As the national Taxi Recapitalisation Programme (TRP) gains momentum, taxi operators are looking for vehicles that not only meet TRP safety specifications but bring new levels of comfort, reliability and profitability to their fleets. While the local taxi industry has historically been dominated by Asian mini-bus derivatives, European ‘people-movers’ have entered this market following the implementation of the TRP in 2005, largely due to their greater carrying capacity and dual wheels on rear axles.
“Taxis are an integral part of the daily lives of millions of South Africans and we at Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles are pleased to confirm that all our products are fully compliant, in various categories over and above legal requirements. We have developed a premium Sprinter taxi that meets all the safety regulations of the TRP,” says Mayur Bhana, Manager, Marketing and Communications, Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles.
“Based on a standard Sprinter panel van and dubbed ‘Inkanyezi’ - which means ‘the star’ in Zulu - the new taxi promises to enhance the commuter experience while bringing a host of business benefits to its owner,” adds Bhana.
In order to introduce the Inkanyezi brand to taxi commuters, Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles is rolling out a festive road show that takes the Sprinter Inkanyezi, in colourful livery, and its various Sprinter sister models directly to taxi ranks and dealerships in major centres and small towns around the country.
The first of these ‘brand activation’ events was held in Polokwane, Africa’s ‘City of Stars’ on Tuesday 11 May 2010. According to Bhana, “our objective is to make the brand accessible to commuters who associate Mercedes-Benz with expensive luxury cars and to educate taxi drivers and operators as to the affordability of this premium class vehicle.”
With this in mind, the second largest taxi rank in Polokwane played host to the new Inkanyezi taxi models in a street carnival atmosphere, featuring a cast of traditional dancers, a brass band and a charismatic praise singer who loudly extolled the features and benefits of the Sprinter Inkanyezi in sePedi.
The event also piqued the interest of several local taxi operators who headed for the Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicle dealership in Polokwane immediately after the event to get more details on how to purchase a Sprinter Inkanyezi, adds Bhana.
The Sprinter Inkanyezi range is available in four derivatives equipped with customised bus bodies atop Sprinter 309, 315 and 518 panel van chassis. The Sprinter 416, a previous generation Sprinter, is also available and is still popular with the taxi industry.
“All our body builders are accredited suppliers with a strong track record for safety, quality and reliability. They all comply fully with TRP regulations and Mercedes-Benz body-builder directives for conversions,” said Mayur.
The Sprinter bus taxis are available in medium and long wheel-base versions, seating between 15 and 21 passengers. The Sprinter Inkanyezi’s standard features include safety belts for all passengers, an emergency escape roof hatch, a fire extinguisher, grab handles at the vehicle’s entrance, a lower step for easy entry into the taxi bus, lowered wheel arches to enhance interior space and comfort, comfortable high-back vinyl-covered seats and an ergonomically designed driver module to help reduce driver fatigue.
The Euro 3 diesel engines powering the Sprinter Inkanyezi models include 2 litre, 2.5 litre and 3 litre options, delivering power from 65kW to 135kW, with torque rating from 220Nm to 400Nm. Class-leading safety features are standard on the range and include ABS, EBD, BAS, Adaptive ESP and Start-off Assist.
“The Sprinter Inkanyezi has undergone extensive roll-over testing and we can confidently state that it is the safest taxi available in South Africa right now,” states Bhana.
“The fact that the high-roof model offers full standing room proved a winner for our ‘ride and drive’ guests at the event. The feedback from them was especially strong when it came to their heightened sense of safety and greater comfort levels while travelling in the Inkanyezi.”
Affordable finance packages are available via Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, which also offers preferential insurance rates across the country to help lower cost of ownership.
“We’ve really gone to great lengths to put a tailor-made mobility solution together for this new taxi market. The brand activation event gives us an excellent platform to introduce the concept of lowest lifecycle cost to potential buyers. With added value including nation-wide support from 42 dealers, reduced parts pricing and labour rates, improved warranty conditions and a free customer response centre for breakdowns, the Sprinter Inkanyezi package is hard to resist. Mercedes-Benz always gives its clients best-of-breed products and now taxi operators can do the same for their customers,” Bhana concludes.
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