Mobility for all
This year’s design in the “Historical postal vehicles” series features a Steyr Saurer 4 SHFN- OL post bus from 1965 that was used for regular service.
The vehicle was constructed by two traditional Austrian companies. In 1959, Steyr-Daimler- Puch became the majority shareholder in the Austrian Saurer Works, and together, from 1961 on, the two companies designed the Steyr Saurer 4 SH-O bus with various different models and levels of equipment. Most of the vehicles were sold to Austrian Post, but some went to the Austrian Federal Railway.
The Steyr Saurer 4 SHFN-OL is based on the 4 SH-O and was built until 1971. Like the base model, it was a forward control bus – prior to that the “Schnauzer buses” were in operation – with a self-supporting chassis and a gently sloping rear. Thanks to its slightly longer construction, it provided seating for 43 and standing room for 21, with luggage stored in a luggage compartment and not, as previously, on the roof. The 4 SHFN-OL was driven by a rear-mounted engine with an output of 150 HP. It was a four-stroke, six-cylinder Saurer diesel engine with a maximum design speed of 92 km/h. The eight-gear transmission was designed by Steyr. Austrian Post had a fleet of around 190 of these buses operating throughout Austria. As the most common post bus of the era, in the classic yellow Post Office livery, they were a common sight on Austria’s roads for many years. Still today, a few of these vehicles can be admired in museums or at classic car association events, and they are occasionally also used for special journeys.
