Bus manufacturing

Bus manufacturing, a sector of the

automotive industry, manufactures buses
and coaches.

Manufacturers badge of a Leyland Leopard

bus
History

An AEC Routemaster, a pioneering

1950s bus design

A 1986 van derived Ford Transit

minibus bodied by Carlyle

Bus manufacturing had its earliest

origins in carriage building. Other bus
manufacturers had their origins in truck
manufacturing. Historically, chassis
designs were shared between trucks and
buses, but in later years specific bus
chassis have been developed, and the
midibus introduced a lighter weight bus
chassis than normal trucks.

Bus manufacture historically developed

as chassis and body builds. Often, large
bus operators or authorities would
maintain separate stocks of bus bodies,
and would routinely refurbish buses in a
central works, and refurbished chassis
might receive a different body. One of the
first integral type bus designs combining
the body and chassis was the AEC
Routemaster.

In the 1980s, many minibuses were built

by applying bus bodies to van chassis, so
called 'van derived' buses. Many of these
have been replaced by purpose built
designs, although for smaller minibuses
this is still an option.

In several parts of the world, the bus is

still a basic chassis, front-engined, rear-
wheel-drive design vehicle; however,
where manufacturers have sought to
maximise the seating capacity within
legal size constraints, the trend is now
towards rear- and mid-engined designs
due to the lack of need for a
transmission tunnel.

In the 1990s, bus manufacture

underwent major change with the push
toward low-floor designs, for improved
accessibility. Some smaller designs
achieved this by moving the door behind
the front wheels. On most larger buses, it
was achieved with various independent
front suspension arrangements, and
kneeling technology, to allow an
unobstructed path into the door and
between the front wheel arches.
Accordingly, these 'extreme front
entrance' designs cannot feature a front-
mounted-engined or mid-engined layout,
and all use a rear-engined arrangement.
Some designs also incorporate
extendable ramps for wheelchair access.

Further accessibility is being achieved for

high-floor coaches, whereby new designs
are featuring built-in wheelchair lifts.

While the overwhelming majority of bus

designs have been geared to internal
combustion engine propulsion,
accommodation has also been made for
a variety of alternative drivelines and
fuels, as in electric, fuel cell and hybrid
bus technologies. Some bus designs
have also incorporated guidance
technology.

Types of construction

A Mercedes-Benz O405 integral bus

There are three basic types of bus
manufacturer:

Chassis manufacturer - builds the

underframe for body-on-frame
construction
Body manufacturer - builds the
coachwork for body-on-frame
construction
Integral manufacturer - builds entire
buses, often using no underframe at all

Manufacturers may also be a

combination of the above, offering
chassis only or integral buses, or offering
bodywork only as used on integral buses.
The splitting of body and chassis
construction allows companies to
specialise in two different fields. It also
allows differing offerings of product to
customers, who might prefer different
chassis/body combinations. For the
manufacturers, it lessens the exposure if
one or the other goes out of business.
Larger operators may also split orders
between different body/chassis
combinations for shorter delivery
schedules.

Sometimes, a chassis and body builder

will offer an exclusive combination of
one body on one chassis, as a 'semi-
integral'. This combines the expertise of
the two companies, and saves the cost
of making their chassis/body usable on
different products.

Often builders, such as Duple Metsec will

assemble products into kits, for export
and local assembly at a partner site.

Large users of transit buses, such as

public transport authorities, may order
special features. This practice was
notable in the Transport for London bus
specification, and predecessors. The
Association of German Transport
Companies was defining a VöV-Standard-
Bus concept that was followed between
1968 and 2000.
Chassis

A Volvo B10M chassis, bodied

worldwide as a single decker bus,
articulated bus, double decker bus,
and coach

The chassis combines:

A structural underframe
Engine and radiator
Gearbox and transmission
Wheels, axles, and suspension
Dashboard, steering wheel, and driver's
seat

Chassis will often be built as complete

units, up to the point of being drive-able
around the factory, or on the public
highway to a nearby bodybuilder. The
chassis can be front-engined, mid-
engined, or rear-engined. Most chassis
will mount the radiator at the front,
irrespective of engine position, for more
efficient cooling.

Chassis products will often be available

in different standard lengths, even
produced in articulated variants, and
often be used for both bus and coach
bodywork, such as the Volvo B10M. The
same chassis may even be used for
single- or double-decker bus bodywork.
Chassis builders may also offer different
options for gearbox and engine
suppliers. Chassis may also be built in
multiple axle configuration.

Bodywork

Interior of the Alexander ALX500

bodywork as applied to the 3-axle
Volvo Super Olympian

The bus body builder will build the body

onto the chassis. This will involve major
consideration of:

Usage
Seating capacity
 Staircase position/design (double-
decker buses)
Number and position of doors

Bodywork is built for three general uses:

Bus
Dual Purpose
Coach

Bus bodywork is usually geared to short

trips, with many transit bus features.
Coach bodywork is for longer distance
trips, with luggage racks and under-floor
lockers. Other facilities may include
toilets and televisions.
A dual purpose design is usually a bus
body with upgraded coach style seating,
for longer distance travel. Some
exclusive coach body designs can also
be available to a basic dual purpose
fitment.

In past double-deck designs, buses were

built to a low bridge design, due to overall
height restrictions.

General design issues

Bus manufacturers have to have
consideration for some general issues
common to body, chassis or integral
builders.

Maximum weight (laden and unladen)

 Stability - often a tilt test pass is
required
Maximum dimensions - length and
width restrictions may apply
Fuel consumption
Emissions standards
Accessibility

In the 1990s onwards, some bus

manufacturers have moved towards
making transit bus interiors more
comparable to private cars, to encourage
public transport ridership. Other
additions have seen multimedia and
passenger information systems, and
CCTV systems. With these
developments, bus designs have been
increasing in weight, which is a concern
for operators with the rising price of fuels
in the 2000s (decade).

Specialist builders

Armoured buses in Israel

Specialist builders may also produce

bodies for executive, sleeper bus, tour
bus, airport bus, or school bus uses, with
special features for these uses. Builders
may also adapt standard designs for
these uses, and especially for paratransit
use. In Israel, due to terrorist attacks on
buses, general bus builders have
developed armoured buses, and are
investigating controlled boarding
systems. Armoured buses are also used
for prisoner transport.

Articulated buses
Several manufacturers and operators
have invested in articulated bus designs,
and even bi-articulated buses, to increase
capacity without using two decks.

Identification

An operator livery complementing the

bodywork features
The use of different body and chassis
manufacturers can mean one bus can
have up to four identifying badges - the
chassis maker and model, and the
bodywork maker and model, making non-
expert recognition difficult compared to
the identification of other vehicles, such
as cars. Operators may also paint over, or
completely remove badges. Several bus
companies have changed ownership and
name many times, leading to the same
bus design receiving many different
name badges, most notably Transbus
International.

A further confusion can arise in the case

where identical bodywork is applied to
different chassis. This is sometimes truly
identical, or only different in minor
details. Mid-engined chassis designs are
often identifiable by a mid mounted
radiator and exhaust.

Radically different bus company liveries

can cause problems in the application of
a livery to a specific design. Many
operators will apply a corporate design in
the same way to any bus, leading to
some odd sight lines. Some operators
are more sympathetic, and tailor their
liveries to the specific lines of each bus
body design in use.
Rebuilds and modifications

A rebuilt East Lancs Greenway

Often, a bus builder will embark on a

rebody programme, such as the East
Lancs Greenway, where an existing
chassis receives a new body to extend
the usable life of the bus. Sometimes
this is done by a manufacturer on a
piecemeal basis, leading to odd one-off
designs.

Sometimes, when a number of buses

change hands, or operator requirements
change, a bus builder may be required to
refit them into the new owners preferred
configuration. This can include adding or
removing doors, or changing the
destination display equipment to or from
LED, dot-matrix, or roller blind types.

Some operators will rebuild a buses

bodywork after superficial crash damage,
or a bridge strike, again leading to odd
one-off looking buses where the
standard bodywork was not available.
Bridge strike buses are often converted
to open top buses, or into single-decker
bus. Older buses are often converted to
shunters, tow trucks, tree-loppers,
training buses, or canteens.
Operator considerations

An East Lancs Olympus body with a

tree protection bull-bar protecting the
large upper deck front window

Often, large operators with different

types of buses will settle on a standard
bus design for their fleet, to produce
savings in maintenance and driver
training. These operators may either sell
off non-standard types, or consolidate
them in one operating location.

Operators are often concerned with the

ease of replacement of consumable
items, such as bulbs, and easily
damaged parts, such as the lower panels
of the body, or windows. This is to
maximise the time in service for its
buses, although now builders will offer
whole life servicing contracts.

Operators may also make decisions on a

particular bus type or components based
on the particular terrain operated in.
Some hillier areas may select different
powertrain options. Areas with many low
bridges may have more single deckers
than double deckers. Operators in humid
climates may select air-conditioning as
standard. A particular difficulty with
double-deckers is trees striking the kerb-
side top front corner. Manufacturers, or
operators - post delivery, may fit a bull
bar type arrangement to protect this part
of the bodywork.

See also
Buses
portal

List of buses
List of trolleybus manufacturers

External links
buildersbuses.net (http://www.builders
buses.net/)

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