110-455: The Wright Eclipse Gemini is a low-floor double-decker bus body that was built by Wrightbus since 2001, based on the single-decker Wright Eclipse design. The second-generation Eclipse Gemini 2 was launched in 2009, followed by the third-generation Gemini 3 in 2013. Additionally, the body was available on Volvo Super Olympian chassis in Hong Kong between 2003 and 2005, marketed as
220-555: A double decker version of the existing Wright Eclipse body. The original Eclipse Gemini, and all versions up until the facelifted Gemini 3, have both the upper and lower deck front windscreens forming part of a single oval shape, with the destination blind in between. The interior of the Eclipse Gemini features curves similar to its exterior, and continues the modern feel. In 2006, the Volvo B7TL chassis, which had been
330-409: A hydraulic or pneumatic 'kneeling device', which can be used when the bus is not in motion, tilting it or lowering it at the front axle even further, often down to normal curb height. Depending on how close to the curb the bus is parked and wheelchair design, this can allow wheelchair users to board unaided. Though such technology has been available and in use on high-floor buses since the 1970s, it
440-534: A general comparison to passenger cars is therefore not possible, as the kWh/km factor depends, among others, on the specific vehicle. The official category name is heavy-duty diesel engines, which generally includes lorries and buses. The following table contains a summary of the emission standards and their implementation dates. Dates in the tables refer to new type approvals; the dates for all new registrations are in most cases one year later. ECE R49 ESC & ELR The term non-road mobile machinery (NRMM)
550-785: A high floor bus where the floor is flat in order to align with the high platforms in certain Bus Rapid Transit systems. Thereby, referring to it as a non-step high floor bus. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) mandates the use of low-floor or low-entry buses on city bus routes in the Philippines since 2016. Low-floor buses are used on city bus networks in Metro Manila , Metro Cebu and Davao City , and on some provincial routes, and most Point-to-Point Bus services, although older coaches are still largely used for such services. Buses used on
660-476: A large number of facelift Wright Gemini 3s on the Volvo B5TL and B5LH chassis from 2015 until 2019, many of which were ordered through a four-year agreement signed in 2016 with Wrightbus to supply new buses to Lothian's fleet. A majority of these Gemini 3s were delivered for the standard fleet to replace older buses, however some were also delivered for use on Airlink and Skylink services, the latter of which
770-464: A low-floor bus "no-step bus (ノーステップバス)". At Enshu Railway Company in Hamamatsu Area, a low-floor bus is called "omnibus (オムニバス)", " cho-teisho bus (超低床バス; very low-floor bus)" and " cho-teisho omnibus (超低床オムニバス; very low-floor omnibus)". Japanese government calls a low-floor bus " cho-teisho non-step bus (超低床ノンステップバス; very low-floor non-step bus)". The term non-step bus may also refer to
880-492: A low-floor bus therefore requires careful design. Low floor configuration is also known to have poor side to side dead load distribution within the chassis due to the asymmetrical off-centre placement of driveline components - mainly engine and transmission. As a result, many of such buses require electronically controlled air suspension to compensate the lopsided configuration. Low-floor buses usually include an area without seating (or seating that folds up) next to at least one of
990-559: A low-floor design. A small number of higher capacity articulated low-floor buses are used to service the city's southern busways. In Sydney , routes may be operated by both high-floor buses and low-entry ones. Selected routes can be set aside specifically for low-entry buses which are considered to be wheelchair-accessible routes. A recent all-low-entry bus network is the Metrobus system. Euro IV The European emission standards are vehicle emission standards for pollution from
1100-441: A partial low floor may also be referred to as a low-entry bus or seldom a flat-floor bus in some locations. Low floor refers to a bus deck that is accessible from the sidewalk with only a single step with a small height difference, caused solely by the difference between the bus deck and sidewalk. This is distinct from high-floor , a bus deck design that requires climbing one or more steps (now known as step entrance) to access
1210-427: A route-branded livery. East Yorkshire Motor Services took delivery of twenty Gemini 2s in two batches in 2009. Six more were delivered to the company in 2014, followed by three acquired from Volvo dealer stock in 2015. Delaine Buses took delivery of seven Wright Gemini 2s on Volvo B9TL chassis between 2011 and 2015, with Delaine's final example also being the last Volvo B9TL chassis and Wright Gemini 2 body built for
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#17327945460071320-413: A smaller low floor area with a small underfloor bin for some luggage. Whilst these buses do not provide a full amount of luggage space, they can be used to house more luggage than what can be held inside the bus itself. Another drawback is the arrangement means the section of the bus that is at curb height is very short—consisting of enough space to house the wheelchair area and then rising up, to accommodate
1430-501: A specific cycle in the laboratory duly representing a real driving environment and gives a global notation independent from the type of engine used (petrol, diesel, natural gas, LPG, hybrid, etc.). To get the maximum 50/50 note on this cycle, the car shall emit less than the minimum limit applicable to either petrol or diesel car, that is to say 100 mg HC, 500 mg CO, 60 mg NO x , 3 mg PM and 6 × 10 PN. Unlike ambient discourse dirty diesel versus clean petrol cars,
1540-541: Is a term used in the European emission standards to control emissions of engines that are not used primarily on public roadways. This definition includes off-road vehicles as well as railway vehicles . European standards for non-road diesel engines harmonise with the US EPA standards , and comprise gradually stringent tiers known as Stage I–V standards. The Stage I/II was part of the 1997 directive (Directive 97/68/EC). It
1650-669: Is a very low or non-existent availability of high-floor electric buses. The majority of standard and truncated vehicles were and are the Caio Millennium and Millennium BRT "toco" models, on Mercedes-Benz O500U, Scania K270 and K310, Volvo B7RLE and B290RLE and Volkswagen 17.240 and 17.260 chassis. For articulated vehicles, Caio Mondego HA and Millennium BRT vehicles with Mercedes-Benz O500UA and O500UDA chassis were and are used. The Biarticulates were made with Caio TopBus PB and Millennium BRT TopBus bodies on Volvo B360S and B9Salf chassis. In Brisbane , all Translink buses are of
1760-555: Is determined by running the engine at a standardised test cycle . Non-compliant vehicles cannot be sold in the EU, but new standards do not apply to vehicles already on the roads. No use of specific technologies is mandated to meet the standards, though available technology is considered when setting the standards. New models introduced must meet current or planned standards, but minor lifecycle model revisions may continue to be offered with pre-compliant engines. Along with Emissions standards,
1870-506: Is expected that technologies such as direct injection, combined with petrol particulate filters, could be needed for these motorcycle engine types to meet the Euro V demands. The emission standards for trucks (lorries) and buses are defined by engine energy output in g/ kWh ; this is unlike the emission standards for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, which are defined by vehicle driving distance in g/km —
1980-495: Is of significant utility on low-floor vehicles only where it enables less-mobile passengers to board and leave the vehicle without help from others. Many vehicles are also equipped with wheel-chair lifts, or ramps which, when combined with a low floor, can provide a nearly level entry. An implementation of the low floor design exists in Australia where custom coaches make a "hybrid" variant of its CB60 bodywork. These buses combine
2090-466: Is one of the first cities in India that introduced Low Floor buses. The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, BMTC operates many services using the premium Volvo 8400LE Low-floor buses. These buses are air-conditioned, and offer features such as automatic transmission, kneeling and wheel-chair ramp, typical of modern city buses. They are also fitted with LED display boards as well as ITS to announce
2200-643: Is to allow better placement for the powertrain and other technical equipment in the raised floor section, in addition to allowing a more comfortable ride on rough roads. Some manufacturers use the initials LF or L in their model designations for fully low-floor models (or in the case of German manufacturers, NF or N , based on the German word Niederflur , which means low floor), and in North America buses that are partially low-floor are often also designated LF. In some countries, LE , short for Low Entry ,
2310-547: Is to ensure that information relating to the fuel economy and CO 2 emissions of new passenger cars offered for sale or lease in the Community is made available to consumers in order to enable consumers to make an informed choice. In the United Kingdom, the initial approach was deemed ineffective. The way the information was presented was too complicated for consumers to understand. As a result, car manufacturers in
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#17327945460072420-403: Is used by some manufacturers in their model designations for low-entry buses. Most bus manufacturers achieve a low floor height by making rear-engined rear-wheel drive buses with independent front suspension , so that no axle is needed to pass under the floor of the front part of passenger compartment, or a lowered front axle. Some full low-floor buses also have a lowered rear axle, while
2530-524: Is used for diesel engines only, while transient testing applies to both diesel and petrol engines. For the emission standards to deliver actual emission reductions, it is crucial to use a test cycle that reflects real-world driving conditions. It was discovered that vehicle manufacturers would optimise emissions performance only for the test cycle, whilst emissions from typical driving conditions proved to be much higher than when tested. Some manufacturers were also found to use so-called defeat devices where
2640-598: The 2012 Summer Olympics . Six were also delivered across two batches for First Berkshire 's Green Line service 702 between 2011 and 2013, while First Eastern Counties took delivery of 15 Gemini 2s for services in Norwich in 2012. Lothian Buses were a continuing customer for the Gemini body on Volvo B9TL chassis, purchasing 145 Gemini 2s from 2009 to 2011. 14 of these were delivered in 2010 for Lothian's Airlink services, specified with luggage racks, free WiFi, tables and
2750-725: The Den Oudsten B85/B86 [ nl ] . Other competitors followed suit, with the Orion VI (1995), Nova Bus LF Series (1996, also derived from the Den Oudsten B85), Gillig Low Floor (1997, derived from a shuttle bus design for the Hertz rental car agency), and Neoplan AN440L (1990/94/99). By 2008, most new bus orders in the United States were for low-floor buses. In the capital of this country,
2860-871: The EDSA Busway are usually equipped with 1-2 doors on the left side for boarding at the median stations, although not all units currently have them installed. Low-floor buses often use upholstered coach-style seating in a 2-3, or 2-2 configuration, although plastic seats may be found in some buses. Low-floor wheelchair-accessible buses were first introduced in Singapore in 2006 with 150 Volvo B9TL CDGE buses procured by SBS Transit . These buses were registered SBS7300P - SBS7499A. Volvo B9TL CDGE buses were fully retired in 2023. In 2007, SBS Transit procured 1101 units of low-entry Scania K230UB buses bodied by Gemilang Coachworks of Senai , Malaysia . Afterwards, all new city buses procured by SBS Transit, SMRT Buses and
2970-696: The Eclipse 2 single-decker, as part of Wrightbus' new design philosophy. A low-roof version was introduced in 2012. After having been a significant customer for Wright Eclipse Geminis, outside London, the FirstGroup ordered comparatively fewer Wright Eclipse Gemini 2s on the Volvo B9TL chassis. First West Yorkshire took the largest delivery of Gemini 2s in the group, with 47 delivered to the operator in 2012 following their use in London on shuttle services for
3080-564: The Land Transport Authority are low-floor. Low-floor buses are first adopted in Germany in 1989, and to make them easier to use for wheelchairs and strollers, the minimum ground clearance of the entire vehicle is lowered and the floor is proportionately raised by 30 centimetres (12 in) above the road surface. The Dennis Dart SLF (Super Low Floor) marked the wholesale introduction of single-deck low floor buses in
3190-474: The Optare Alero and Hino Poncho . Accessibility was previously achieved in paratransit type applications, which use small vehicles with the fitment of special lifts. The inception of small low-floor buses has allowed the development of several accessible demand-responsive transport schemes using standard 'off-the-shelf' buses. A disadvantage of the low floor is accommodating the bus's own wheels. With
3300-560: The Oxford Bus Company , who had nineteen low-roof examples delivered in 2013, and National Express West Midlands , who had eighteen in two batches delivered between 2011 and 2013. 22 were delivered to First West Yorkshire in 2011 for use on the Leeds guided busway , while 14 were delivered to First Greater Manchester , where four were also purchased that year by Bullocks Coaches for use on shuttle services along Oxford Road to
3410-587: The Scania K410EB . Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied buses were mass-introduced on London Buses services from 2001. It has also been popular with FirstGroup , who from 2003 onwards have purchased over 1,200 into service. Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann have also acquired many Volvo B9TLs with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork. The Wright Eclipse Gemini was launched in 2001, initially on the Volvo B7TL chassis, as
Wright Eclipse Gemini - Misplaced Pages Continue
3520-619: The University of Manchester . Smaller operators include Brighton & Hove , who had eleven delivered in 2012, Preston Bus , who had eight delivered in 2013, and Ensignbus , who had five delivered in 2012. Like the Explorer, the Eclipse Gemini 2 was sold in Hong Kong, including a tri-axle variant that replaced the Explorer. Citybus , Kowloon Motor Bus, MTR Bus and New World First Bus purchasing examples. In 2013, Kowloon Motor Bus purchased two extended 12.8 metre long demonstrators. and
3630-635: The Wright Explorer . The original Eclipse Gemini was launched in 2001 on Volvo B7TL chassis; from 2006, the body was also built on the replacement Volvo B9TL chassis and, from 2013, on the B9TL's replacement, the Volvo B5TL . From 2008, the body was also available on Volvo B5LH hybrid chassis. Eclipse Gemini's exported to the Asian market have been offered a choice of the tri-axle Volvo B8L and
3740-623: The AC volvo bus and MW series are served by the Tata Marcopolo buses operated by WBSTC. AC Marcopolo buses serve the MH series route operated by WBHIDCO and the MB series route operated by BHBL. Calcutta State Transport Corporation (CSTC) also run AC Volvo Bus & Ashok Leylan JanBus. In Japan , a low-floor bus is called "non-step bus (ノンステップバス)". Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation used to calling
3850-809: The Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, since 1997 the legislation governs that all buses of lines of "national" jurisdiction (bus lines that circulate within the capital district and/or cross from here to the suburbs). The first low-floor bus produced in Argentina and marketed in this country was the El Detalle OA105, and the first low-floor bus imported by Argentina was the Marcopolo Torino GV Low-Entry brought from Brazil in 1998. Within Paraguay's public transit system, it
3960-562: The B7TL's discontinuation in 2007. The first examples on the following Volvo B9TL chassis entered service with First South Yorkshire and First Glasgow in 2007, subsequently followed by a large order from First Greater Manchester , who ordered over 200 of the type from 2007 to 2010. In London, the Wright Eclipse Gemini on the Volvo B7TL chassis was also highly popular with Transport for London operators, although these buses were
4070-598: The Baltic, the North Sea and the English Channel are using fuels with a sulphur content of no more than 0.10%. Higher sulphur contents are still possible, but only if the appropriate exhaust cleaning systems are in place. Just as important as the regulations are the tests needed to ensure adherence to regulations. These are laid out in standardised emission test cycles used to measure emissions performance against
4180-607: The EU's road and stay there for decades to come." Within the European Union , transport is the biggest emitter of CO 2 , with road transport contributing about 20%. The purpose of Directive 1999/94/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 13 December 1999 relating to the availability of consumer information on fuel economy and CO 2 emissions in respect of the marketing of new passenger cars
4290-425: The Euro 4 stage, but vehicles with direct injection engines are subject to a limit of 0.0045 g/km for Euro 5 and Euro 6. A particulate number standard (P) or (PN) has been introduced in 2011 with Euro 5b for diesel engines and, in 2014, with Euro 6 for petrol engines. From a technical perspective, European emissions standards do not reflect everyday usage of the vehicle as manufacturers are allowed to lighten
4400-699: The Euro 6 limit for NO x , although they conform to official standards. After the postponement in publishing the Euro 7 proposal details by the European Commission, some civil society groups (such as the European Respiratory Society and the European Public Health Alliance ) said in mid-2022: "Every month that the implementation of Euro 7 is delayed due to the late publication of the proposal, 1 million more polluting cars will be placed on
4510-719: The Euro 6 limit. However, some of the vehicles did show reduced emissions, suggesting that real world NO x emission control is possible. In one particular instance, research in diesel car emissions by two German technology institutes found that zero "real" NO x reductions in public health risk had been achieved despite 13 years of stricter standards (2006 report). In 2015, the Volkswagen emissions scandal involved revelations that Volkswagen AG had deliberately falsified emission reports by programming engine management unit firmware to detect test conditions, and change emissions controls when under test. The cars thus passed
Wright Eclipse Gemini - Misplaced Pages Continue
4620-539: The European Union has also mandated a number of computer on-board diagnostics for the purposes of increasing safety for drivers. These standards are used in relation to the emissions standards. During the early 2000s, Australia began harmonising Australian Design Rule certification for new motor vehicle emissions with Euro categories. Euro III was introduced on 1 January 2006 and is progressively being introduced to align with European introduction dates. Euro 7
4730-418: The European Union, emissions of nitrogen oxides ( NO x ), total hydrocarbon (THC), non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) are regulated for most vehicle types , including cars, trucks (lorries), locomotives, tractors and similar machinery, barges , but excluding seagoing ships and aeroplanes. For each vehicle type, different standards apply. Compliance
4840-480: The Gemini 3, was launched in 2013 for the new Volvo B5TL chassis, the eventual replacement of the B9TL. The Gemini 3 also remained available on Volvo B5LH hybrid chassis. Some design features were taken from the New Routemaster , another Wrightbus design. The two most noticeable aesthetic changes were a substantial redesign of the rear end and the introduction of smaller upper deck windows to save weight;
4950-755: The UK market. Dublin Bus purchased 160 during 2012 and 2013. The Volvo B5LH with Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodywork was popular with Arriva UK Bus , with 77 examples delivered to group subsidiaries between 2012 and 2013. 44 were delivered to Arriva North West , 33 of which were for use in Merseyside and the remaining eleven delivered for use in Manchester, 12 were delivered to Arriva Yorkshire , eleven were delivered to Arriva Southern Counties and ten were delivered to Arriva North East . Elsewhere, operators of Volvo B5LHs with Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodywork include
5060-495: The United Kingdom in 1995, after many small-scale demonstrator usages. Low floor buses were rapidly introduced on high-profile routes, notably becoming a requirement for London Buses contracts. The Optare Solo introduced in 1997 marked another step change with inroads into smaller usages traditionally served by minibuses . The final phase came with low floor double-deckers the Dennis Trident 2 and Volvo B7TL entering
5170-465: The United Kingdom voluntarily agreed to put a more "consumer-friendly", colour-coded label displaying CO 2 emissions on all new cars beginning in September 2005, with a letter from A (<100 CO 2 g/km) to F (186+ CO 2 g/km). The goal of the new "green label" is to give consumers clear information about the environmental performance of different vehicles. Other EU member countries are also in
5280-565: The Volvo B5LH chassis between 2016 and 2017. Smaller orders for the facelift Gemini 3 on the Volvo B5TL chassis, meanwhile, include the University of Wolverhampton , who took delivery of five Gemini 3s for shuttle services between the university's campuses in 2017, and Sanders Services , who took delivery of two of the type in 2021. The first three-axle Volvo B8L delivered to SBS Transit in Singapore in 2017 received Gemini 3 bodywork and
5390-890: The Volvo B5TL chassis for use on the operator's Lakesider sightseeing service in the Lake District in 2017, and Stagecoach East received six B5TL Gemini 3 open-toppers in 2018 for its City Sightseeing operations in Cambridge . Translink, who were a launch customer for the facelift Wright Gemini 3, standardised on both pre and post-facelift Gemini 3s on the Volvo B5TL chassis, with a majority being delivered to Metro for use in Belfast . Ten facelift Gemini 3s were also delivered in May 2017 for Airport Express services serving Belfast International Airport . Transdev Blazefield first took delivery of 14 high-specification facelift Gemini 3s on
5500-483: The Volvo B5TL chassis in 2014, and Yellow Buses took delivery of eight Gemini 3s on Volvo B5TL chassis in 2015. Delaine Buses purchased three Wright Gemini 3-bodied B5TLs between 2015 and 2017. In 2014, to coincide with the launch of the integral Wright StreetDeck , the Gemini 3 underwent a facelift. Both the front and rear ends were substantially redesigned to match the StreetDeck. Lothian Buses took delivery of
5610-776: The Volvo B5TL chassis to upgrade their 36 service in 2016, which was followed by the purchase of ten similar buses for the Yorkshire Coastliner service in 2016. Both services received three more Gemini 3s in 2017. First Greater Manchester purchased 20 facelift Gemini 3s on Volvo B5LH hybrid chassis in 2015 for use on Transport for Greater Manchester -contracted Vantage services on the Leigh-Salford-Manchester Bus Rapid Transit scheme, with five more acquired in 2016 to cope with increasing demand. Arriva Merseyside also received 51 facelift Gemini 3s built with low-height bodies on
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#17327945460075720-869: The Volvo B7TL chassis in 2005, which were used on the X10 express service connecting Newcastle upon Tyne and Middlesbrough ; this was followed in 2006 by an order for five B7TL Geminis for use on the 724 service connecting Newcastle and Chester-le-Street . East Yorkshire Motor Services purchased a total of 60 Wright Eclipse Geminis on both the Volvo B7TL and B9TL chassis between 2005 and 2009, including four for its Manchester-based Finglands Coachways operation, and Lincolnshire RoadCar took delivery of six Wright Eclipse Geminis on Volvo B7TL chassis for Lincolnshire InterConnect services in 2006. The Blazefield Group first ordered Wright Eclipse Geminis in 2003, ordering twelve Volvo B7TLs with high-specification interiors for use on The 36 , serving Ripon , Harrogate and Leeds . This
5830-408: The Volvo B7TL chassis was similarly popular with Travel West Midlands , taking delivery of 150 of the type between 2004 and 2006, as well as Translink of Northern Ireland, who took delivery of 125 Geminis on Volvo B9TL chassis during 2007 for use by both its Metro and Ulsterbus companies. Go North East initially took delivery of three Wright Eclipse Geminis with high specification interiors on
5940-898: The WBSTC. These buses connects places like the Kolkata Airport , Barasat (Capital Town of North Suburb), New Town , Salt Lake , Howrah , Santragachi (a station on the Howrah-Kharagpur railway line), Kudghat and Tollygunge . The road network in Kolkata is vast. Under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, air conditioned buses have been included as a part of travel comfort to commuters. Air-conditioned buses are operated by West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation (WBSTC) directly & through outsourcing. These buses are served by Tata Marcopolo Buses and Volvo Low Floor Buses. The V Series and VS series bus routes are served by
6050-554: The amount of g/km of exceeded. The 2009 regulation set a 2015 target of 130 g/km for the fleet average for new passenger cars. A similar set of regulations for light commercial vehicles was set in 2011, with an emissions target of 175 g/km for 2017. Both targets were met several years in advance. A second set of regulations, passed in 2014, set a 2021 target of average CO 2 emissions of new cars to fall to 95 g/km by 2021, and for light-commercial vehicles to 147 g/km by 2020. In April 2019, Regulation (EU) 2019/631
6160-490: The cars were first regulated. In further difference to passenger cars (where three-way catalytic converters were de facto required from Euro I), it was first with the introduction of the Euro III emissions standard in 2006 that motorcycles were de facto required to use three-way catalytic converters. With the introduction of Euro V, standard two-stroke engine motorcycles are challenged by the strict HC and PM emissions limits. It
6270-472: The chassis. Deliveries commenced in 2006 with an initial batch of 64 Wright-bodied B9TLs. After the introduction of Euro IV-engined Volvo B9TL, this bodywork became known as the Eclipse Gemini tri-axle, but no bodywork carrying this name were known to have been built. The second generation Wright Eclipse Gemini, called the Eclipse Gemini 2, was launched in 2008 on Volvo B9TL and B5LH chassis. The Eclipse Gemini 2 features front and rear ends facelifted to match
6380-542: The city center. Low-floor buses have become popular on the Structural and Regional Articulation lines, and have been a mandatory model to be purchased for these since 2015. Until then, exceptions for local lines with low-floor buses were rare, but this has been changing since 2019 and especially since 2023. In 2023, the city banned the purchase of new diesel buses. With the mandatory use of electric buses, new buses on local lines are also being made with low floors, as there
6490-502: The conventional buses. A revamp plan is underway to improve bus-shelters in the city and to integrate GPS systems in DTC buses and bus stops so as to provide reliable information about bus arrivals. The Delhi Government decided to expedite this process and procured 6,600 low floor buses for the DTC before commonwealth games in 2010. Kolkata has an extensive network of government run buses. Recently air-conditioned buses have been introduced by
6600-571: The definition of the standard. These limits supersede the original directive on emission limits 70/220/EEC. The classifications for vehicle category are defined by: Emission standards for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles are summarized in the following tables. Since the Euro 2 stage, EU regulations introduce different emission limits for diesel and petrol vehicles. Diesels have more stringent CO standards but are allowed higher NO x emissions. Petrol-powered vehicles are exempted from particulate matter (PM) standards through to
6710-500: The direct responsibility of the companies involved, the authors blamed the violations on a number of factors, including "unrealistic test conditions, a lack of transparency and a number of loopholes in testing protocols". In 2017, the European Union introduced testing in real-world conditions called Real Driving Emissions (RDE), using portable emissions measurement systems in addition to laboratory tests. The actual limits will use 110% (CF=2.1) "conformity factor" (the difference between
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#17327945460076820-445: The doors, where wheelchairs , walkers , strollers/prams, and where allowed even bicycles, can be parked. This is sometimes not the only purpose of this area, though, as many operators employ larger standee areas for high occupancy at peak times. Despite the space existing, operators may also insist that only one or two wheelchairs or pushchairs can be accommodated unfolded, due to space/safety concerns. Low floors can be complemented by
6930-463: The dynomometer tests. RDE not to exceed limits have then been updated to take into account different test conditions such as PEMS weight (305–533 kg in various ICCT testing ), driving in the middle of the traffic, road gradient, etc. ADAC also performed NO x emission tests with a cycle representative of the real driving environment in the laboratory. Among the 69 cars tested: Since 2012, ADAC performs regular pollutant emission tests on
7040-411: The end of 2005, 10 years ahead of the national requirement. London was one of the first major cities in the world to have a fully accessible bus fleet. Due to the deregulated nature of the public transport system in the UK, adoption of the higher cost low floor buses was usually in conjunction with some sort of grant or quality partnership with a local authority , as the profitability of many routes
7150-446: The enforced sale of non-compliant existing vehicles, allowing operators to retain a high floor vehicle until "the end of their economic life". In reality, as the prevalence of low floor buses spreads, combined with grants/incentives, it is likely that the prevalence of high floor vehicles in the national fleet will markedly reduce before all buses were de-registered by 27 October 2014. In the past, in times of reduced economic investment, it
7260-499: The engine control system would recognise that the vehicle was being tested, and would automatically switch to a mode optimised for emissions performance. The use of a defeat device is expressly forbidden in EU law. An independent study in 2014 used portable emissions measurement systems to measure NO x emissions during real world driving from fifteen Euro 6 compliant diesel passenger cars. The results showed that NO x emissions were on average about seven times higher than
7370-415: The front light clusters were also slightly redesigned, in order to incorporate separate LED daytime running lights for the first time. The majority of orders for the pre-facelift Wright Gemini 3 were placed by Dublin Bus , who have taken over 600 of the type on from 2014 onwards, the majority of which were built on the Volvo B5TL chassis. Some of these have since transferred to Go-Ahead Ireland following
7480-747: The halts. The corporation also had tried Mercedes-Benz Low-Floor buses as well as Ashok Leyland ULE coaches, but chose to stick to the Volvo offering. In order to keep the bus ticket prices low, the BMTC operates the majority of their services using Non-Airconditioned Semi-Low Floor (SLF) buses that have a floor height of 650mm as against the 400mm floor height of the true Low-Floor buses. These buses are from Ashok Leyland and Tata Motors, with future procurements planned to be from Eicher (VECV). These cheaper alternative to low-floor buses do not have kneeling or wheel-chair accessible ramps, but they have air suspension and use
7590-401: The interior floor that is placed at a higher height. Being low-floor improves the accessibility of the bus for the public, particularly the elderly and people with disabilities , including those using wheelchairs and walkers . Almost all are rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout . Low-floor buses are generally divided into two major types: fully low-floor buses with a low floor throughout
7700-536: The laboratory test and real-world conditions) in 2017, and 50% (CF=1.5) in 2021 for NO x , conformity factor for particles number P being left for further study. Environment organisations criticized the decision as insufficient, while ACEA mentions it will be extremely difficult for automobile manufacturers to reach such a limit in such short period of time. In 2015, an ADAC study (ordered by ICCT ) of 32 Euro 6 cars showed that few complied with on-road emission limits, and LNT/ NOx adsorber cars (with about half
7810-402: The lack of steps, studies have found the opposite effect in the UK. This is apparently due to the prevailing system of operation where passengers enter and exit through one single front door. It has been suggested that the previous 1980s/90s high floor step entrance buses which featured a centre rail, encouraged a bi-directional flow of entering and exiting passengers simultaneously. The removal of
7920-516: The length of the bus (more popular in Europe ), and low-entry buses with step-free access to only a part of the bus, most commonly between the front door and the middle door (more popular in North America). In North America, both types are commonly called low-floor, as the majority of the vehicle has a low floor, without steps at the doors. The main reason for choosing a low-entry configuration
8030-423: The low floor, the wheels protrude into the passenger cabin, and need to be contained in wheel pockets of waist height, and this occupies space which would otherwise be used for seating. To allow space for technical equipment, many low-floor buses have the seats mounted on podiums, making a small step up from the floor, while others are able to mount the seats directly to the floor, avoiding the step. Seating layout for
8140-698: The luggage bin. These buses also lack the ability to have a center door. Many bus rapid transit systems employ a level boarding by using high-floor buses stopping at "station" style bus stops. Specially raised sections of curb may also be used to achieve accessibility with lesser low floor models, although this is more expensive for the operator, and only attractive for regular busy scheduled routes. For infrequent routes or routes with hail and ride sections, or demand responsive transport , raised curbs would only be feasible in terminuses . Some transit agencies refused to order low-floor buses altogether, such as New Jersey Transit and MUNI owing to terrain conditions in
8250-469: The market) had the highest emissions. At the end of this study, ICCT was expecting a 100% conformity factor. NEDC Euro 6b not to exceed limit of 80 mg/km NO x will then continue to apply for the WLTC Euro 6c tests performed on a dynomometer while WLTC-RDE will be performed in the middle of the traffic with a PEMS attached at the rear of the car. RDE testing is then far more difficult than
8360-547: The mass market, even though they were introduced after the Optare Spectra . London Buses was one of the earliest major users of low-floor buses, with the first low-floor single decker vehicles entering service in 1993 and the first low-floor double decker vehicles entering service in 1998. Following withdrawal of older, high-floor vehicles such as the AEC Routemaster , the bus fleet became fully accessible at
8470-436: The pole to allow wheelchair/buggy access created the situation where the quintessentially polite British bus passenger would wait for all passengers to alight before boarding, leading to an increase in dwell times . Moscow was the first city to introduce low floor as the compulsory requirement for the suppliers of the city buses. By 2005 a few hundreds of low-floor buses started intra-metropolitan service. At first, PAZ-3237
8580-518: The process of introducing consumer-friendly labels. European Union Directive No 443/2009 set a mandatory average fleet CO 2 emissions target for new cars, after a voluntary commitment made in 1998 and 1999 by the auto industry had failed to reduce emissions by 2007. The regulation applies to new passenger cars registered in the European Union and EEA member states for the first time. A carmaker who fails to comply has to pay an "excess emissions premium" for each vehicle registered according with
8690-535: The rear axle is not an issue on a low-entry bus. Many low-floor buses, including the Irisbus Citelis (also in Skoda 24Tr trolleybus version), have the engine in a vertical cabinet at the rear of the bus. Van Hool have a series of "side-engine mid-drive" buses that puts the engine off to one side of the cabin longitudinally between the first and the second axle, to maximize usable cabin space. The same concept
8800-506: The rear end of the bus. The same applies to trolley buses that are mostly of low-floor design. Other cities that use low-floor buses on the regular routes are Kazan , Sochi , Tyumen , Pskov and more. Most of these vehicles are domestically manufactured by LiAZ , GAZ , KAMAZ and Volgabus . In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act is credited with motivating the development of low-floor buses, directly affecting
8910-408: The regions to the center, or connect two large terminals of two regions passing through the center Regional Articulation, which connect distant neighborhoods to the center without passing through large terminals, or connect two distant neighborhoods passing through important regions. Locations/distributors, which connect neighborhoods to large terminals or stations. None of these lines pass through
9020-626: The regulatory thresholds applicable to the tested vehicle. Since the Euro 3 regulations in 2000, performance has been measured using the New European Driving Cycle test (NEDC; also known as MVEG-B), with a " cold start " procedure that eliminates the use of a 40-second engine warm-up period found in the ECE+EUDC test cycle (also known as MVEG-A). The two groups of emissions standards for heavy duty vehicles each have different appropriate test requirements. Steady-state testing
9130-467: The relocation of the rear number plate from its integrated position with the upper rear window to a more conventional siting at the bottom of the bus. The first-generation Wright Eclipse Gemini was highly popular with the FirstGroup , with the group ordering examples from 2004 onwards. Wright Eclipse Geminis on the Volvo B7TL chassis entered service with First Glasgow , First West and South Yorkshire , and First Leicester , among others, between 2004 and
9240-411: The results are much more nuanced and subtle. Some Euro 6 diesel cars perform as well as the best hybrid petrol cars; some other recent Euro 6 petrol indirect injection cars perform as the worst Euro 5 diesel cars; finally some petrol hybrid cars are at the same level as the best Euro 5 diesel cars. Tests commissioned by Which? from the beginning of 2017 found that 47 out of 61 diesel car models exceed
9350-694: The retendering of Dublin Bus services to the new company by the National Transport Authority . In London, pre-facelift Wright Gemini 3s on the Volvo B5LH chassis were delivered to Stagecoach London , who took delivery of 32 of the type in 2014 for service on route 53 ; these were subsequently disposed of to Arriva London in 2018. Metroline, meanwhile, took delivery of 95 B5LHs with pre-facelift Wright Gemini 3 bodies, and in 2015, London United took delivery of 28 Gemini 3s, with Tower Transit also taking delivery of eleven Gemini 3s. Lothian Buses purchased 25 pre-facelift Wright Gemini 3s on
9460-566: The same or better seats as those found in the Volvo buses. They also feature manual transmission as against automatic transmission With the introduction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the development of dedicated corridors for the service, bus service is set to improve. The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has started introducing air-conditioned buses and brand new low-floor buses (with floor height of 400 mm (15.75 in) and even higher on one third area as against 230 mm (9.06 in) available internationally) on city streets to replace
9570-558: The same year, the first low floor bus specification was drafted by DPTAC. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 provided for the completion of the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000, which specified that all new public service vehicles over 22 seats should be low floor from 31 December 2000, with smaller vehicles mandated from 1 January 2005. The 2000 regulations do not require retro-fitting of pre-existing vehicles or
9680-558: The service area. DART still has a preference for high floor buses. Although New York City Transit runs some 40-foot low-floors, it originally refused to order low-floor buses, namely D60LFs from New Flyer , after the D60HF, a high floor model, was discontinued mid-delivery. However, they have demonstrated both the D60LF and NovaBus LFSA, the latter of which they have decided to order. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation Bangalore
9790-613: The standardized design of the Transbus Program , which concluded with the introduction of so-called 'interim' Advanced Design Buses with a lower floor height but which required lifts to board passengers in wheelchairs. The first low-floor (low-entry) buses to be delivered were the New Flyer Low Floor D40LF, to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1991. The New Flyer LF was derived from
9900-833: The subject of criticism for noise from their cooling fans. Arriva London were the launch customer for the Wright Eclipse Gemini, taking on its first two of the type in July 2001, one of which was displayed at the 2001 International Association of Public Transport conference at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre . Arriva London would go on to operate a total 179 Wright Eclipse Geminis on the Volvo B7TL chassis, while 273 B7TL Geminis were delivered to Go-Ahead London Central and London General , 209 to First Capital , 73 to Travel London , 44 to East Thames Buses and three delivered to London United . A single Euro IV Volvo B9TL demonstrator with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork
10010-507: The subject of noise complaints, was superseded by the Volvo B9TL , with Wrightbus launching a facelifted version of the Wright Eclipse Gemini to fit the new chassis. The updated styling was largely confined to the rear of the body, where it has a more rounded appearance compared to the original and a central LED route number panel, housed within a smoked glass effect panel underneath the upper rear window. Other external modifications included
10120-411: The test, but in real world conditions, emitted up to forty times more NO x emissions than allowed by law. An independent report in September 2015 warned that this extended to "every major car manufacturer", with BMW , and Opel named alongside Volkswagen and its sister company Audi as "the worst culprits", and that approximately 90% of diesel cars "breach emissions regulations". Overlooking
10230-423: The twin-axle Scania K410EB chassis. These were delivered sometime in 2020 and were unveiled in 2021. Competitors: [REDACTED] Media related to Wright Eclipse Gemini at Wikimedia Commons Low-floor bus A low-floor bus is a bus or trolleybus that has no steps between the ground and the floor of the bus at one or more entrances, and low floor for part or all of the passenger cabin. A bus with
10340-548: The use of new land surface vehicles sold in the European Union and European Economic Area member states and the United Kingdom, and ships in EU waters. The standards are defined in a series of European Union directives staging the progressive introduction of increasingly stringent standards. Euro 7, agreed in 2024 and due to come into force in 2026, includes non-exhaust emissions such as particulates from tyres and brakes. Until 2030 fossil fuelled vehicles are allowed to have dirtier brakes than electric vehicles. In
10450-409: The vehicle by removing the back seats, improve aerodynamics by taping over grilles and door handles, or reduce the load on the generator by switching off the headlights, the passenger compartment fan, or simply disconnecting the alternator which charges the battery. The Euro emissions regulations for two and three wheelers (motorcycles) were first introduced in 1999 — some seven years after
10560-483: Was adopted, which introduced CO 2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles for 2025 and 2030. The new Regulation went into force on 1 January 2020, and has replaced and repealed Regulation (EC) 443/2009 and (EU) No 510/2011. The 2019 Regulation set new emission targets relative to a 2021 baseline, with a reduction of the average CO 2 emissions from new cars by 15% in 2025, and by 37.5% in 2030. For light-commercial vehicles
10670-482: Was also made available on the hybrid Volvo B5LH chassis in 2008. The first six hybrid Eclipse Geminis were delivered to Arriva London in 2009. Between 2003 and 2005, Wrightbus bodied 100 Volvo Super Olympian chassis for Kowloon Motor Bus in Hong Kong; these received a modified version of the Eclipse Gemini body, initially marketed as The Wright Bus but later being renamed the Wright Explorer. The bodywork
10780-436: Was also utilized by Volvo on their B9S articulated chassis. For smaller buses, such as midibuses , the low-floor capability is achieved by placing the front wheels ahead of the entrance. One of the last types of buses to gain low-floor accessibility as standard was the minibus , where a similar front-wheel arrangement allows around 12 seats and a wheelchair space to be accommodated in very small low-floor minibuses , such as
10890-762: Was delivered in mid-2014. Citybus took an example of the 12.8 metres long as well and was delivered in late-2013, with build quality issues delaying the registration process and eventually put into service in March 2015. In 2017, the first demonstrator Volvo B8L for Kowloon Motor Bus was fitted with an Eclipse Gemini 2 body. Between 2010 and 2017, SBS Transit and Land Transport Authority took delivery of 1,606 Eclipse Gemini 2s, being delivered as knock-down kits and locally assembled by ComfortDelGro Engineering . As of 2017, they are operated by Go-Ahead Singapore , SBS Transit , SMRT Buses and Tower Transit Singapore . The third generation Wright Eclipse Gemini, now called simply
11000-516: Was delivered to London Central in July 2006, however orders did not materialise. Lothian Buses were another popular customer of the Wright Eclipse Gemini, initially ordering 125 on the Volvo B7TL chassis between 2005 and 2006, having previously standardised with the Plaxton President on the Dennis Trident chassis. The company moved onto the Volvo B9TL chassis in 2007, taking on a first batch of 50 that year. The Wright Eclipse Gemini on
11110-457: Was followed by a delivery of 16 Geminis on B7TL chassis in 2005 for use on The Witch Way , serving Burnley and Manchester . Ten Wright Eclipse Geminis on Volvo B9TL chassis were later delivered to Yorkshire Coastliner in 2008. Smaller operators of Wright Eclipse Geminis included Yellow Buses , who took delivery of six B7TL Wright Eclipse Geminis, and Wessex Bus , who took delivery of seven B9TL Geminis during 2007. The Wright Eclipse Gemini
11220-469: Was formally approval by EU countries in April 2024. The stages are typically referred to as Euro 1, Euro 2, Euro 3, Euro 4, Euro 5 and Euro 6 for Light Duty Vehicle standards. The legal framework consists in a series of directives, each amendments to the 1970 Directive 70/220/EEC. The following is a summary list of the standards, when they come into force, what they apply to, and which EU directives provide
11330-479: Was implemented in two stages, with Stage I implemented in 1999 and Stage II implemented between 2001 and 2004. In 2004, the European Parliament adopted Stage III/IV standards. The Stage III standards were further divided into Stage III A and III B, and were phased in between 2006 and 2013. Stage IV standards are enforced from 2014. Stage V standards are phased in from 2018 with full enforcement from 2021. As of 1 January 2015, EU Member States have to ensure that ships in
11440-469: Was modified to fit the Super Olympian chassis, with the most noticeable difference being the tri-axle layout. The last Volvo Super Olympian to roll off the production line received Wright Explorer bodywork. Subsequently, the Super Olympian was replaced by a tri-axle variant of the Volvo B9TL . Wrightbus offered similar tri-axle bodywork, which was unnamed and had slightly different rear styling, to
11550-574: Was not high enough to justify conversion based purely on increased revenue. It has been reported however that adoption of so-called Easy Access buses does have a positive effect of ridership and revenue levels. Under the Transport Act 1985 the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) (or commonly DiPTAC) was established to provide independent consultation on accessibility issues. In
11660-439: Was not uncommon for service buses to be used for 15 to 20 years. While some coaches have been produced with a small front low floor section at the driver's level, most coaches in the UK are being made accessible through the use of wheelchair lifts , with the 2005 Caetano Levante being one of the largest introductions. While another widely stated benefit of low floor buses is quicker boarding for able-bodied passengers due to
11770-459: Was not until 2012 that the first low-floor bus in the country were added to its fleet, being a 1999 Marcopolo Viale imported used from Argentina. In São Paulo, low-floor buses began to become popular in the 2000s with the creation of the so-called Sistema Interligado (Interconnected System, in English) which divided bus routes into so-called lines: Structural, which connect the large terminals of
11880-597: Was registered as SG4003D. It failed trials in Singapore as a demonstrator and was subsequently bought over by A&S Transit (now registered as PD169L). Hong Kong's franchised bus operators have also placed orders for Volvo B8Ls with Gemini 3 bodywork – 200 for Kowloon Motor Bus, 10 for Long Win Bus, 46 for Citybus and 7 for New World First Bus. KMB's vehicles entered service in March 2018, with Citybus and New World First Bus's examples entering service in December 2019. Hato Bus ordered 5 sightseeing buses in December 2018 on
11990-532: Was selected for the city centre, while LiAZ-5292 were chosen to serve city outskirts. Later the articulated version of the latter, specifically designed for Moscow, the LiAZ-6213 was introduced. In St.Petersburg the transition to low-floor-only city bus services was completed only by 2021. Besides LiAZ-5292 and LiAZ-6213 and other full low-floor models that account for 85% of the city buses, there are also semi low-floor buses in service, with elevated floor in
12100-404: Was specified to operate B5LH hybrids. The facelift Wright Gemini 3 also can be configured as a purpose-built open top bus . The biggest customer for the open-top Gemini 3 is Lothian Buses, who took 30 examples for use on the company's City Sightseeing , Edinburgh Tour and Majestic Tour operations in 2016. Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire , meanwhile, received seven open-top Gemini 3s on
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