Nova Bus LFS

Last updated
Low Floor Series (LFS)
Nova bus LFS STM 2011 - 4.JPG
3rd generation LFS owned by Société de transport de Montréal.
Overview
Manufacturer Nova Bus
Production1996–present
Assembly Saint-Eustache, Quebec
Plattsburgh, New York
Body and chassis
Class Transit bus
Body style Single-decker rigid bus
Single-decker articulated bus
Doors1 or 2 doors (40’)
2 or 3 doors (62’)
Floor type Low-floor
Powertrain
Engine
Transmission
  • Allison B 400, B 500, B3400XFE, H 40 (40' hybrid) or H 50 (62' hybrid)
  • BAE HDS200 (40' hybrid) or HDS300 (62' hybrid)
  • Voith D864.6
  • ZF EcoLife
Dimensions
Wheelbase
  • 244 in (6.20 m) - 40'
  • 497 in (12.62 m) - 62' (Front-Mid 244 in (6.20 m), Mid-Rear 253 in (6.43 m))
Length40 ft (12.19 m)
62 ft (18.90 m)
Width102 in (2.59 m)
Height124 in (3.15 m) - Diesel
128 in (3.25 m) - Hybrid
Chronology
Predecessor Rapid Transit Series (after 2003)
Classic (transit bus)

The Low Floor Series (LFS) is a series of transit buses manufactured by Nova Bus for North American customers from 1996 to the present. It is produced in 40' rigid and 62' articulated (nominal) lengths with a variety of powertrains, including conventionally-fueled (diesel and natural gas), hybrid diesel-electric, and battery-electric. The LFS is the first transit bus designed by Nova Bus.

Contents

History

Veonn 1257.JPG
Den Oudsten B96  [ nl ] Alliance City, facelifted B90
CTA bus line 56.jpg
NovaBus LFS (Gen 2) for Chicago Transit Authority

Development

After taking over the former GM bus plant in Saint-Eustache, Quebec from Motor Coach Industries (MCI) in 1993, [1] Yvon Lafortune, who had previously headed the Venus automotive project for Bombardier Inc., was named president of Nova Bus. [2]

Nova Bus management was invited by the Quebec government to design and produce a low-floor bus similar to the style popular in the European market. The limited engineering staff that was acquired by Nova Bus along with the bus plant had never before designed a complete bus; the Classic that was still being produced at the time of acquisition was an updated version of the GM New Look bus, which had been designed by General Motors in the late 1950s. [2] After sixteen months of negotiations, nine transit agencies in Quebec placed a final order of 330 Classic buses plus 60 low-floor buses to be delivered at the end of the contract. [2]

Because low-floor buses were uncommon in North America, Nova Bus signed a technology transfer agreement to adapt the Dutch low-floor Den Oudsten Alliance  [ nl ] bus. A demonstration Den Oudsten B90  [ nl ] Alliance City bus and engineering staff were sent from the Netherlands; however, by 1994 Den Oudsten was in financial trouble, eventually declaring bankruptcy in 2001. [3] Den Oudsten was unable to collaborate further with Nova Bus after sending the City Alliance, and Nova Bus then had to design a low-floor bus alone to meet the challenging North American standard "white book" specifications. The New Look-derived Classic used a riveted structure, and the Den Oudsten bus used a welded tubular spaceframe, which required Nova Bus to set up a separate factory to manufacture frames in Saint-François-du-Lac. [2]

Ma pensée était une pensée automobile. Ce n’était pas une pensée de tracteur. [...] J’ai voulu faire quelque chose qui était amical, et un peu naïf. Un accompagnateur. Quelqu’un qui te prend par la main et qui t’amène à ta destination. Les phares, je les voyais comme des yeux grands ouverts. La signature formait comme des narines.

  —Jean Labbé, La Presse, Nov 2019 [2]

Louis Côté was hired as the head of body design. [2] Industrial designer Jean Labbé, who had also worked on the Bombardier Venus, was recruited by Lafortune to design the exterior and layout of the LFS. Labbé deliberately chose automobile-like styling which he intended to be "friendly, and a little naive" with "eyes wide open" and a signature triple-oval "nostril" feature centred under the windshield. [2] Côté modified the design to use an off-the-shelf bumper, as the custom bumper specified by Labbé was thought to be too expensive. [2]

The first LFS prototype was shown at the triennial fall 1994 American Public Transportation Association show in Boston; to meet that deadline, design and fabrication teams worked around the clock. Two prototypes were eventually produced, with one exhibited at APTA '94 in Boston, and the other sent to Altoona for testing. [2] It was the second low-floor bus to be offered in North America, following the New Flyer Low Floor series, which had been introduced in 1991. [4]

In parallel, Detroit Diesel had announced that in 1994, they would begin to wind down production of the Series 71 and Series 92 two-stroke diesel engines which had powered most North American transit buses since the 1950s; the two stroke technology could not be modified to comply with new US EPA regulations, and production ceased in 1998. [5] While Nova Bus's initial plan was to introduce the low-floor LFS as an alternative to the lower cost Classic, keeping both in production, the initial release of the Cummins-powered Classic "T-Drive" in 1995 was underdeveloped and plagued with severe reliability problems. A decision was made to concentrate development resources on the new LFS and to discontinue the Classic as soon as the LFS was in full production.[ citation needed ]

Production

Further development postponed production until 1996. Initially, Nova Bus planned to produce a prototype pilot fleet of 80 LFS buses for evaluation in revenue service by four major Quebec transit properties; the resulting reliability and service data would be used to further refine the design before entering serial production. These plans were canceled by the discontinuation of the Detroit Diesel engines, loss of the Den Oudsten partnership, and trouble-plagued Classic T-Drive launch, and the LFS was pressed into production.

Rear end / taillight evolution
9-924 retired 1999 LFS.jpg
1st gen; cooling access hatch at left and rear window offset right, rectangular taillights
Rutgers LX bus rear.JPG
2nd gen; round taillights
Hillside Av 173rd St td (2018-02-13) 12.jpg
3rd gen; cooling above rear window, full-height taillight panel
Union Tpke 168 St td (2019-11-27) 06.jpg
4th gen; revised cooling unit and taillight panel (sans rear window)

By the time the first LFS (delivered to STCUM as 16-004) [2] entered revenue service at the end of 1996, about 400 LFS were already built, awaiting acceptance from the same Quebec properties. These early LFS were also plagued with reliability and serviceability problems, receiving 2,500 complaints during the first eighteen months of service; [2] but unlike the Cummins-powered Classics, the problems were throughout the bus and not concentrated on the drivetrain.[ citation needed ]

Because the Den Oudsten bus from which it was derived had an option for a third passenger door, the engine compartment of the first generation LFS was displaced towards the driver's side, even though no agency took the third door option on the LFS. In addition, the reduced offset engine space meant that a smaller Cummins engine was fitted, leading some transit agencies to immediately disqualify the LFS from purchase. [2] Frame material was switched to stainless steel in 1998 for the second generation due to premature corrosion of the early LFS buses; of the 451 that had been delivered to STCUM, 400 were scrapped before their mandated 16-year lifetime. [2]

An interest in Nova Bus was acquired by Volvo Buses in 1997; [6] Volvo took full control in 2004, leading to the third generation, which moved the engine to the centreline of the bus and dropped the option for the third door. [2]

To meet 'Buy American' requirements for the United States market, LFS buses were assembled for the Chicago Transit Authority (and other transit agencies) in a plant in Niskayuna, New York until that plant closed in 2002 and Nova Bus withdrew to concentrate on the Canadian market.[ citation needed ] It re-entered the United States market in 2009 after opening a new plant in Plattsburgh, New York. [4] The Chicago order, placed in 1998, was the first major US win for Nova Bus, with more than 400 LFS buses delivered. [2]

By 2019, 12,500 LFS buses had been produced to 125 operators; annual production is approximately 1000 LFS buses per year, and Nova Bus has captured nearly 70% of the Canadian market. [2]

Models

The current LF is offered in several transit bus variants:

ModelLengthType
62|ft|m}}
articulated
LFS Yes check.svg Standard
LFS HEV Hybrid Electric Vehicle
LFS CNG Compressed Natural Gas
LFSe/LFSe+ Battery electric bus

LFS Shuttle and LFS Suburban are additional variants outside of the regular transit bus products offered. The LFS Shuttle and the LFS Suburban have some features from commuter coaches, with all forward-facing seats and no rear exit. In addition, Nova Bus was working on an electric variant with multiple power source options, which came out in 2019 as the LFSe+.

Variants

NovaBus LFS variants
Series GenerationNotes
1st2nd3rd4th
LFS (1996+)
STMbus-1stgen.jpg LFS 2116.jpg STMbus-3rdgen.jpg 2144 Route W.jpg Generations are most easily distinguished by taillight configuration. 3rd & 4th generations have cooling units at rear roof.
Not producedLFSA (2009+)
2012 Novabus LFSA Articulated (5887) lays up at Park Row & Beekman Street.jpg LFSA 5439 with the I love NY code.jpg Articulated, Introduced with 3rd gen.
Not producedLFS Suburban (2005+)
No image available.svg CMBC-R18469.jpg Single-door, intended for longer distance "suburban" routes
LFS HEV (2006+)
Montreal hybrid bus.PNG H9430 at Lougheed.jpg MTA MaBSTOA; 2021 NovaBus LFS HEV 9748 on the M10.jpg 40' rigid Diesel-electric hybrid [7]
Not producedLFSA HEV (2011+)
CT Transit 1102.jpg Cttransit 1429.jpg 62' articulated diesel-electric hybrid
LFX 40' (2009+)
WEGO-Bus-Photo.jpg No image available.svg Bus rapid transit styling, offered with diesel-electric hybrid powertrain
LFX 62' (2011+)
MTA New York City Bus Nova LFX demonstrator 0059.jpg CTfastrak route 101 bus arriving at Flatbush Avenue, June 2017.jpg Bus rapid transit styling, offered with diesel-electric hybrid powertrain
LFSe (2011+)
No image available.svg Nova Bus electric bus.jpg Battery-electric bus, offered only in 40' length. [8] [9]
LFSe+ (2019+)
Not produced RTC 2202 - 3.jpg Battery-electric bus, offered only in 40' length. [8] [9] Improved LFSe, includes modular battery pack with higher capacities. [10]
LFS CNG (2013+)
NFTA-Metro Nova Bus LFS - Flickr - JLaw45 (2).jpg Formerly LFS Natural Gas. Uses compressed natural gas fuel, offered only for 40' length [11]

Generations

The LFS began production in 1995 and has since expanded to the current model range.

LFS regular production series

1st generation (1995-99)

Description:
  • Large, one-piece windshield
  • Large round headlamps
  • Mild steel space frame
  • Full low floor layout with a sloped floor over rear axle
  • Offset T-drive powertrain
TypeModelsExample
(1998 & 1999 shown)
Transit
  • 40 ft (12.2 m) × 102 in (2.59 m)
CABS Nova LFS.jpg

2nd generation (1999-2009)

40' HEV 1st Generation

Description:
  • Restyled rear end
  • Stainless steel space frame
  • Full low floor layout discontinued in 2005 for partial low floor layout (with steps to raised section over rear axle)
  • Headlamp cluster restyled in 2007
  • Hybrid-electric (HEV) powertrain started as an option in 2007
TypeModelsExample
(2007 shown)
Transit
  • 40 ft (12.2 m) × 102 in (2.59 m)
LFS 2116.jpg

3rd generation (2009-13)

40' HEV 2nd Generation
60' HEV 1st Generation
LFX 1st Generation
LFSe 1st Generation
Articulated 1st Generation

Description:
  • Centered T-drive powertrain
  • Cooling system moved to roof to accommodate bulky smog control equipment
  • Taillight configuration updated
  • Flush-mounted windows optional
  • Articulated variant available
  • Restyled front and rear
  • Rear window
  • Floor board material changed from plywood to synthetic honeycomb [12]
  • 60' articulated HEV introduced in 2011
  • LFX 40' introduced in 2009
  • LFX 60' introduced in 2011
  • LFSe introduced in 2011
TypeModelsExample
(2010 shown)
Transit
  • 40 ft (12.2 m) × 102 in (2.59 m)
Guelph Transit 224 in holiday wrap.jpg
Articulated
  • 62 ft (18.9 m) × 102 in (2.59 m)
  • Introduced April 2009
  • Articulated HEV introduced 2011
  • Higher (330 hp) engine rating to address increased weight
RTC parcours801.jpg

4th generation (2013-present)

40' HEV 3rd Generation
Articulated 2nd Generation
60' HEV 2nd Generation
LFX 2nd Generation
LFSe 2nd Generation
LFSe+ 1st Generation
CNG 1st Generation

Description:
  • New rear design for EPA 2013 engines
  • Natural gas offered as fuel option
  • Restyled rear end and interior
  • Features electric cooling fans (prior generations used hydraulic fans)
  • Rear window delete option
  • As of 2018, optional driver's side window without the additional side pillar
  • New A/C unit configuration introduced in 2021 on the MTA's new order of diesel LFS's
  • LFSe+ introduced in 2019
TypeModelsExample
(2016 shown)
Transit
  • 40 ft (12.2 m) × 102 in (2.59 m)
TTC nova 8531 bus finch.jpg
Articulated
  • 62 ft (18.9 m) × 102 in (2.59 m)
  • Higher engine rating to address increased weight
LFSA 5439 with the I love NY code.jpg

See also

Related Research Articles

North American Bus Industries, Inc. (NABI) was a manufacturer of heavy-duty transit buses with its headquarters, bus manufacturing and assembly operations, located in Anniston, Alabama. Its products ranged from 31-feet to 60-feet in length, and were sold to operators throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. NABI's U.S. operations also include an aftermarket parts division in Delaware, Ohio, and an after-sales service center at Mira Loma, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neoplan Transliner (North America)</span> Public transport single-decker bus model

The Neoplan Transliner was a series of related public transport single-decker bus models introduced by Neoplan USA in 1981 and produced until the company declared bankruptcy in 2006. It was available in various lengths ranging from 26 ft (8 m) to 60 ft (18 m) articulated, and was marketed against the Rapid Transit Series, Flxible Metro, Gillig Phantom, New Flyer High Floor, and Orion I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Low-floor bus</span> Bus with no steps between the ground and the interior

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 a partial low floor may also be referred to as a low-entry bus or seldom a flat-floor bus in some locations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nova Bus</span> Canadian bus manufacturer

Nova Bus is a Canadian transit bus manufacturer headquartered in Saint-Eustache, Quebec. Nova is owned by the Volvo Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Transit Commission bus system</span> Bus system serving the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) uses buses and other vehicles for public transportation. In 2018, the TTC bus system had 159 bus routes carrying over 264 million riders over 6,686 kilometres (4,154 mi) of routes with buses travelling 143 million kilometres in the year. As of 2021, the TTC has 192 bus routes in operation, including 28 night bus routes. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 362,041,400, or about 1,240,300 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Réseau de transport de la Capitale</span>

The Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC), the brand name for the Société de transport de Québec, provides urban public transit services in the Quebec City area. It was founded in 2002, continuing the operations of the former Société de transport de la Communauté urbaine de Québec, as the latter was merged into the new Quebec City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hybrid electric bus</span> Bus that combines internal combustion and electric propulsion systems

A hybrid electric bus is a bus that combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. These type of buses normally use a Diesel–electric powertrain and are also known as hybrid Diesel–electric buses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Classic (transit bus)</span> Single-deck bus developed by General Motors Diesel Division

The Classic was a single-deck bus developed by General Motors Diesel from its previous-generation New Look design. The "Classic" was nearly identical to the New Look from the belt rail up, but sported a new front which allowed for a wider front door. The design was originally intended solely for the Canadian market as an alternative to the unpopular Rapid Transit Series (RTS) but ultimately the Classic, produced from 1982 to 1997, met with widespread success in both Canada and the United States. It was available primarily as a 40-foot (12.19 m) long, 102-inch (2.59 m) wide coach, although 16 60-foot (18.29 m) long articulated Classics were manufactured. The design was fairly conservative, yet contemporary and less controversial than the RTS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapid Transit Series</span> American transit bus type

The Rapid Transit Series (RTS) city bus is a long-running series of transit buses that was originally manufactured by GMC Truck and Coach Division during 1977, in Pontiac, Michigan. First produced in 1977, the RTS was GMC's offering of an Advanced Design Bus design and is the descendant of GMC's prototype for the U.S. Department of Transportation's Transbus project. The RTS is notable for its then-futuristic styling featuring automobile-like curved body and window panels; the Advanced Design Buses were meant to be an interim solution between the high-floor transit buses that preceded them, such as the GMC New Look, and modern low-floor buses that would facilitate passenger boarding and accessibility. Most current buses are now made by specialized coach manufacturers with flat sides and windows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orion V</span> Transit bus

The Orion V was a line of rigid high-floor transit buses available in 32', 35', and 40' lengths manufactured by Ontario Bus Industries between 1989 and 2009. The conventionally powered buses, either with longitudinally mounted diesel or natural gas engines, used a T-drive transmission coupling. The Orion V replaced the Orion I, and was in turn replaced by the low-floor Orion VI and Orion VII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orion VI</span> Low-floor transit bus

The Orion VI was a low-floor transit bus available in 40' lengths manufactured by Ontario Bus Industries between 1995 and 2003. The Orion VI was intended to provide an alternative to the existing high-floor Orion V; both the V and VI were replaced by the partially low-floor Orion VII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orion VII</span> Low-floor transit bus

The Orion VII is a line of low-floor transit buses available in 30' rigid, 35' rigid, and 40' rigid lengths manufactured by Daimler Buses North America's subsidiary Orion Bus Industries between 2001 and 2013 in three generations. The conventional powered buses, either with longitudinally-mounted diesel or natural gas engines, used a T-drive transmission coupling. A series hybrid variant powered by a diesel-driven generator was also available. The Orion VII replaced the fully low-floor Orion VI and high-floor Orion V buses, and was manufactured until its parent company DaimlerChrysler withdrew from the transit bus market in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gillig Low Floor</span> American transit bus type

The Gillig Low Floor is a transit bus manufactured by Gillig since 1997. The second low-floor bus design introduced in the United States, the Low Floor originally served as a second product range for the company alongside the Gillig Phantom. As transit bus operators shifted toward low-floor designs, the Low Floor has replaced the Phantom entirely, becoming the sole vehicle platform offered by the company since 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Société de transport de l'Outaouais</span> Transport agency in the Outaouais region of Quebec

Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) is the transit service of the Outaouais region of Quebec. It operates conventional services and the Rapibus, a bus rapid transit service, in Gatineau, Quebec, including the districts of Hull, Aylmer, Gatineau, Buckingham and Masson-Angers. STO provided limited service to Chelsea and Cantley until June 2015 when Transcollines began operations in the Collines de l'Outaouais MRC. STO is located on the Quebec-side of Canada's National Capital Region, and operates several bus routes through Downtown Ottawa, Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Flyer Low Floor</span> American low-floor transit buses

The New Flyer Low Floor is a line of low-floor transit buses that was manufactured by New Flyer Industries between 1991 and 2014. It was available in 30-foot rigid, 35-foot rigid, 40-foot rigid, and 60-foot articulated lengths. In addition to the different available lengths, the buses were sold with a variety of prime movers, ranging from conventional diesel and CNG combustion engines to diesel-electric hybrid, gasoline hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Flyer Invero</span> Motor vehicle

The New Flyer Invero (D40i) is a line of low-floor transit buses that was manufactured by New Flyer Industries between 1999 and 2007. Produced as a 40-foot (nominal) rigid bus, the Invero was typically sold with a conventional diesel combustion engine, although a few diesel-electric hybrids were built, integrated by Stewart & Stevenson. New Flyer introduced the Invero in 1999 with the intent that it would replace the preceding New Flyer Low Floor line, but few Inveros were sold, and the line was discontinued in 2007; in 2008, New Flyer introduced the Xcelsior, replacing both the Low Floor and the Invero lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Flyer High Floor</span> American passenger bus type

The New Flyer High Floor is a line of conventional (high-floor) transit buses available in 35-foot rigid, 40-foot rigid, and 60-foot articulated lengths manufactured by New Flyer Industries between 1987 and 2006. The buses were powered by conventional diesel or natural gas engines using either V-drive or T-drive transmission couplings, with the exception of an articulated electric trolleybus variant manufactured for a single customer, the San Francisco Municipal Railway. The New Flyer Low Floor, a low-floor bus with a similar external appearance, was introduced in 1991 and proved to be more popular than the High Floor, which was discontinued in 1996 in diesel rigid form. CNG high-floor buses continued to be made until 1999, and the articulated version was manufactured until early 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NABI LFW</span> American low-floor transit buses

The NABI LFW is a line of low-floor transit buses available in 30' rigid, 35' rigid, 40' rigid, and 60' articulated lengths manufactured by North American Bus Industries (NABI) between 1997 and 2015. In addition to the different available lengths, the buses were sold with a variety of powertrains, including conventional diesel, LNG, and CNG combustion engines along with a diesel-electric hybrid system

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NABI SFW</span> American standard (high)-floor transit buses

The NABI SFW is a line of standard (high)-floor transit buses available in 40-foot rigid and 60-foot articulated nominal lengths, manufactured by the Ikarus USA joint venture, then by American Ikarus and North American Bus Industries (NABI) between 1989 and 2013. In addition to the different lengths, the buses were sold with a variety of prime movers, including conventional diesel and CNG combustion engines and hybrid diesel-electric power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NABI BRT</span> Motor vehicle

The NABI BRT is a line of low-floor transit buses available in 60' articulated (60-BRT) and later 42' rigid (42-BRT) nominal lengths manufactured by North American Bus Industries (NABI) between 2004 and 2015. In addition to the different available lengths, the buses were sold with a variety of prime movers, ranging from conventional diesel and CNG combustion engines to diesel-electric hybrid.

References

  1. Bow, James (June 25, 2015). "A history of the GM/MCI/Nova buses". Transit Toronto. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Tison, Marc (2 November 2019). "Nova Bus: la lente ascension de l'autobus à plancher bas" [Nova Bus: the slow rise of the low-floor bus]. La Presse (in French).
  3. "History". Den Oudsten Bussen. 2002. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  4. 1 2 Brophy, Jim (June 21, 2016). "Bus Stop Classics: NovaBus LFS – Second Out of the Gate..." Curbside Classic. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  5. "Detroit Diesel to phase down two-stroke engines" (Press release). Dieselnet. July 22, 1998. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  6. "Company Briefs". The New York Times. December 23, 1997. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  7. "LFS HEV - Novabus" . Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  8. 1 2 "It's All in How You Charge It". 2 February 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  9. 1 2 "LFSe - Novabus" . Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  10. "LFSe+". Nova Bus. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  11. "LFS CNG - Novabus" . Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  12. "LFS Diesel - Novabus" . Retrieved 17 October 2018.

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