For many years Crown Coaches of Nunawading have been loyal buyers of NCBC Protege bodied Mercedes coaches and their fleet was highly standardised on the model with no less than 35 cxamples. They also have 37 Mitsubishi and Fuso Rosa minbuses, but in 2009 they had Australia's first hybrid coach, made by BCI and have no fewer than five, primarily for school contract work. So things changed in 2013 after the last NCBC Protege purchase the previous year, and sixteen BCI FBZ6960BRZ2 model 43 seat coaches have joined the fleet on Mercedes OH1228 chassis. In December the first of the larger quaintly named BCI FBC6127CRZ7 arrived on Mercedes O500RF and with 57 seats, the normal size for Protege bodied coaches. The model developed by BCI in collaboration with Mercedes is effectively an Australian Mercedes Tourismo. Crown has five currently and 34 (4134AO) is seen at work approaching the Rod Laver Arena this week at about the time Sir Andy Murray crashed out of the Australian Open. Its desto is set for "Australian Open" as Crown had the contract for support coaches for the event. Their coaches have occasionally featured on the TV show Neighbours as their base in Nunawading is close to the studios where the show is recorded.
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