A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws power from dual overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires, and two trolley poles, are required to complete the electrical circuit. This differs from a tram or streetcar, which normally uses the track as the return path, needing only one wire and one pole. They are also distinct from other kinds of electric buses, which usually rely on batteries. Power is most commonly supplied as 600-volt direct current, but there are exceptions.
An articulated bus, also referred to as a slinky bus, bendy bus, tandem bus, vestibule bus, stretch bus, or an accordion bus, is an articulated vehicle, typically a motor bus or trolleybus, used in public transportation. It is usually a single-decker, and comprises two or more rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint (articulation) enclosed by protective bellows inside and outside and a cover plate on the floor. This allows a longer legal length than rigid-bodied buses, and hence a higher passenger capacity (94–120), while still allowing the bus to maneuver adequately.
The ZiU-5 is a Soviet trolleybus model that was built by the Uritsky factory. The ZiU acronym stands for Zavod imeni Uritskogo, which translates as Plant named after Uritskiy. This model of city trolleybus was in mass production from 1959 to 1972. The total number of ZiU-5s produced exceeded 14,500 vehicles. This allowed the ZiU-5 to become dominant model of trolleybus in Soviet towns and cities of that time. The last vehicles were withdrawn from active service in the mid-1980s. The small number of surviving vehicles are kept now for museum purposes.
ZiU-9, or ZIU-9 is a Soviet trolleybus. Other names for the ZiU-9 are ZiU-682 and HTI-682. The ZiU acronym stands for Zavod imeni Uritskogo, which is a factory named after Moisei Uritsky, the Russian revolutionary. Before 1996 this acronym was also a trademark of the vehicle manufacturer Trolza. The ZiU-9 was first built in 1966, although it was only put into mass production in 1972 and it was still assembled along with other more advanced trolleybus vehicles in the Trolza factory until 2015. The total number of produced ZiU-9s exceeds 42,000 vehicles making it the most produced trolleybus in the world. In addition, many copies of ZiU-9 were made in other factories of the former Soviet bloc.
The GM "Buffalo" bus is a colloquial term referring to several models of intercity motorcoaches built by the GM Truck and Coach Division at Pontiac, Michigan, between 1966 and 1980. "Buffalo" coaches have a stepped roof in front, and the first three rows of seats are at different levels, mounted on stepped floors resembling some types of theater seating.
OJSC "Holding Management Company "Belkommunmash", is a Belarusian manufacturer of electric public transport vehicles. The enterprise was based on a tram and trolleybus repair facility which was opened in 1973. Today it is the leading industrial enterprise in Belarus in the field of manufacture and major overhaul of rolling stock for electric transportation in cities. Trolleybuses manufactured by Belkommunmash are operated in 7 cities in Belarus and over 40 cities in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Mongolia, Moldova, Argentina, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
Rocar was a van, light truck, bus and trolleybus manufacturer based in Bucharest, Romania. The firm also produced light offroad vehicles and later heavy road vehicles. During its existence, the company produced over 350,000 vehicles.
Ikarbus IK-202 is an articulated city bus built by the Serbian bus manufacturer Ikarbus from 1996 until 2005.
Vologda Mechanical Plant since 2019 officially named Trans-Alpha is a Russian machine company located in the city of Vologda, specializing in the production of public vehicles: trolleybuses and buses. Managed by the Open Joint Stock Company "Trans-Alpha".
The New Flyer Xcelsior is a line of transit buses available in 35-foot rigid, 40-foot rigid, and 60-foot articulated nominal lengths manufactured by New Flyer Industries since 2008. In addition to the different available lengths, the buses are sold with a variety of propulsion systems: conventional diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), diesel-electric hybrid, hydrogen fuel cell, overhead electric wire and battery electric. A future autonomous bus variant was announced in January 2021.
Karosa B 732 is an urban bus produced from 1983 to 1997 by bus manufacturer Karosa from the Czech Republic. It was succeeded by Karosa B 932 in 1997.
Karosa C 734 is an intercity bus produced from 1981 to 1996 by bus manufacturer Karosa from the Czech Republic. It was succeeded by Karosa C 934 in 1996.
Karosa LC 735 is a long-distance coach produced from 1983 to 1991 by bus manufacturer Karosa from the Czech Republic. It was succeeded by Karosa LC 736 in 1991.
The Škoda 32Tr SOR is a full-sized low-entry trolleybus produced in cooperation of Škoda Electric and SOR, which supplies the body based on the bus SOR NS 12.
The MAZ-215 is a Belarusian low-floor articulated bus from the Minsk Automobile Plant. The vehicle is an articulated bus with a driven central axle and corresponding to a drive formula of 6 × 2 (2). It is the successor of the MAZ-205.
The Chollima-091 (Korean: 천리마-091) is a high-floor, articulated trolleybus built from 2009 to 2018 by Pyongyang Trolleybus Factory for the Pyongyang trolleybus system. The name refers to the Chollima Movement which in itself derives from the mythological Chollima while the model number means year of development 2009, model 1. Since the 1960s, most of the trolleybuses in Pyongyang were named after this mythological creature. It was first produced as a prototype in 2009 and entered mass production in 2010. It is the most common vehicle in Pyongyang's trolleybus network and the vehicle with the most number in service in the DPRK.
The LAZ-699 is a Soviet intercity bus which was built in the Ukrainian city of Lviv between 1964 and 2002. It was modeled on the LAZ-697 and lengthened by one section as a luxury vehicle and, later, transport for astronauts on the Baikonur Cosmodrome. A number of prototypes were produced before mass production began in 1985, coinciding with the cancellation of the LAZ-697.
The Chollima-321 (Korean: 천리마-321) is a North Korean trolleybus with battery power built by the Pyongyang Trolley Bus Factory. The name 'Chollima' refers to a myth about a winged horse that has since been adopted as the name of North Korea's Stakhanovite movement. The production of the Chollima-321 production replaced the Chollima-091 articulated trolleybus, due to the need to replace older Chollima-961, -951, Ikarus and Karosa bus based trolleybuses. The trolleybus features on a 50 won stamp.
Etalon T121/T122 Barvinok (periwinkle) is a Ukrainian low-entry trolleybus of large capacity, produced at the Chernihiv Bus Factory since 2013. This model was based on the BKM-321 trolleybus using the body of the BAZ A111 bus. There are currently 43 trolleybuses in operation.
The MTB-82 is the designation of a type of Soviet trolleybus. The rigid buses were initially developed and manufactured by the Savod No. 82 armaments plant in the Moscow suburb of Tushino. In 1951, series production was transferred to the civilian company Sawod imeni Urizkogo, which was located in the Saratov Oblast, RSFSR. This company currently operates under the name Trolza.
