KUCHTA reveals the strategy behind this success. Interview Felix Enzian TCO Total cost of ownership Total cost of acquis- ition and use: bus companies have a grip on their total cost of ownership with efficient buses and strong customer services from MAN. Even more business Further innovative solutions were presented at Mr Kuchta, we’re now speaking of a success story, yet six years ago the outlook was bleak. KUCHTA Correct, the bus sector was the problem child at MAN for a long time. We reached rock bottom in 2013 and recorded the worst sales figures in the company’s history. How have you responded to the crisis? KUCHTA All the division managers held a meeting. It was clear to us that we all had to pull in the same direction. Only with entrepreneurial spirit could we find the road to suc- cess. We needed a common strate- gy and had to turn many adjusting screws at the same time. The overall objective is more important than di- visional goals. Who was pulling in the same direction? KUCHTA Production, Product Man- agement, Sales, Purchasing, Con- trolling, After Sales, Quality Manage- ment and Human Resources. These are the specialist divisions involved in the success strategy. It’s about far more than “just” vehicles. What measures did you intro- duce to achieve the turnaround? KUCHTA In Sales we better posi- tioned our core business in Germany and Europe, at the same time we opened up new overseas markets, N A M : O T O H P M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 such as Singapore, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. In Production we re- duced the number of plants from four to two to pool investment there. We also made cuts in the product portfolio. Sadly we had to say good- bye to the Starliner, for example, the luxury coach from NEOPLAN. We are focusing on the markets in which we can profitably grow. What is the strategic rationale? KUCHTA Simplifying business: using customised solutions to make busi- ness models easier and more effec- tive. That’s how we optimised our own business. And that’s exactly what we also offer to our customers. How did you involve customers? KUCHTA Bus business is people business. So we hold intensive dis- cussions with decision-makers in traffic and travel companies and we also formed customer advisory councils. And MAN and NEOPLAN bus customers want … KUCHTA … above all strong utility values: reliability, safety, environ- mental cleanliness, efficiency in the total cost of ownership. Because bus companies make decisions on a much less emotional basis than pri- vate vehicle customers. Great de- sign that is appealing and functional is nevertheless also important. How well does the new bus generation meet these expecta- tions? KUCHTA Reactions have been really positive since IAA 2018. The new MAN Lion’s City is regarded as the benchmark for city buses. And for all drives: diesel, natural gas and in future the eBus, for which we have many advance orders. The coaches – MAN Lion’s Coach, Tourliner and Skyliner from NEOPLAN – are also very successful, as demonstrated by market shares and design awards. The MAN Lion’s Intercity rounds off the portfolio as an optimised solution for intercity transport. You have already mentioned the total cost of ownership. How important are MAN services for market success? KUCHTA They are an integral part of our strategy and will be continuously expanded. The MAN BusTop ser- vice offers specialised workshops for buses. We use MAN Transport Solutions to provide comprehensive advice on expanding a fleet with al- ternative drives. MAN DigitalServices integrates fleet management, vehi- cle service and logistics. And MAN ProfiDrive training courses support bus drivers in achieving a safe, eco- nomical and environmentally friendly driving style. So the driver has a sig- nificant impact on the total cost of ownership. Where do we go from here? What market changes are you preparing for? KUCHTA The topics of e-mobility and automated driving are the mar- ket drivers over the next few years. Here we are jointly developing the right solutions together with our customers. We want to continue to be so successful. Because success is fun. 25

Conductor Wilhelm Keitel is one of them. So the 68-year-old did not hesitate for a second when he re- ceived the request to participate in the European tour “The World of Hans Zimmer – A Symphonic Cele- bration”. This was the first time Hans Zimmer’s compositions were to be performed live by an orchestra. The composer planned the show down to the last detail, he selected the pieces, produced concert suites to the sound tracks, chose the soloists and other protagonists. “Gavin Greenaway, with whom Hans Zimmer has closely collaborated since time immemorial, is to be the conductor. I have taken on the role of orchestra manager”, explains Keitel. He had already mastered this task with flying colours in the previ- ous year. Now he has again pre- pared the Orchestra of the Bolshoi Opera Belarus together with the Minsk Radio and Television Choir and is accompanying them on a tour. Wilhelm Keitel has worked closely with these musicians from the Belarus capital for two and a half decades. Whether classical sympho- nies or appearances with Helene Fischer, Rammstein and the Fan tastic Four – the Bolshoi Orchestra is cer- tainly experienced in touring. Al- though this new celebration tour supersedes its previous trips by some margin: 17 concerts in 11 countries in just 31 days. And this is only the first part of the tour. The second part, with even more venues and concerts, follows in autumn. The tour gets on the road “As orchestra manager I organised everything in advance, from visas to the accommodation, I ensured that the orchestra arrived well-rehearsed for the first venue and always ap- peared on time where it was to play”, Keitel lists his tasks. That is a logistical challenge which grows with the size of the travel group – 70 musicians and 16 choristers. How do you travel with almost 90 people criss-cross through Europe for a month? “Ideally by bus”, W hat do pirate captain Jack Sparrow, super- hero Batman and lion cub Simba have in common? Millions of people around the world know which film character is involved as soon as they hear the melody of the title sequence. And most of them know the name of the man who created the music for these and many other Hollywood blockbusters: Hans Zimmer. He is one influential soundtrack composers of our time and has fans around the globe. of the most ) t h g i r ( d n o m o V l l a t a D ; ) d n u o r g k c a b ( r e h c a b m E k n a r F : S O T O H P M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 27

replies Keitel. “Just climb aboard and be driven to your destination, without having to change, which is immensely practical.” So the whole ensemble literally started rolling in springtime. First sec- tion: Minsk – Krakow. The orchestra spreads out across two specially pre- pared NEOPLAN Tourliner buses; their instruments are stored in two small trucks. Then it’s time to drive in convoy. The travellers face a journey of 16,000 kilometres on the first tour. Any concerns about whether long pe- riods spent sitting in the bus could be endured were dispelled shortly after boarding. The choir’s contralto, Natalya Sysova: “The seats are ex- tremely comfortable and can be slid apart as needed. And the best part is we have plenty of space – to the seat in front and overhead.” Orchestra with legroom Wilhelm Keitel is appreciative of leg- room. He is 1.90 metres tall and sits in the first row to be able to react quickly if there are questions or in critical situations. Each vehicle is in- terconnected via radio. The first time things became dicey was shortly before the crossing to England. “It was the time when Brexit was orig- inally planned. The radio gave alarming reports of a 60-kilometre traffic jam. It was reported that vehi- cles were no longer being checked in at the ferry”, said the manager. “We were incredibly nervous wheth- er we would make it to London in time. We would have had to pay the refunded entrance the organiser if the concert had been cancelled. With 14,000 tickets sold in London that would have been a disaster. Fortunately, everything worked out fine.” fees to The reward for concerns and efforts: an enthusiastic audience. All 17 concerts were sold out, so the tour had considerable dimensions. “We played at special places where sym- phony orchestras do not usually ap- pear. Of course Wembley Arena was an absolute highlight”, states Keitel. M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 ) m o t t o b , t h g i r p o t ( N A M ; ) t f e l i p o t ( s b r o C – o s u f i n I e n o g r e S / s e g a m y t t e G I : S O T O H P FILM The five best scores Five film scores by the German composer that are certainly worth a listen: THE DARK KNIGHT INCEPTION PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 2 THE LION KING INTERSTELLAR their furnished The bus was transformed into a liv- ing room on wheels during the tour. “Everyone long- established seat to their own taste – with pillows, blankets and books. It is convenient that each seat has a charging connector, so no smart- phone ran out of battery charge dur- ing the journey. The bus became our home- from-home for this month”, reports the conductor. In the breaks, made every three hours during the trip, the 68-year-old ensures that his crew takes sufficient exercise: “I made sure to take along two foot- balls for that.” A relaxed appearance Whilst the musicians themselves barely had any time for sightseeing, their tour buses became the attrac- tion. The two NEOPLAN Tourliners for the Bolshoi Orchestra were also a highlight at the Busworld Europe trade fair. “The outside of our vehi- cles bore unmistakable decals, so we were constantly photographed on our tour”, relates contralto Syso- va with a smile. She particularly en- joyed the comfort during the jour- ney. “The top-class soloists like Pedro Eustache, Lucy Landymoore or Lisa Gerrard always arrived by plane. But they were more tired than we were at the end of the tour, be- cause we were able to relax better in the bus”, recalls Natalya Sysova with a laugh. And the orchestra members realised how good it really had been during the tour, when they were re- quested to change buses in Poland! “It really did get uncomfortable at the end as we sat squashed into a local bus, your knees rammed into the back of the person in front”, Sys- ova recalls about the journey home. After the tour is before the tour. The musicians are playing 22 more concerts starting in No- vember 2019. This tour includes Scandinavia on the programme and Wilhelm Keitel is looking forward to that the most. “The music by Hans Zimmer is wonderful. Using it to in- spire people, seeing new places, appearing with great artists and ex- periencing a trip organised with Ger- man perfection – our entire team is grateful for this opportunity.” Yet more coaches Comfortable journeys with innovative safety: the NEOPLAN Tourliner, the NEOPLAN Skyliner and the MAN Lion’s Coach were on show at 29

Since spring of this year, the German Football Association has been travelling in the MAN Lion’s Coach. Christian Hochfellner, coach driver for the DFB TEAM, speaks about his day-to-day work, the new coach, the seating arrangements and his best journey with the team. Interview Britta Klasen I’LL NEVER FORGET MY FIRST TRIP IN 2014. CHRISTIAN HOCHFELLNER The 35-year-old from Limburg an der Lahn has been a coach driver for the German Football Association (DFB) since 2012. Christian Hochfellner first drove for the national team in 2014. In 2016 he succeeded his father Wolfgang Hochfellner, who had driven the team since 1992, as the principal coach driver. Mr Hochfellner, your father was your prede- cessor as coach driver for the national football team. Was it your childhood dream to replace him one day? HOCHFELLNER Honestly, no. It happened like this. I have always been interested in large vehicles and initially wanted to get my truck driving license. My driving instructor then asked me if I didn’t also want to sit for my bus driving license at the same time. This did naturally make sense, especially since there has been a coach operator in my fam- ily for over 50 years. I then came to the DFB through my father. When did you drive for the DFB for the first time? HOCHFELLNER I was allowed to take my first trip as second driver for the DFB in July 2012 – with my father of course. It involved an overnight jour- ney from an international match in Hanover to the next match in Vienna. M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 31 ) t h g i r ( i d r a h n e R p p i l i h P / B F D ; ) t f e l ( N A M : S O T O H P

And how do the players spend long journeys in the coach? HOCHFELLNER Like all other passengers, the play- ers also listen to music, play cards and have a chat. Is there a fixed seating arrangements or does this become intermixed with each journey? HOCHFELLNER Sporting management and the team-behind-the-team have their fixed places. The players less so, they often switch around. What is the mood on the coach before and after a match? HOCHFELLNER Before the match it’s calm and concentrated. Meetings rarely take place on the coach. The mood after a match naturally depends heavily on the result. The music may be a bit louder if they win, just like the conversations. Sometimes there is absolute peace and quiet after defeats. Do you get to watch national team matches in the stadium? HOCHFELLNER If time permits. Then I sit together with the rest of the team-behind-the-team in the stadium stands. About ten minutes before the end of the match, I make my way to the coach and prepare everything – coordinate departure with the marshals or police, load the luggage, switch on the heating or air conditioning system. So I still haven’t experienced a final whistle live in the stadium. What characterises the new MAN Lion’s Coach? What special comforts does it offer the players and you as a driver? HOCHFELLNER The coach offers the players spe- cial comfort due to the large distance between seats, leg supports, leather upholstery and much more besides. It is also equipped with a 5000- watt music system, for example. For me as a driv- er, there are all the latest safety features, such as BirdView and automatic transmission. And I’m the only one in the coach to have a seat with seat heating and seat cooling (laughs). THE COACH EMERGES VIDEO This is how the MAN Lion’s Coach was fitted and equipped for the DFB: go.man/219dfb N A M : S O T O H P M A N MAGAZINE N º 2 2 0 1 9 33

C O M F O R T D O U B L E D . The Skyliner opens up a new dimension in luxurious VIP travel on two decks with its extraordinary highlights. It raises the bar considerably when it comes to experience, comfort and safety. Its extra-large capacity makes it both envi- ronmentally friendly and economical. The new digital mirror cam system: safety and a perfect view guaranteed. www.neoplan-bus.com