Mercedes sprinter

20987-9

Rotala has over the years purchased small numbers of Mercedes based sprinter based minibuses for use on contract work around mainly Heathrow Airport. These particular vehicles were used on a NCP car park contract at Heathrow and were painted in a striking bright yellow livery. When the opportunity came about for contract for a new demand responsive bus service in Bromsgrove called Bromsgrove on Demand. Three such vehicles were moved into the midlands Diamond Bus fleet. The service was launched on Monday 19th July 2021 and was operated until March 2022 from the Redditch deport using two of the vehicles. The third vehicle is based at the Tividale depot and is used on Transport for West Midlands contract bus services mainly in the North Birmingham area. In readiness to create extra garage space at Redditch with the purchase of the Johnson's bus services the operation the Bromsgrove Demand Responsive service was move to the Kidderminster Depot in May 2022. With the loss of the Warwickshire bus services over the Summer the operation of the Bromsgrove demand responsive bus service moved back to Redditch. Additionally the sister vehicle 20889 also moved from Tividale to Redditch to provide a back up vehicle for the service.

20993 joined the Diamond bus fleet in late January 2024 as a brand new vehicle to the fleet. Ilesbus launched a new low floor Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based minibus, known as the I-City to the UK market in late 2023. It is currently available in two different specifications, with either 17 seats and space for nine standees, or with 20 seats and seven standee places. It has been designed to match the familiar styling of luxury mini coaches the manufacturer produces. The I-City features USB ports at each seat; 3-point seatbelts; a separate 12kW rear air-conditioning system, additional saloon heating, double gazing; ‘smart’ lighting; front, side and rear destination screens.  The vehicle has been allocated to the Tividale and is used on a variety of Transport for West Midlands contract services that require or it is able to use this sized vehicle on them.