Single-deck bus

Last updated
A single deck Arriva Low floor Mercedes-Benz Citaro Arriva The Shires 3921 BK58 URO.JPG
A single deck Arriva Low floor Mercedes-Benz Citaro
A single deck Toei Bus Isuzu Erga operating in Tokyo, Japan Zu Li 230a448 Shang 23.jpg
A single deck Toei Bus Isuzu Erga operating in Tokyo, Japan

A single-decker bus or single-decker is a bus that has a single deck for passengers. Normally the use of the term single-decker refers to a standard two-axled rigid bus, in direct contrast to the use of the term double-decker bus, which is essentially a bus with two passenger decks and a staircase. These types of single-deckers may feature one or more doors, and varying internal combustion engine positions. The majority of single-deckers have a length of up to 12 m (39 ft 4 in), although some exceptions of longer buses exist. They also typically weigh between 11 and 14 t (12 and 15 short tons). [1] [2]

Contents

In regions where double-deckers are not common, the term single-decker may lack common usage, as in one sense, all other main types of bus have a single deck. Also, the term may become synonymous with the name transit bus or related terms, which can correctly be applied to double-deckers too.

With the exception of regions of major double deck or articulated bus operation, usually major urban areas such as Hong Kong, cities in the United Kingdom and Singapore, the single decker is the standard mode of public transport bus travel, increasingly with low floor features.

With their origins in van chassis, minibuses are not usually considered single-deckers, although modern minibus designs blur this distinction. Midibuses can also be regarded as both included with and separate from standard single-deckers, in terms of full size length and vehicle weights, although again design developments have seen this distinction blurred. Some coach style buses that do not have underfloor luggage space can also be correctly termed as single-deckers, with some sharing standard bus chassis designs, such as the Volvo B10M, with a different body style applied.

A single deck MCV Evora bodied Volvo B5LH operated by SBS Transit in Singapore. (SGP-Singapore) SBS Transit SG3046L 298X 2024-12-23.jpg
A single deck MCV Evora bodied Volvo B5LH operated by SBS Transit in Singapore.

Notable examples of single-decker buses (excluding coaches, trolleybuses, midibuses and minibuses)

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coach (bus)</span> Bus used for longer-distance service

A coach is a type of bus built for longer-distance service, in contrast to transit buses that are typically used within a single metropolitan region. Often used for touring, intercity, and international bus service, coaches are also used for private charter for various purposes. Coaches are also related and fall under a specific category/type of RVs.

SBS Transit Ltd is a multi-modal public transport operator in Singapore operating bus and rail services. With a majority of its shares owned by Singaporean multinational transport conglomerate ComfortDelGro Corporation at 75%, it was formerly known as Singapore Bus Services before rebranding to SBS Transit on 1 November 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Articulated bus</span> Articulated vehicle used in public transportation

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrightbus</span> Northern Irish bus manufacturer

Wrightbus is a Northern Irish bus manufacturer and a pioneer of the low-floor bus. The company was established in 1946 by Robert Wright and was later run by his son William Wright, until it was acquired in 2019 by British businessman Jo Bamford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volgren</span> Australian bus manufacturer

Volgren is an Australian bus and coach body manufacturer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Switch Mobility</span> British bus manufacturer

Switch Mobility is a British bus manufacturer based in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire. It is a subsidiary of Indian company Ashok Leyland. The company is responsible for the EV operations of the group with Ashok Leyland focusing on its core business of diesel-powered vehicles as well as work on alternative fuels like compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) and hydrogen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midibus</span> Single-decker bus between 8 and 11 metres in length

A midibus is a classification of single-decker minibuses which are generally larger than a traditional minibus but smaller than a full-size single decker and can be anywhere between 8 metres and 11 metres long. While used in many parts of the world, the midibus is perhaps most common in the United Kingdom, where operators have found them more economical, and to have a sufficient number of seats compared to full size single-decker buses.

Walter Alexander Coachbuilders was a Scottish builder of bus and coach bodywork based in Falkirk. The company was formed in 1947 to continue the coachbuilding activities of W. Alexander & Sons when their bus service operation was nationalised. After several mergers and changes of ownership it now forms part of Alexander Dennis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Lancashire Coachbuilders</span> Bus bodywork manufacturer based in Blackburn, England

East Lancashire Coachbuilders Limited was a manufacturer of bus bodies and carriages founded in 1934 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England. The company went into administration for a short while in August 2007, before being bought by Darwen Group and performed a reverse takeover with Optare when its parent purchased the company in 2008 and its site and business was later closed in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stagecoach South West</span>

Stagecoach South West is a bus operator providing services in Devon and East Cornwall along with coach services to Bristol. It is a subsidiary of Stagecoach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plaxton Paramount</span> Range of step-entrance coach bodywork

The Plaxton Paramount was a design of coach bodywork built by Plaxton. It first appeared at the 1982 British Motor Show, replacing the Supreme V and Viewmaster IV and was built until 1992, where it was replaced in its common single-deck form by the Premiere and Excalibur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Optare Esteem</span> Low-floor single-decker bus body

The Optare Esteem was a low-floor single-decker bus body manufactured by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, Darwen East Lancs and Optare between 2006 and 2009 on Scania N94UB, Scania N230UB, Volvo B7RLE, MAN 12.240, Alexander Dennis Dart SLF, Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart and Alexander Dennis Enviro300 chassis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Optare Olympus</span> Double-decker bus

The Optare Olympus is a double-decker bus built by Optare, East Lancs and Darwen. It could be built as a body available on Alexander Dennis Enviro400, Volvo B9TL or Scania N230UD/N270UD chassis with the 2-axle and 3-axle variants. It is the double-decker equivalent of the Optare Esteem. Some 3-axle Olympus buses were built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander PS type</span> Step-entrance single-deck bus bodywork

The Alexander PS-type was a step-entrance single-deck bus body built by Walter Alexander Coachbuilders in Falkirk, Scotland and was produced from 1988 to the late 1990s on the Dennis Lance, Mercedes-Benz O405, Scania N113 and Volvo B10M chassis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volvo B10B</span> Motor vehicle

The Volvo B10B was a rear-engined step deck single-decker bus chassis manufactured by Volvo between 1992 and 2001. The first prototype were built in 1990, but the B10B wasn't launched until the 1992 Geneva Motor Show. It superseded the Leyland Lynx and Volvo B10R. For stage use it was gradually succeeded by the low-entry B10BLE, which was introduced only a year later, though not in all markets. For interurban use the B7R came as a gradual replacement in 1998, and ultimately for coach work, the B12B took over in 2001.

References

  1. "Factors Influencing Bus System Efficiency / Vehicle Size and Type". ppiaf.org. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  2. Staff Writer (2015-08-04). "What Is the Weight of a Single-Decker Bus?". Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-01-09.