94-536: The Optare Olympus (introduced in 2006 as the East Lancs Olympus) is a double-decker bus built by Optare , East Lancs and Darwen. It could be built as a body available on Alexander Dennis Enviro400 , Volvo B9TL or Scania N230UD/N270UD chassis with the 2-axle and 3-axle variants. It is the double-decker equivalent of the Optare Esteem . Some 3-axle Olympus buses were built. The Olympus
188-698: A national symbol of England. Most buses in London, as in the rest of the UK, are double-deckers. A particular example was the AEC Routemaster bus, which had been a staple of the public transport network in London for nearly half a century following its introduction in 1956. The remaining Routemasters in use were finally retired from general service in 2005 because of cited difficulties accommodating disabled passengers. Transport for London kept these vintage buses in operation on heritage route 15H until 2020, when it
282-647: A rigid bus (a bus trailer ) or hauled as a trailer by a truck (a trailer bus ). Smaller midibuses have a lower capacity and open-top buses are typically used for leisure purposes. In many new fleets, particularly in local transit systems, a shift to low-floor buses is occurring, primarily for easier accessibility. Coaches are designed for longer-distance travel and are typically fitted with individual high-backed reclining seats, seat belts, toilets, and audio-visual entertainment systems, and can operate at higher speeds with more capacity for luggage. Coaches may be single- or double-deckers, articulated, and often include
376-418: A summer camp . Schools often hire charter bus services on regular basis for transportation of children to and from their homes. Chartered buses are also used by education institutes for transport to conventions , exhibitions, and field trips . Entertainment or event companies may also hire temporary shuttles buses for transport at events such as festivals or conferences . Party buses are used by companies in
470-477: A French corn-mill owner named Stanislas Baudry [ fr ] in Richebourg, a suburb of Nantes . A by-product of his mill was hot water, and thus next to it he established a spa business. In order to encourage customers he started a horse-drawn transport service from the city centre of Nantes to his establishment. The first vehicles stopped in front of the shop of a hatter named Omnés, which displayed
564-461: A capacity of 132 passengers - 80 seated and fifty standing. Sweden bought in 1965 50 Leyland Atlantean double-decker buses with Park Royal bodies. Leyland claimed they were the first double-decker buses with one man operation. They had two staircases and two pairs of doors. The Atlanteans were not replaced at the end of their revenue service life in 1974. However, in 2011 double-deckers returned to Sweden on revenue duties with VDL Synergy on in
658-693: A chassis produced by another manufacturer. Transit buses used to be mainly high-floor vehicles. However, they are now increasingly of low-floor design and optionally also 'kneel' air suspension and have ramps to provide access for wheelchair users and people with baby carriages , sometimes as electrically or hydraulically extended under-floor constructs for level access. Prior to more general use of such technology, these wheelchair users could only use specialist para-transit mobility buses. Accessible vehicles also have wider entrances and interior gangways and space for wheelchairs. Interior fittings and destination displays may also be designed to be usable by
752-408: A common component of the wider package holiday industry, providing private airport transfers (in addition to general airport buses ) and organised tours and day trips for holidaymakers on the package. Tour buses can also be hired as chartered buses by groups for sightseeing at popular holiday destinations. These private tour buses may offer specific stops, such as all the historical sights, or allow
846-517: A converted bus as a command post while those in cold climates might retain a bus as a heated shelter at fire scenes. Many are drawn from retired school or service buses. Buses are often used for advertising, political campaigning , public information campaigns , public relations , or promotional purposes. These may take the form of temporary charter hire of service buses, or the temporary or permanent conversion and operation of buses, usually of second-hand buses. Extreme examples include converting
940-485: A fare. Other types, such as elementary or secondary school buses or shuttle buses within a post-secondary education campus, are free. In many jurisdictions, bus drivers require a special large vehicle licence above and beyond a regular driving license . Buses may be used for scheduled bus transport , scheduled coach transport , school transport , private hire, or tourism ; promotional buses may be used for political campaigns and others are privately operated for
1034-631: A feature of Alexandria 's bus network. In 2017, as part of a larger order of 850 new buses, the city of Addis Ababa purchased a fleet of 50 double-decker buses to operate routes on its public transportation system. Of these, 25 are operated by the Anbessa City Bus Service Enterprise and 25 are part of the Sheger bus company's fleet; both are government-owned. A fleet of double-decker buses operate in Mombasa , running
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#17327978107971128-532: A large sign inscribed "Omnes Omnibus", a pun on his Latin-sounding surname, omnes being the male and female nominative, vocative and accusative form of the Latin adjective omnis/-e ("all"), combined with omnibus , the dative plural form meaning "for all", thus giving his shop the name "Omnés for all", or "everything for everyone". His transport scheme was a huge success, although not as he had intended as most of his passengers did not visit his spa. He turned
1222-505: A maximum length of 18.65 metres (61 ft 2 in). Double-deckers operate in Jersey. In the territory of Gibraltar , Calypso Transport operates using double deckers in red livery. Notably, this is the only British territory in Europe that drives on the right and hence the buses are left-hand drive. Bus Vannin operates about 24 double-deckers on routes all across the island. In
1316-498: A novel weight-saving integral design, it also introduced for the first time on a bus independent front suspension , power steering , a fully automatic gearbox , and power-hydraulic braking . Formats include single-decker bus , double-decker bus (both usually with a rigid chassis ) and articulated bus (or 'bendy-bus') the prevalence of which varies from country to country. High-capacity bi-articulated buses are also manufactured, and passenger-carrying trailers—either towed behind
1410-456: A public transport operator that might maintain a separate fleet or use surplus buses, coaches, and dual-purpose coach-seated buses. Many private taxicab companies also operate larger minibus vehicles to cater for group fares. Companies, private groups, and social clubs may hire buses or coaches as a cost-effective method of transporting a group to an event or site, such as a group meeting, racing event, or organised recreational activity such as
1504-564: A route aimed at tourists. The buses are open top , and run on a hop-on hop-off sightseein route around the city; they are manufactured by Yaxing Coach . Since 2014, a double-decker bus owned by the City Shguttle Bus Company also provides public transportation in Nairobi . In Malawi , multiple companies utilize fleets of double-decker buses for intercity bus services . Modern Marcopolo buses run direct routes between
1598-399: A separate luggage compartment under the passenger floor. Guided buses are fitted with technology to allow them to run in designated guideways, allowing the controlled alignment at bus stops and less space taken up by guided lanes than conventional roads or bus lanes . Bus manufacturing may be by a single company (an integral manufacturer), or by one manufacturer's building a bus body over
1692-533: A short time in 1898 in the rural area around Llandudno , Wales. Germany's Daimler Motors Corporation also produced one of the earliest motor-bus models in 1898, selling a double-decker bus to the Motor Traction Company which was first used on the streets of London on 23 April 1898. The vehicle had a maximum speed of 18 km/h (11.2 mph) and accommodated up to 20 passengers, in an enclosed area below and on an open-air platform above. With
1786-584: A similar manner to limousine hire, for luxury private transport to social events or as a touring experience. Sleeper buses are used by bands or other organisations that tour between entertainment venues and require mobile rest and recreation facilities. Some couples hire preserved buses for their wedding transport, instead of the traditional car. Buses are often hired for parades or processions . Victory parades are often held for triumphant sports teams, who often tour their home town or city in an open-top bus . Sports teams may also contract out their transport to
1880-609: A specially manufactured trailer bus . After the Second World War, manufacturers in Europe and the Far East, such as Mercedes-Benz buses and Mitsubishi Fuso expanded into other continents influencing the use of buses previously served by local types. Use of buses around the world has also been influenced by colonial associations or political alliances between countries. Several of the Commonwealth nations followed
1974-700: A stopped school bus in the process of loading or offloading children passengers. These school buses may have school bus yellow livery and crossing guards . Other countries may mandate the use of seat belts . As a minimum, many countries require a bus carrying students to display a sign , and may also adopt yellow liveries. Student transport often uses older buses cascaded from service use, retrofitted with more seats or seatbelts. Student transport may be operated by local authorities or private contractors. Schools may also own and operate their own buses for other transport needs, such as class field trips or transport to associated sports, music, or other school events. Due to
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#17327978107972068-494: A suspender thrown at intervals from one side of the street to the other, and two wires hanging from these suspenders; allowing contact rollers to run on these two wires, the current could be conveyed to the tram-car, and back again to the dynamo machine at the station, without the necessity of running upon rails at all." The first such vehicle, the Electromote , was made by his brother Ernst Werner von Siemens and presented to
2162-694: A team bus, for travel to away games , to a competition or to a final event . These buses are often specially decorated in a livery matching the team colours. Private companies often contract out private shuttle bus services, for transport of their customers or patrons, such as hotels, amusement parks , university campuses , or private airport transfer services. This shuttle usage can be as transport between locations, or to and from parking lots . High specification luxury coaches are often chartered by companies for executive or VIP transport. Charter buses may also be used in tourism and for promotion (See Tourism and Promotion sections). Many organisations, including
2256-441: A tour guide, although the driver or a recorded audio commentary may also perform this function. The tour operator may be a subsidiary of a company that operates buses and coaches for other uses or an independent company that charters buses or coaches. Commuter transport operators may also use their coaches to conduct tours within the target city between the morning and evening commuter transport journey. Buses and coaches are also
2350-671: A triple standard for the double-decker bus: highbridge bus (urban Britain), lowbridge bus (countryside Britain) and 4 metres height coach such as the Neoplan Skyliner that can traverse Europe. Outside the British Isles in Europe double-decker buses are most prominent in Skopje and Berlin. The first commercial horse-drawn double-decker omnibuses were introduced in England in 1847 by Adams & Co. of Fairfield, Bow ; it
2444-455: A wide range of purposes, including rock and pop band tour vehicles. Horse-drawn buses were used from the 1820s, followed by steam buses in the 1830s, and electric trolleybuses in 1882. The first internal combustion engine buses, or motor buses, were used in 1895. Recently, interest has been growing in hybrid electric buses , fuel cell buses , and electric buses , as well as buses powered by compressed natural gas or biodiesel . As of
2538-557: A yellow and blue livery in July 2007. In London , some bus operators purchased Olympus with Scania chassis. Transdev London and Metroline had these buses operating on routes 148, 7, 90 and 297 respectively. Due to problems with the new Transport for London specified air-conditioning units, some buses failed the tilt test by one degree, and entered service late. East Lancashire Coachbuilders went into administration in August 2007 and
2632-737: Is a bus that has two storeys or decks. Double-deckers are primarily for commuter transport, but open-top models are used as sight-seeing buses for tourists, and there are coaches too for long-distance travel. They appear in many places around the world but are presently most commonly used as mass transport in cities of Britain , in Ireland , in Hong Kong , Berlin and in Singapore . The earliest double-decker horse-drawn omnibus appeared in Paris in 1853 and such vehicles were motorised in
2726-471: Is sometimes staffed by promotions personnel, giving out free gifts. Campaign buses are often specially decorated for a political campaign or other social awareness information campaign, designed to bring a specific message to different areas, or used to transport campaign personnel to local areas/meetings. Exhibition buses are often sent to public events such as fairs and festivals for purposes such as recruitment campaigns, for example by private companies or
2820-570: Is the homes of celebrities , such as tours based near Hollywood . There are several such services between 6000 and 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. In some countries, particularly the US and Canada, buses used to transport schoolchildren have evolved into a specific design with specified mandatory features. American states have also adopted laws regarding motorist conduct around school buses, including large fines and possibly prison for passing
2914-509: Is the largest operator of local tour buses, operating on a franchised basis all over the world. Specialist tour buses are also often owned and operated by safari parks and other theme parks or resorts . Longer-distance tours are also carried out by bus, either on a turn up and go basis or through a tour operator , and usually allow disembarkation from the bus to allow touring of sites of interest on foot. These may be day trips or longer excursions incorporating hotel stays. Tour buses often carry
Optare Olympus - Misplaced Pages Continue
3008-475: The Leyland National where the two are practically inseparable. Specialist builders also exist and concentrate on building buses for special uses or modifying standard buses into specialised products. Integral designs have the advantages that they have been well-tested for strength and stability, and also are off-the-shelf . However, two incentives cause use of the chassis+body model. First, it allows
3102-712: The London General Omnibus Company —it entered service in 1910, and almost 3,000 had been built by the end of the decade. Hundreds of them saw military service on the Western Front during the First World War . The Yellow Coach Manufacturing Company , which rapidly became a major manufacturer of buses in the US, was founded in Chicago in 1923 by John D. Hertz . General Motors purchased a majority stake in 1925 and changed its name to
3196-648: The Republic of Ireland , the majority of the buses operated in and around the Greater Dublin area are double-deckers, operated by Dublin Bus . There are 1,000 double-decker buses (second largest in Europe after London ) in the company's fleet of 1,008 (October 2019). The private operator Go-Ahead Ireland also operate a mixed fleet consisting of both double and single deck vehicles. Bus Éireann also utilises double-decker buses on some of its commuter routes, such as
3290-530: The armed forces . Complex urban planning proposals may be organised into a mobile exhibition bus for the purposes of public consultation. In some sparsely populated areas, it is common to use brucks, buses with a cargo area to transport both passengers and cargo at the same time. They are especially common in the Nordic countries . Historically, the types and features of buses have developed according to local needs. Buses were fitted with technology appropriate to
3384-409: The visually impaired . Coaches generally use wheelchair lifts instead of low-floor designs. In some countries, vehicles are required to have these features by disability discrimination laws . Buses were initially configured with an engine in the front and an entrance at the rear. With the transition to one-man operation, many manufacturers moved to mid- or rear-engined designs, with a single door at
3478-453: The 1830s by Walter Hancock and by associates of Sir Goldsworthy Gurney , among others, running reliable services over road conditions which were too hazardous for horse-drawn transportation. The first mechanically propelled omnibus appeared on the streets of London on 22 April 1833. Steam carriages were much less likely to overturn, they travelled faster than horse-drawn carriages, they were much cheaper to run, and caused much less damage to
3572-822: The 1900s. Double-decker buses were popularised in Great Britain at the start of the 20th century and today the best-known example is the red London bus , namely the AEC Routemaster . Double-deckers in urban transport were also in common use in other places, such as major cities of India , but were mostly diminished or phased out by the end of the 20th century. However it has been maintained and remains common in Britain as well as Ireland and Hong Kong, while in Singapore and Dhaka they have been introduced and expanded into large numbers after British colonial rule. There are several types of double-decker buses as shown in
3666-478: The 1920s has been the diesel engine . Early buses, known as trolleybuses, were powered by electricity supplied from overhead lines . Nowadays, electric buses often carry their own battery, which is sometimes recharged on stops/stations to keep the size of the battery small/lightweight. Currently, interest exists in hybrid electric buses , fuel cell buses , electric buses , and ones powered by compressed natural gas or biodiesel . Gyrobuses , which are powered by
3760-664: The 1950s when buses in general started to be used in the main cities such as Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra and Setúbal. The types used were the AEC Regent and later the Daimler Fleetline and the Leyland Atlantean, with Portuguese-built bodies. There was also one Leyland Olympian as a demonstration vehicle in Lisbon. In Porto, there were double-decker trolleybuses, produced by Lancia and with Dalfa bodywork, in use from
3854-499: The 1960s and 1970s, major cities like Turin, Milan, Rome, Florence, Verona, Bologna, Rimini, Naples, Bari and Palermo adopted Fiat double decker buses. The most common model was the Fiat 412 Aerfer , and in 1961 it was replaced by Fiat 413 Viberti Monotral CV61. Liemobil operates four double decker MAN A39 buses on service 11 between Sargans , Switzerland and Feldkirch, Vorarlberg , Austria and on other services 12, 13 and 14 in
Optare Olympus - Misplaced Pages Continue
3948-459: The 2010s, bus manufacturing is increasingly globalised , with the same designs appearing around the world. The word bus is a shortened form of the Latin adjectival form omnibus ("for all"), the dative plural of omnis/omne ("all"). The theoretical full name is in French voiture omnibus ("vehicle for all"). The name originates from a mass-transport service started in 1823 by
4042-472: The British lead and sourced buses from British manufacturers, leading to a prevalence of double-decker buses . Several Eastern Bloc countries adopted trolleybus systems, and their manufacturers such as Trolza exported trolleybuses to other friendly states. In the 1930s, Italy designed the world's only triple decker bus for the busy route between Rome and Tivoli that could carry eighty-eight passengers. It
4136-961: The Dublin to Wicklow service. Double-deckers are also common on some of the company's city routes in Cork , Galway and Limerick . More luxurious double-deckers are used on inter-city routes, such as the X1 Dublin-Belfast or X3/X4 Dublin-Derry routes. Double decker buses were in use on city services in Vienna between 1960 and 1991. They are used on services between Vienna and its airport, and also operated by Ötztaler Verkehrsgesellschaft (ÖVG) under contract to ÖBB-Postbus on service 4420 between Innsbruck and Lienz . Since 2020, two Scania UNVI Urbis DD CNG buses have been running on public transport lines in Ostrava . During working days on line 78. Over
4230-645: The Olympus was again renamed, becoming the Optare Olympus. London General ordered the Olympus with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 chassis instead of Scania which Metroline and Transdev London had inherited. These buses have since largely been withdrawn, and moved to other Go Ahead operators such as Bluestar , East Yorkshire and Go North East . Metrobus have 30 buses on Scania N230UD chassis, which were used on London routes 54 and 75 In 2009, Optare announced that it had designed its own chassis for
4324-620: The Optare Olympus, with a Mercedes-Benz engine, as per previous products. A single prototype integral Olympus, designated the Olympus O1030, was built; this later became the basis for the new Optare MetroDecker and was subsequently launched in 2014. An open-top double-decker bus version of the Olympus, named the Visionaire , was also built. Like the Olympus, it was also built on the same chassis. Competitors Double-decker bus A double-decker bus or double-deck bus
4418-698: The SL 676 Stockholm Östra - Norrtälje line. Norrtälje is located around 70 km north of Stockholm . In Switzerland Postauto operate double decker buses on a route between Engelburg – St Gallen – Heiden routes and in the Obertoggenburg region and in the regions of Rorschach and Goldach . 19 Alexander Dennis Enviro500 have been ordered to operate on these services, which seat 80 passengers and can carry 48 standing. Four double deckers are also operated in Graubünden which are due to be replaced within
4512-474: The UK are between 9.5 metres (31 ft 2 in) and 11.1 metres (36 ft 5 in) long, the latter being more common since the mid-1990s, though there are three- axle 12-metre (39-foot-4-inch) models in service with some operators. Double-decker coaches in the UK have traditionally been 12 metres (39 feet 4 inches) in length, though many newer models are about 13.75 metres (45 ft 1 in). The red double-decker buses in London have become
4606-654: The Yellow Truck and Coach Manufacturing Company. GM purchased the balance of the shares in 1943 to form the GM Truck and Coach Division . Models expanded in the 20th century, leading to the widespread introduction of the contemporary recognizable form of full-sized buses from the 1950s. The AEC Routemaster , developed in the 1950s, was a pioneering design and remains an icon of London to this day. The innovative design used lightweight aluminium and techniques developed in aircraft production during World War II . As well as
4700-537: The autumn of 2019, Public Transport of Turku , also known as Föli , was the first city to officially incorporate double-decker buses into local traffic. The first French double-decker bus was brought into service in Paris in 1853; it was a horse-drawn omnibus . The upper floor was cheaper and often uncovered. The first double-decker motor bus in Paris, the Schneider Brillié P2, appeared in 1906. It
4794-575: The average rail transport . It is most commonly used in public transport , but is also in use for charter purposes, or through private ownership. Although the average bus carries between 30 and 100 passengers, some buses have a capacity of up to 300 passengers. The most common type is the single-deck rigid bus , with double-decker and articulated buses carrying larger loads, and midibuses and minibuses carrying smaller loads. Coaches are used for longer-distance services. Many types of buses, such as city transit buses and inter-city coaches, charge
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#17327978107974888-704: The bi-articulated bus or tram-style buses such as the Wright StreetCar and the Irisbus Civis. Buses and coach services often operate to a predetermined published public transport timetable defining the route and the timing, but smaller vehicles may be used on more flexible demand responsive transport services. Buses play a major part in the tourism industry. Tour buses around the world allow tourists to view local attractions or scenery. These are often open-top buses , but can also be regular buses or coaches. In local sightseeing , City Sightseeing
4982-465: The bus with displays and decorations or awnings and fittings. Interiors may be fitted out for exhibition or information purposes with special equipment or audio visual devices. Bus advertising takes many forms, often as interior and exterior adverts and all-over advertising liveries. The practice often extends into the exclusive private hire and use of a bus to promote a brand or product, appearing at large public events, or touring busy streets. The bus
5076-417: The buyer and manufacturer both to shop for the best deal for their needs, rather than having to settle on one fixed design—the buyer can choose the body and the chassis separately. Second, over the lifetime of a vehicle (in constant service and heavy traffic), it will likely get minor damage now and again, and being able easily to replace a body panel or window etc. can vastly increase its service life and save
5170-744: The capital, built in China 's Zhengzhou Yutong factory. The buses were put into operation on 8 September 2011, coinciding with the day of Macedonian independence. This model of bus has capacity for 80 passengers. They represent most of the 312 buses currently in operation by the Skopje public transport company. In June 2008 Boreal Transport on contract with Kolumbus introduced three double-decker buses to provide more seating for certain high-traffic departures in Stavanger . PKS Szczecin since 2021. Double-decker buses were introduced in Portugal during
5264-514: The controlled alignment at bus stops and less space taken up by guided lanes than conventional roads or bus lanes . Guidance can be mechanical, optical, or electromagnetic. Extensions of the guided technology include the Guided Light Transit and Translohr systems, although these are more often termed 'rubber-tyred trams' as they have limited or no mobility away from their guideways. Transit buses are normally painted to identify
5358-610: The cost and inconvenience of removing it from service. As with the rest of the automotive industry , into the 20th century, bus manufacturing increasingly became globalized, with manufacturers producing buses far from their intended market to exploit labour and material cost advantages. A typical city bus costs almost US$ 450,000. Transit buses , used on public transport bus services , have utilitarian fittings designed for efficient movement of large numbers of people, and often have multiple doors. Coaches are used for longer-distance routes. High-capacity bus rapid transit services may use
5452-402: The costs involved in owning, operating, and driving buses and coaches, much bus and coach use comes from the private hire of vehicles from charter bus companies, either for a day or two or on a longer contract basis, where the charter company provides the vehicles and qualified drivers. Charter bus operators may be completely independent businesses, or charter hire may be a subsidiary business of
5546-622: The country. In parallel to the development of the bus was the invention of the electric trolleybus, typically fed through trolley poles by overhead wires . The Siemens brothers, William in England and Ernst Werner in Germany, collaborated on the development of the trolleybus concept. Sir William first proposed the idea in an article to the Journal of the Society of Arts in 1881 as an "...arrangement by which an ordinary omnibus...would have
5640-569: The country. It is only very recently that double-decker buses have started to be used in the Netherlands. On 10 December 2017 Connexxion put 18 three-axle double-deckers into service on route 346 between Haarlem and Amsterdam Zuid , a heavily used commuter route not served by rail. They are Futura FDD2s built by VDL Bus & Coach in Valkenswaard , are 14.1 metres (46 feet) long, and carry 86 seated passengers. Their introduction
5734-415: The customers to choose their own itineraries. Tour buses come with professional and informed staff and insurance, and maintain state governed safety standards. Some provide other facilities like entertainment units , luxurious reclining seats, large scenic windows, and even lavatories. Public long-distance coach networks are also often used as a low-cost method of travel by students or young people travelling
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#17327978107975828-424: The early days, a few other methods of current collection were used. Leeds and Bradford became the first cities to put trolleybuses into service in Great Britain on 20 June 1911. In Siegerland , Germany, two passenger bus lines ran briefly, but unprofitably, in 1895 using a six-passenger motor carriage developed from the 1893 Benz Viktoria . Another commercial bus line using the same model Benz omnibuses ran for
5922-523: The far east has led to the adoption of high capacity long multi-axle buses , often double-deckers while South America and China are implementing large numbers of articulated buses for bus rapid transit schemes. Euro Bus Expo is a trade show , which is held biennially at the UK's National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. As the official show of the Confederation of Passenger Transport ,
6016-545: The front or multiple doors. The move to the low-floor design has all but eliminated the mid-engined design, although some coaches still have mid-mounted engines. Front-engined buses still persist for niche markets such as American school buses, some minibuses, and buses in less developed countries, which may be derived from truck chassis, rather than purpose-built bus designs. Most buses have two axles , while articulated buses have three. Guided buses are fitted with technology to allow them to run in designated guideways, allowing
6110-427: The imagebox below: Early double-deckers put the driver in a separate cab. Passenger access was via an open platform at the rear and a bus conductor collected fares. Modern double-deckers have a main entrance door at the front and the driver takes fares, thus halving the number of workers aboard, but slowing the boarding process. The rear open platform, popular with passengers, was abandoned for safety reasons, as there
6204-561: The largest double-decker fleet on continental Europe with 197 vehicles operating as of 2023 (compared to 484 single-deckers and 928 articulated buses). However it used to be higher: 1,000 in 1992, reduced to 450 in 2002. The city originally had double-decker buses at least since the 1920s. The models in operation in 2004 were 13.5 metres (44 ft 3 in) long and held around 95 passengers. The replacements, which are supplied by Neoman Bus , are 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) longer. The new buses are able to hold 128 passengers. During
6298-580: The local climate or passenger needs, such as air conditioning in Asia, or cycle mounts on North American buses. The bus types in use around the world where there was little mass production were often sourced secondhand from other countries, such as the Malta bus , and buses in use in Africa. Other countries such as Cuba required novel solutions to import restrictions, with the creation of the "camellos" ( camel bus ),
6392-642: The mid-1960s until the mid-1990s. Double-decker buses were not in widespread use for normal service but were mainly used for sightseeing purposes. They were most commonly Portuguese-produced vehicles, including rebodies of regular service buses (for example, the Volvo B10R from Carristur), as well as some from former companies, such as the MAN SD202 from BVG Berlin, many of them still in circulation. The absence of double-decker buses on regular service lasted until 2011, when STCP acquired 15 double-decker buses, of
6486-587: The mid-1990s, some double-deckers were operated briefly in Saint Petersburg . Double-decker buses were introduced in 2014 in Bilbao by the city bus operator Bilbobus . They are not the first double deck vehicles in the city as ex-London Transport Q1 trolleybuses were sold to Bilbao after the end of London trolleybus operations in 1962 and were operated until the system's closure in 1978. Initially, six vehicles are operating on Bilbobus route 56. They have
6580-443: The momentum stored by a flywheel , were tried in the 1940s. United Kingdom and European Union: United States, Canada and Mexico: Early bus manufacturing grew out of carriage coach building , and later out of automobile or truck manufacturers. Early buses were merely a bus body fitted to a truck chassis. This body+chassis approach has continued with modern specialist manufacturers, although there also exist integral designs such as
6674-420: The nation's two largest cities, Lilongwe and Blantyre . New double-decker buses are also in use on more regional routes, including those connecting cities like Mangochi , Mzimba , and Mzuzu . Bus A bus (contracted from omnibus , with variants multibus , motorbus , autobus , etc.) is a motor vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van , but fewer than
6768-1020: The next two years. In Turkey , the Istanbul public transit system ( IETT ) runs 89 double-decker buses on longer-distance routes, most notably commuter buses crossing the Bosphorus Bridge linking the European and the Asiatic sides of the city. Double-decker buses are also used on routes to and from Taksim Square to far-flung western suburbs such as Büyükçekmece and Bahcesehir. Several cities in Egypt use double-decker buses as part of their public transportation systems, including Cairo. The MAN Lion's City buses, manufactured in Egypt in 2018, were introduced in Cairo to address provide greater capacity on its bus network. Red double-decker buses are also
6862-448: The operator or a route, function, or to demarcate low-cost or premium service buses. Liveries may be painted onto the vehicle, applied using adhesive vinyl technologies, or using decals . Vehicles often also carry bus advertising or part or all of their visible surfaces (as mobile billboard ). Campaign buses may be decorated with key campaign messages; these can be to promote an event or initiative. The most common power source since
6956-871: The police, not for profit , social or charitable groups with a regular need for group transport may find it practical or cost-effective to own and operate a bus for their own needs. These are often minibuses for practical, tax and driver licensing reasons, although they can also be full-size buses. Cadet or scout groups or other youth organizations may also own buses. Companies such as railroads, construction contractors, and agricultural firms may own buses to transport employees to and from remote job sites. Specific charities may exist to fund and operate bus transport, usually using specially modified mobility buses or otherwise accessible buses (See Accessibility section). Some use their contributions to buy vehicles and provide volunteer drivers. Airport operators make use of special airside airport buses for crew and passenger transport in
7050-486: The public in 1882 in Halensee , Germany . Although this experimental vehicle fulfilled all the technical criteria of a typical trolleybus, it was dismantled in the same year after the demonstration. Max Schiemann opened a passenger-carrying trolleybus in 1901 near Dresden , in Germany. Although this system operated only until 1904, Schiemann had developed what is now the standard trolleybus current collection system. In
7144-563: The road surface due to their wide tyres. However, the heavy road tolls imposed by the turnpike trusts discouraged steam road vehicles and left the way clear for the horse bus companies, and from 1861 onwards, harsh legislation virtually eliminated mechanically propelled vehicles from the roads of Great Britain for 30 years, the Locomotive Act 1861 imposing restrictive speed limits on "road locomotives" of 5 mph (8.0 km/h) in towns and cities, and 10 mph (16 km/h) in
7238-547: The secure airside parts of an airport. Some public authorities, police forces, and military forces make use of armoured buses where there is a special need to provide increased passenger protection. The United States Secret Service acquired two in 2010 for transporting dignitaries needing special protection. Police departments make use of police buses for a variety of reasons, such as prisoner transport , officer transport, temporary detention facilities, and as command and control vehicles . Some fire departments also use
7332-485: The success and popularity of this bus, DMG expanded production, selling more buses to companies in London and, in 1899, to Stockholm and Speyer . Daimler Motors Corporation also entered into a partnership with the British company Milnes and developed a new double-decker in 1902 that became the market standard. The first mass-produced bus model was the B-type double-decker bus , designed by Frank Searle and operated by
7426-563: The transport service into his principal lucrative business venture and closed the mill and spa. Nantes citizens soon gave the nickname "omnibus" to the vehicle. Having invented the successful concept Baudry moved to Paris and launched the first omnibus service there in April 1828. A similar service was introduced in Manchester in 1824 and in London in 1829. Regular intercity bus services by steam-powered buses were pioneered in England in
7520-518: The type MAN A39 (as used in Berlin). They were introduced at an event by the company, named "Duplex Tour", on 26 February 2011 and put into normal service on the 28th of that month. These buses can be seen usually on route 500. Until 2011 double-decker buses were operating in the city of Barnaul . The double-decker fleet consisted of seven MAN SD200 and MAN SD202 second hand buses imported from Berlin. Those buses were used on routes 3, 10 and 17. In
7614-817: The weekend and holidays during the summer season on line 88. Since 1970, various operators of Copenhagen city transport were using double-deckers—originally Leyland , in the 1980s–1990s MAN and in the 2000s Volvo , derivates of model B7. Double-decker buses are relatively rare in Finland, but there are known to be at least four Routemasters in Finland: one in Helsinki , one in Heinola , one in summer tourist charter in Espoo and one in summer tourist traffic in Kuopio . In
7708-549: The world. Some companies such as Topdeck Travel were set up specifically to use buses to drive the hippie trail or travel to places such as North Africa. In many tourist or travel destinations, a bus is part of the tourist attraction , such as the North American tourist trolleys , London's AEC Routemaster heritage routes , or the customised buses of Malta, Asia, and the Americas. Another example of tourist stops
7802-708: Was a risk of passengers falling when running and jumping onto the bus. Cities listed here have double-decker buses as part of their regular mass transit fleet. Cities with only tourist and sightseeing double-decker buses are excluded. In the European Union , the maximum height for any vehicle is 4 metres, for motor vehicles in categories M2 and M3 and their trailers in category 0 and motor vehicles in categories N2 and N3 and their trailers in categories 03 and 04, in national and international traffic according to Council directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996 and in continuity of council directive 85/3/CEE. The United Kingdom has
7896-626: Was bought by the Darwen Group . The body was therefore renamed Darwen Olympus. The first buses to be delivered under the Darwen name were those ordered by Cardiff Bus (one of which was shown at Coach and Bus live 2007) and Arriva Yorkshire . Reading Buses has numerous examples bodied by Darwen, in addition to a few built by East Lancs before they went into administration. Following the reverse takeover of Optare by Darwen Group in June 2008,
7990-468: Was designed to carry more passengers and to replace the horse-drawn double-decker omnibus. Like trams and omnibuses, double-decker motor buses included two classes of travel: first class inside the car and second class outdoors on top. But this type of vehicle was withdrawn in 1911 because one of them overturned at place de l'Étoile ; following this incident the P2s lost their upper deck and were renamed P3s. It
8084-682: Was developed that year and entered service on 20 February 2012. In October 2015, London added five all-electric double-decker buses - the world's first - made by Chinese firm BYD . The maximum permissible length of a rigid double-decker bus and coach in the UK is 15 metres (49 ft 3 in) with 3 axles and 13.5 metres (44 ft 3 in) metres with two. However, the total maximum dimensions, including trailer or articulated section, in normal circumstances are: Coaches are normally built to 4.38 metres (14 ft 4 in) high, while 'highbridge' buses are normally about 20 centimetres (8 in) taller. Articulated double-deckers are also allowed at
8178-626: Was discontinued due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The contract expired in November 2020 and was not renewed; in 2021 it was announced that the service would no longer continue. There was formerly a second heritage route ( 9H ) but this ceased operation in 2014 due to low patronage and increased operation costs. In 2007, a hybrid-powered double-decker entered service on London Buses route 141 . By late 2008, more hybrid double-deckers from three manufacturers entered service in London. A New Routemaster
8272-472: Was found to be poorly suited to the structure of the Paris network, the stops being too close to each other, preventing people from going upstairs. Consequently, there are no Parisian bus routes using double-deckers. SITAC operates a service 5 between Calais and Sangatte using a double decker bus. In Germany , double-decker buses in Berlin are operated by Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG). Berlin has had
8366-477: Was launched by East Lancashire Coachbuilders in November 2006. The first example, built on a Volvo B9TL chassis for Delaine Buses , was displayed at Euro Bus Expo 2006. It had been the intention to exhibit a higher specification model for Ham's of Flimwell, but this was not ready in time for the show, meaning the bus didn't show its full potential. The Olympus replaced the OmniDekka on Scania chassis (though
8460-680: Was not entirely without issues since their route initially had to be diverted to avoid passing under a dangerously low tram overhead wire near the VU Medical Centre stop. Also in December 2017, Qbuzz introduced five double-deckers on its route 300 between Groningen and Emmen . These are Van Hool TDX27 Astromegas, also 14.1 metres (46 feet) long and carrying 85 passengers. The Macedonian government bought 217 Yutong City Master double-decker city buses for local transport in Skopje ,
8554-550: Was not until 1966 that the RATP re-tried double-deckers on two lines in Paris. A prototype built by Berliet (type E-PCMR), was put into service in 1966, with an order being placed for 25 vehicles. The first production car was commissioned on 19 June 1968 for line 94, Gare Montparnasse - Levallois. On 17 February 1969, line 53, Opera - Porte d'Asnieres was in turn equipped with this model. But traffic problems caused RATP to definitively abandon this vehicle in 1977, because this type of bus
8648-636: Was still sold alongside the bus until 2011), which is 10.6 or 11.9 metres in length. On Volvo chassis, it replaced the Myllennium Vyking and the Myllennium Nordic . On Alexander Dennis chassis, it replaced the Myllennium Lolyne . At the beginning of January 2007, Reading Buses ordered six Olympus with Scania chassis for their Loddon Bridge FastTrack park and ride contract to replace Optare Excels . They entered service in
8742-646: Was then improved upon by John Greenwood, who introduced a new double-decker in 1852. William Gladstone , speaking of London 's double-deck horse-drawn omnibuses , once observed that "...the best way to see London is from the top of a bus". Double-decker buses are in common use throughout the United Kingdom and have been favoured over articulated buses by many operators because of the shorter length of double-deckers and larger seating capacity ; they also may be safer to operate through narrow streets and round tight corners. The majority of double-decker buses in
8836-503: Was unique not only in being a triple decker but having a separate smoking compartment on the third level. The buses to be found in countries around the world often reflect the quality of the local road network, with high-floor resilient truck-based designs prevalent in several less developed countries where buses are subject to tough operating conditions. Population density also has a major impact, where dense urbanisation such as in Japan and
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