Public transport bus services are generally based on regular operation of transit buses along a route calling at agreed bus stops according to a published public transport timetable .
95-596: Los Angeles Metro Bus is the transit bus service in Los Angeles County, California operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). In 2023, the system had a ridership of 222,919,700, or about 754,700 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. As of June 2023, there are 117 routes in the system (excluding Metro Busway routes). The Los Angeles Metro bus has
190-647: 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
285-418: 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
380-517: A "low-cost unit" paying lower wages, in order to be able to offer lower fares, using older buses cascaded from a main fleet to also reduce costs. In some sectors, operators such as Megabus (both in the UK and in North America ) have attempted to emulate the low-cost airlines model in order to attract passengers through low fares, by offering no-frills bus services. Public transport bus operation
475-477: 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
570-693: 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
665-408: 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
760-409: A control room, or in the case of large operations, route controllers, who can monitor the level of service on routes and can take remedial action if problems occur. This was made easier with the technological advances of two way radio contact with drivers, and vehicle tracking systems . Urban land-use planning policies are essential for the success of bus transit systems, particularly as mass transit
855-517: 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
950-485: 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
1045-406: A gap in the opposite direction, meaning any passengers on the turned bus need to disembark and continue on a following bus. Also, depending on the location of the bus depot , replacement buses may be dispatched from the depot to fill in other gaps, starting the timetable part way along the route. There is a common cliché that people "wait all day, and then three come along at once", in relation to
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#17327798965781140-532: 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
1235-532: A line leading west from USC) and proceeds counterclockwise around Downtown Los Angeles, ending at line 96 ( Riverside Dr .) East/west service, not necessarily serving Downtown Los Angeles. North/south service, not serving in Downtown Los Angeles. Expo/Sepulveda station (late night) Shuttles, special routes and local service within one or two adjacent neighborhoods. As of September 2019, Metro operates 2,320 buses in revenue service,
1330-659: A major restructuring of the agencies routes, with most of the Metro Rapid routes retired in favor of more frequent service on the former Metro Local routes, which will now make fewer stops. Metro buses are given line numbers that indicate the type of service offered. This method was devised originally by the Southern California Rapid Transit District, Metro's predecessor. Local bus service to/from Downtown Los Angeles and other areas . The line numbering begins at line 2 ( Sunset Bl ,
1425-744: A majority of shares to General Motors in 1925. From the 1920s, General Motors and others started buying up streetcar systems across the United States with a view to replacing them with buses in what became known as the Great American Streetcar Scandal . This was accompanied by a continuing series of technical improvements: pneumatic "balloon" tires during the early 1920s, monocoque body construction in 1931, automatic transmission in 1936, diesel engines in 1936, 50+ passengers in 1948, and air suspension in 1953. The arrest of Rosa Parks in 1955 for not giving up her seat to
1520-498: 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
1615-428: A phenomenon where evenly timetabled bus services can develop a gap in service followed by buses turning up almost simultaneously. This occurs when the rush hour begins and numbers of passengers at a stop increases, increasing the loading time, and thus delay scheduled service. The following bus then catches up because it begins to be delayed less at stops due to fewer passengers waiting. This is called bus bunching . This
1710-456: 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
1805-575: A scheduled "bus route" from Market Street in Manchester to Pendleton in Salford UK , started by John Greenwood in 1824. Another claim for the first public transport system for general use originated in Nantes, France , in 1826. Stanislas Baudry , a retired army officer who had built public baths using the surplus heat from his flour mill on the city's edge, set up a short route between
1900-399: 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
1995-533: 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
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#17327798965782090-584: 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
2185-662: 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
2280-416: A specific timetable giving specific times of departure and arrival at waypoints along the route. These are often difficult to maintain in the event of traffic congestion , breakdowns, on/off bus incidents, road blockages or bad weather. Predictable effects such as morning and evening rush hour traffic are often accounted for in timetables using the past experience of the effects, although this then prevents
2375-700: 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
2470-494: 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
2565-694: 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
2660-441: 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
2755-541: A travel pass or free travel pass , or oversee stored-value card debiting. This may require the fitting of equipment to the bus. Alternatively, this duty and equipment may be delegated to a conductor who rides on the bus. In other areas, public transport buses may operate on a zero-fare basis, or ticket validation may be through the use of on-board/off-board proof-of-payment systems, checked by roving ticket controllers who board and alight buses at random. In some competitive systems, an incumbent operator may introduce
2850-599: A white man on a public bus is considered one of the catalysts of the Civil Rights Movement within the United States . The names of different types of bus services vary according to local tradition or marketing, although services can be classified into basic types based on route length, frequency, the purpose of use and type of bus used. An express bus service (also known as express commuter service , commuter bus service , or suburban bus service )
2945-455: 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
Los Angeles Metro Bus - Misplaced Pages Continue
3040-474: Is a fixed-route bus service that is intended to run faster than normal bus services between the same two commuter or destination points, typically on longer-distance routes. Express buses operate on a faster schedule by not making as many stops as normal bus services and often taking quicker routes, such as along freeways , or by using dedicated lanes or roadways. Express buses may also operate out of park and rides , in some cases only during rush hour in
3135-426: Is differentiated from other bus operation by the fact the owner or driver of a bus is employed by or contracted to an organisation whose main public duty or commercial interest is to provide a public transport service for passengers to turn up and use, rather than fulfilling private contracts between the bus operator and user. Public transport buses are operated as a common carrier under a contract of carriage between
3230-553: Is identified by a letter before or after the regular route number. For example, in Sydney , the letters L (as in L90), E (as in E70) and X (as in 610X or X84). L indicates that the bus runs along the normal route, while E and X indicate that the bus runs along a more direct route. In New York City , express buses operate using coaches from Motor Coach Industries and Prevost Car , and all except
3325-430: Is not feasible in low-density communities. Transportation planners estimate that to support local bus service every thirty minutes, there must be a residential housing density of seven dwelling units per acre. Bus services have led to the implementation of various types of infrastructure now common in many urban and suburban settings. The most prevalent example is the ubiquitous bus stop . Large interchanges have required
3420-433: Is prevented in some cities such as Berlin by assigning every stop arrival times where scheduled buses should arrive no earlier than specified. Some services may have no specific departure times, the timetable giving the frequency of service on a route at particular phases of the day. This may be specified with departure times, but the over-riding factor is ensuring the regularity of buses arriving at stops. These are often
3515-471: 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
3610-570: 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
3705-509: 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
3800-798: The BxM4 operate along highways, sometimes for a large portion of the route. For example, the QM8 , QM5 and QM2 Super Expresses, the SIM26 , SIM22 , SIM25 , BxM11 and X38 all operate on highways for most of their route. Many transit systems may also use a specific number before or after the regular route number. For example, in Toronto , the number "9" (as in 995) goes before the regular route number to display an express bus service. Long-distance coach services (US: Intercity bus line) are bus services operated over long distances between cities. These services can form
3895-475: 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
Los Angeles Metro Bus - Misplaced Pages Continue
3990-712: 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
4085-651: The London Transport Executive owned a bus fleet of 8,000 buses, the largest in the world. Many small operators have only a few vehicles or a single bus owned by an owner-driver. Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation holds the Guinness world record of having the largest fleet of buses with 22,555 buses. In all cases in the developed world , public transport bus services are usually subject to some form of legal control in terms of vehicle safety standards and method of operation, and possibly
4180-593: The Pacific Electric Red Cars or the Los Angeles Railway Yellow Cars. Starting in 2003, Metro operated its bus network under three different brands: orange Metro Local buses for traditional routes, red Metro Rapid buses for limited stop routes, and blue Metro Express buses for minimal stop services along the region's extensive freeway network. The separate brands were retired in 2020 as part of Metro's NextGen Bus Plan,
4275-530: 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
4370-535: The omnibus , commenced running this morning from Paddington to the City", operated by George Shillibeer . The first omnibus service in New York began in 1829, when Abraham Brower, an entrepreneur who had organized volunteer fire companies, established a route along Broadway starting at Bowling Green . Other American cities soon followed suit: Philadelphia in 1831, Boston in 1835 and Baltimore in 1844. In most cases,
4465-409: 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
4560-539: The 1830s as competition to the horse-drawn buses. The omnibus extended the reach of the emerging cities. The walk from the former village of Paddington to the business heart of London in the City was a long one, even for a young man in good condition. The omnibus thus offered the suburbs more access to the inner city. The omnibus encouraged urbanization . Socially, the omnibus put city-dwellers, even if for only half an hour, into previously-unheard-of physical intimacy with strangers, squeezing them together knee-to-knee. Only
4655-453: 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
4750-478: 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
4845-459: 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
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#17327798965784940-472: 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
5035-460: The UK's trade association for the bus, coach and light rail industry, the three-day event offers visitors from Europe and beyond the chance to see and experience the very latest vehicles and product and service innovations right across the industry. Public transport bus service While there are indications of experiments with public transport in Paris as early as 1662, there is evidence of
5130-654: 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
5225-575: 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
5320-704: 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
5415-473: The building of bus stations . In roads and streets, infrastructure for buses has resulted in modifications to the kerb line such as protrusions and indentations , and even special kerb stones . Entire lanes or roads have been reserved for buses in bus lanes or busways . Bus fleets require large storage premises often located in urban areas, and may also make use of central works facilities . The level and reliability of bus services are often dependent on
5510-465: 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
5605-417: 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
5700-497: The center of town and his baths. The service started on the Place du Commerce, outside the hat shop of a M. Omnès, who displayed the motto Omnès Omnibus (Latin for "everything for everybody" or "all for all") on his shopfront. When Baudry discovered that passengers were just as interested in getting off at intermediate points as in patronizing his baths, he changed the route's focus. His new voiture omnibus ("carriage for all") combined
5795-476: The city governments granted a private company—generally a small stableman already in the livery or freight-hauling business—an exclusive franchise to operate public coaches along a specified route. In return, the company agreed to maintain certain minimum levels of service. In 1832, the New York omnibus had a rival when the first trams , or streetcars started operation along Bowery , which offered
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#17327798965785890-514: 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
5985-610: 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
6080-402: 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
6175-677: 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
6270-415: 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
6365-487: 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
6460-532: The excellent improvement in amenity of riding on smooth iron rails rather than clattering over granite setts, called "Belgian blocks". The streetcars were financed by John Mason, a wealthy banker, and built by an Irish-American contractor, John Stephenson . The Fifth Avenue Coach Company introduced electric buses to Fifth Avenue in New York in 1898. In 1831, New Yorker Washington Irving remarked of Britain's Reform Act (finally passed in 1832): "The great reform omnibus moves but slowly." Steam buses emerged in
6555-523: 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 ,
6650-528: The front of buses that usually holds two bicycles. Passengers would be able to place their bicycle on the racks when riding to avoid taking up space during rush hour. The research conducted in Montreal ( Canada ) showed that travelling by bus is safer than travelling by car , for vehicle occupants but also for pedestrians and cyclists . There were 16 times more injured car occupants than bus occupants. Most pedestrians (95%) and cyclists (96%) were injured by
6745-545: 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
6840-645: The functions of the hired hackney carriage with a stagecoach that travelled a predetermined route from inn to inn, carrying passengers and mail. His omnibus had wooden benches that ran down the sides of the vehicle; passengers entered from the rear. In 1828, Baudry went to Paris , where he founded a company under the name Entreprise générale des omnibus de Paris , while his son Edmond Baudry founded two similar companies in Bordeaux and in Lyon . A London newspaper reported on July 4, 1829, that "the new vehicle, called
6935-540: The intermediate rural areas, or even only call at two terminal points as a long distance shuttle service. Some interurban services may be operated as high specification luxury services, using coaches , in order to compete with railways , or link areas not rail connected. Interurban services may often terminate in central bus stations rather than on street stops. Other interurban services may specifically call at intermediate villages and may use slower transit buses or dual purpose buses. Many public bus services are run to
7030-410: The level of fares charged and routes operated. Bus services are being made accessible , often in response to rules and regulations in disability discrimination laws . This has resulted in the introduction of paratransit services and low-floor buses to support passengers who are elderly, have a disability , or a medical condition. Some transit agencies have also started to install bike racks in
7125-580: 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 ),
7220-503: The mainstay of the travel network in countries with poor railway infrastructure. Different coach operators may band together on a franchise or connecting basis to offer a branded network that covers large distances, such as Trailways and National Express . These networks can even operate internationally, such as Eurolines of Europe. Interurban bus services are primarily aimed at linking together one or more urban centres, and as such are often run as express services while travelling in
7315-443: 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
7410-460: The more frequent services, up to the busiest bus rapid transit schemes. For headway-based schemes, problems can be managed by changing speed, delaying at stops and leap-frogging a bus boarding at a stop. Services may be strictly regulated in terms of level of adherence to timetables , and how often timetables may be changed. Operators and authorities may employ on-street bus inspectors to monitor adherence in real time. Service operators often have
7505-448: 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
7600-463: The opportunity for drafting a 'clock face' timetable where the time of a bus is predictable at any time through the day. Predictable short term increases in passenger numbers may be dealt with by providing "duplicate" buses, where two or more buses operate the same slot in the timetable. Unpredictable problems resulting in delays and gaps in the timetabled service may be dealt with by 'turning' a bus early before it reaches it terminus , so that it can fill
7695-581: The passenger and the operator. The owners of public transport buses may be the municipal authority or transit authority that operates them, or they may be owned by individuals or private companies who operate them on behalf of the authorities on a franchise or contract basis. Other buses may be run entirely as private concerns, either on an owner-operator basis, or as multi-national transport groups. Some countries have specifically deregulated their bus services , allowing private operators to provide public bus services. In this case, an authority may make up
7790-552: The peak direction. Fares on express bus services may be higher than normal parallel services. Many express buses act as precursors to bus rapid transit lines and employ a proof-of-payment scheme, requiring passengers to purchase tickets before boarding the bus, speeding up the service. These services may also use suburban coaches that feature amenities like comfortable seating and wireless Internet service, particularly on routes that travel long distances at higher speeds without stopping. In many cases, an express bus service
7885-871: 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
7980-486: 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
8075-732: The quality of the local road network and levels of traffic congestion , and the population density. Services may be organised on tightly regulated networks with restrictions on when and where services operate, while other services are operated on an ad hoc basis in the model of share taxis . Increasingly, technology is being used to improve the information provided to bus users, with vehicle tracking technologies to assist with scheduling, and to achieve real-time integration with passenger information systems that display service information at stops, inside buses, and to waiting passengers through personal mobile devices or text messaging . Bus drivers may be required to conduct fare collection, inspect
8170-563: 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
8265-547: 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
8360-402: The shortfall in levels of private service provision by funding or operating 'socially necessary' services, such as early or late services, on the weekends, or less busy routes. Ownership/operation of public transport buses can also take the form of a charitable operation or not for profit social enterprises . Larger operations may have fleets of thousands of vehicles. At its peak in the 1950s,
8455-538: 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
8550-428: The third largest fleet in North America, with 2,320 buses as of 2019. The majority of Metro Bus lines are operated by Metro directly, with select services operated by private contractors. The Metro Bus brand dates back to the 1993 founding of Metro, but many of the routes in the system are little changed from the bus routes of the prior Southern California Rapid Transit District (RTD) or the streetcar routes operated by
8645-454: The third-largest fleet in North America behind New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (5,840) and New Jersey's NJ Transit (3,003). Metro operates the nation's largest fleet of compressed natural gas powered buses. 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
8740-505: 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
8835-501: The very poor remained excluded. A new division in urban society now came to the fore, dividing those who kept carriages from those who did not. The idea of the "carriage trade", the folk who never set foot in the streets, who had goods brought out from the shops for their appraisal, has its origins in the omnibus crush. John D. Hertz founded the Yellow Coach Manufacturing Company in 1923 and then sold
8930-549: 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
9025-503: 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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