Transit bus

A city bus or city bus is a bus, which is specially designed for intra- urban passenger transport.

Also trolleybuses based constructively to city buses, take but due to their dependence on contact line a special legal position.

• 3.1 to floor height
• 3.2 based on length

• 4.1 Standing
• 4.2 seats
• 4.3 Motor and Drive
• 4.4 Floor height
• 4.5 Entry and exit
• 4.6 Driver's workplace
• 4.7 Exterior Design

• 5.1 Manufacturer
• 5.2 models

History

The beginnings

The first buses were still not differentiated according to specific application purposes. Except for the designed for urban regular service double decker buses with their designed in the 1920s, low-frame chassis ( and its derived Eindeckbussen ) who used for urban transport buses from the coaches differed until after the Second World War mainly only by other doors ( only sliding, later folding doors ) and a less luxurious amenities. New buildings specifically for urban transport were not invented until the late 1950s.

The time of standard buses

→ Main article: VÖV standard bus

In the postwar period competed a variety of bus manufacturers with very different models. The transport companies were reluctant to caused by very heterogeneous bus fleet efficiency losses and suggested the introduction of a Einheitsbustyps to. In Germany, the Association of Public Transport Companies (VÖV ) developed in collaboration with the major bus manufacturers until 1968 the standard bus I. As a new development was necessary, constructed to the standard bus II Some manufacturers have had to pressure from the motor supplier distance from their standard buses take and offered its own city bus concepts (eg Kässbohrer Setra ), so, however, played only a minor role in the market.

In the Netherlands, also standardization in the 1960s took place, here the bus body manufacturer Hainje (CSA Stadsbus ) and Verheul and the Oudsten were ( Standaard Streekbus ) involved.

The time of the low-floor buses

The first "modern" low- (first generation ) presented with the Neoplan N 814 in 1976 before; However, there were only a few copies are sold. After Kässbohrer 1984 had presented with the Setra S 300 NC another, less successful pioneer, Neoplan tried in 1987 in cooperation with Stadtwerke München a second attempt and continued a stormy development in transition. The then presented Neoplan low-floor was a refinement of the standard bus II The low-floor buses manufactured by Daimler -Benz and MAN 1988-1997 based on the standard II since 1997 have been re-enforced as a third low- generation vendor specific solutions; because as most previous manufacturers have now been disappeared or been taken over, the German market for city buses is essentially divided between two groups; Thus, the argument of the unification is not catchy. Manufacturers are already more concerned to offer especially their own concepts and innovations. Modern city buses are notable warmly decorated interiors, generous glazing and streamlined technology (eg CAN bus systems) from.

Since low-floor technology is expensive, a new trend is emerging in the face of limited public funds recently from: the low-entry bus ( Tiefeinstiegsbus ), in which only the front of the car has a low floor, the rear section only is accessed via steps.

Criticism of newer city buses

A conspicuous feature of recent models is that the number of seats has been reduced. While still 37 or 44 seats and in the low-floor buses of the 1990s (eg MAN NL 202) 33 to 38 seats were still present in the VÖV standard buses I, can be found in the new generation (eg MAN Lion's City or MB Citaro ) only 25 to 30 seats; this, however, the space for strollers and wheelchairs has been extended from 1.2 m up to 2 m wide. By processing defects and a vulnerable avionics new sources of problems are also created.

The destination display has been meanwhile has increased, with some modern and streamlined designed Busfronten but no longer running anti-glare, so that when strong light reflections, the display may not be detected correctly.

Gratifying for the passengers of the present city buses are the low step-in height and often existing air conditioning of the vehicle.

Designs

According to ground level

• High floor: two or more steps from the entrance to the passenger compartment
• Mittelflurbus: a step from the entry to the passenger compartment
• 70 - % low-floor: usually free of steps, engine under the floor in the rear
• 100 - % low-floor: step-free, engine mostly standing sideways
• Low-entry bus ( Tiefeinstiegsbus ) between the axes of low-floor, rear car high corridor

On the length

• Minibus
• Midibus: up to 11 m long
• Two-axle articulated bus: 10 to 13 m long
• Three-axle articulated bus: 13 to 15 m long
• Articulated 16.5 to 20m, even up to 25 m long double articulated bus
• Double-decker (two, three, sometimes even four axes )
• Bus Train: solo bus with bus trailer

Features

City buses are mainly due to two requirements through optimized: high transport capacity and faster boarding and alighting, the latter to keep the former for reasons of economy, in short, the dwell times at bus stops.

Standing

City buses usually have more stand-up than seats, because it can accommodate more in a given area. In contrast, fall over short distances the loss of comfort and the reduced speed limit of less importance. In Germany is usually calculated with four standing passengers per square meter. A typical twelve -meter long city bus has about 70 standing passengers. For standing passengers grab bars are provided. In newer vehicles, they are usually carried out swinging, while handles are no longer common. Usually, special spaces for wheelchairs and strollers are provided in city buses, for which they are provided in recent years with wheelchair backrests.

Seating

The number of seats in city buses is now rather low, typical twelve- meter city buses have 20-40 seats. While in the standard bus I padded bench seats or bucket seats were still common hard plastic, thinly padded individual seats have now enforced with heavy destructible velor upholstery. Typical of city buses is the Vis -à -vis location close to the wheels. An important objective in the design of the seats is the vandalism prevention: In recent years, the so-called conference arrangement came on in the rear. Occasionally seat covers are used with "wild" patterns, where graffiti and tags less noticeable. Experiments with vandal- resistant wooden seats were less successful.

Engine and Transmission

In the early days especially gasoline engines were common for electric motors and gas engines. Since the 1930s, particularly diesel engines are used. First, the engine arranged in the front of the bus. Later, the arrangement continued under the floor by first between the axles, later in the rear. Today engine power of about 200 to 300 hp are common in articulated and double -decker buses up to 400 hp. The most common is still the diesel engine.

Since about 1980 the engine is usually mounted in the rear of the rear carriage also with articulated buses, with better driving stability was achieved through the development of the FFG bend angle control. In such thrust articulated buses were from the beginning automatic transmission common to the shift cables do not have to carry out the joint. Since the 1950s, automatic transmission found in city buses; but they prevailed until the 1980s.

Especially in the 1990s put many cities to low-emission natural gas buses, externally visible to the tanks on the roof. For several years, the spread of natural gas buses is declining again, which is at the higher purchase price as well as to changes in fuel costs and taxes. Widespread, especially in Scandinavia is biogas and ethanol drive. The hybrid drive only starts to prevail. Meanwhile, in numerous German cities hybrid buses to be found in trial operation: The pioneers were from 2005 Munich and Nuremberg in 2006 with a vehicle of the MAN brand, and since 2007 Dresden and Leipzig with Solaris vehicles; have moved to other cities and manufacturers have followed suit.

Floor height

Previously dominated high-floor models at the city buses. Since the 1990s, however, almost exclusively low-floor buses with about 32 cm of ground level be ordered on road surface because they are disabled and enable a more rapid exchange of passengers in Germany for city traffic. The central corridor construction could not prevail in Germany. In Germany, the engine is still mostly arranged under the floor in the rear even with low-floor vehicles, so that the center aisle to rise from about the middle of the vehicle. Less common are 100 percent low- floor buses, in which the motor is (usually at the rear) arranged standing sideways, but this usually entails a loss of usable space with them. Such vehicles often have a third door in the rear.

Growing success recorded the low-entry buses ( low entry buses), which combine the front car of a low-floor bus with the rear car of a high -floor bus, the rear portion of the interior on stage is reached.

Entry and exit

Width of entry and exit are essential for the rapid exchange of passengers. Solo buses usually have two double doors, articulated buses two double doors in the front and one on the trailer. Less common are solo buses with three double doors and articulated buses with four or five double doors. In the Mediterranean countries even solo buses occur with four double doors. In contrast, the British and Irish transport companies prefer buses, also double-decker, with only one door, only in big cities like London and city buses with two doors are used.

Are widely used despite their obvious disadvantages still inward opening inward-swinging doors, as opening and closing the outer swing doors used especially for regional buses take much longer. The sliding doors also used in buses for several years, combining the advantages of both other types, however, are significantly more expensive, so that today often front inward swinging doors and rear sliding doors are used. Fold ramps are today for wheelchairs and pushchairs manually provided. Motorized retractable versions could not prevail for cost and maintenance reasons; because will allow dirt or moisture in the suspension of the ramp, these works often no longer function properly, can no longer be retracted and the journey has to be interrupted.

Driver's workplace

In addition to proprietary solutions most Busproduzenten offer driver workplaces in accordance with the VDV guidelines. This includes, among other things, the layout of the controls on the dashboard.

Exterior design

City buses are equipped with destination displays. Previously, the patch boxes that plug signs or tracks were included; Today, one finds mostly matrix displays behind the front, side and rear windows. Newer vehicles are also equipped in the interior with passenger information systems. The outsides of the vehicles are often covered with advertising to enable operators additional revenue. It is said, however, that the practice of overstickering of side windows with full advertising is not conducive to the reputation of city buses among the passengers, so it was abandoned in recent years by some transport companies. Others tread the opposite way and wrap their buses in a full advertising, in which the wheels are stuck - but the perforated film used for this obstructs the view of the passengers outside considerably. An insight, for example, to estimate the available space in the bus (even for a wheelchair, a stroller or a bicycle ), is also no longer possible.

Providers and market situation

Manufacturer

The German market is dominated by German manufacturers EvoBus ( Daimler) and MAN dominates. Among the importers of Polish manufacturer Solaris was able to achieve some success in recent years. In midibuses Göppel heard with superstructures on MAN chassis to the main party.

The most important defunct manufacturers were Bussing, Magirus -Deutz ( merged into IVECO, German plant later closed) and Auwärter Neoplan (acquired by MAN).

Models

The main models currently on the market are (in order of distribution):

• Mercedes -Benz Citaro ( low floor ) and Citaro LE ( Low Entry )
• MAN Lion's City ( low floor, midi and double deck ), Lion's City T ( low entry ) and Lion's Classic ( high floor )
• Solaris Urbino II, III Urbino (both low-floor ) and Urbino LE ( Low Entry )
• Neoplan Centroliner ( low floor, midi and double deck ) and has been Centroliner Evolution ( low floor, solo and articulated ), but set of MAN Lion's City in favor of the
• Setra S 415 NF and S 416 NF ( low-floor )
• Volvo 7900 ( low-floor )
• Scania OmniCity ( low floor ) and OmniLink ( Low Entry )

From 1968 to the 1990s, the standard buses were in Germany spread mainly described in the article VÖV bus detail.

Guided bus

An evolution of the classic free steerable city bus is called the guided bus, also called bus trace. Here, the vehicles will be directed by means of a mechanical or optical positive guidance and follow a clearly defined lane. Some of the routes are electrified, in this case it is track trolleybuses.