Transit bus

The Orion VII hybrid electric transit bus, like this one used by the Toronto Transit Commission, is a common transit bus model used in North American transit systems

A transit bus (also commuter bus, city bus, stage bus, public bus or simply bus) is a type of bus used on shorter-distance public transport bus services which include low-floor buses, double-decker buses, articulated buses and midibuses.

These are distinct from all-seated coaches used for longer distance journeys and smaller minibuses, which are typically used for paratransit (demand-responsive) services.

Specifications

Interior of a wheelchair-accessible transit bus, with bucket seats and smart-card readers at the exit. This particular one is a demonstrator bus for SMRT Buses' Mercedes-Benz OC500LE in Singapore, registered as SMB1H.

Generally, a transit bus will have:

large and sometimes multiple doors for ease of boarding and exiting
minimal or no luggage space
bench or bucket seats, with no coachlike head-rests
destination blinds / displays such as headsigns or rollsigns or electronic dot matrix/LED signs
legal standing-passenger capacity
fare taking/verification equipment
pull cord or bus stop request button

Modern transit buses are also increasingly being equipped with passenger information systems, multimedia entertainment/advertising, and passenger comforts such as heating and air-conditioning (as opposed to historically where actually necessary). Some industry members and commentators promote the idea of making the interior of a transit bus as inviting as a private car, recognising the chief competitor to the transit bus in most markets.

Operations

As they are used in a public transport role, transit buses can be operated by publicly run transit authorities or municipal bus companies, as well as private transport companies on a public contract or fully independent basis. Due to the local authority use, transit buses are often built to a third-party specification put to the manufacturer by the authority. Early examples of such specification include the 'Greater Manchester' Leyland Atlantean, and DMS-class London Leyland Fleetline. New transit buses may be purchased each time a route/area is contracted, such as in the London Buses tendering system.

The operating area of a transit bus may also be defined as a geographic metropolitan area, with the buses used outside of this area being more varied with buses purchased with other factors in mind. Some regional-size operators for capital cost reasons may use transit buses interchangeably on short urban routes as well as longer rural routes, sometimes up to 2 or 3 hours. Often transit bus operators have a selection of 'dual-purpose' fitted buses, that is standard transit buses fitted with coach-type seating, for longer-distance routes.

Sometimes transit buses may also be used as express buses on a limited-stopping or non-stop service at peak times, but over the same distance as the regular route.

Fare payment

Fare payment is done via

Smart card
single or multi-ride coupon/ticket
cash
(none required: Zero-fare bus)

and is done upon

Pre-payment, done at ticket machines located at the bus stops or at other locations, before getting on the bus.
boarding
departing
both, e.g., after crossing fare zone boundaries
in transit, via an attendant or bus conductor (mostly obsolete systems)

Doors

Depending on payment systems in different municipalities, there are widely different rules with regard to which door, front or rear, one must use when boarding/exiting.

For rear doors, most buses have doors opened by the driver controls or patron (with touch-to-open, motion sensor or push bars). Most doors on buses use air-assist technology, the driver controlled doors, use air pressure to force them open, patron-operated doors, can push them open, however, the doors are heavy, so the touch-to-open or push bar mechanism, sends pressurized air to open the doors. Most doors will signify that they are unlocked and open with lights, this gives guide to those who are going up or down the door steps to not trip and fall.

Unlocked or open doors, will trigger a brake locking mechanism on the bus to prevent it from moving while someone could possibly be entering or exiting the bus, when the door is closed, the lock will release, this is mostly implemented on rear doors, not really on front doors, since the driver will be paying attention to the front door.

Types

Transit buses can be single-decker, double-decker, rigid or articulated. Selection of type has traditionally been made on a regional as well as operational basis; however, with the advent of global manufacturing, all of these types can be seen in the same location or country. Depending on local policies, transit buses will also usually have two, three or (for articulated) four doors to facilitate rapid boarding and alighting.

In cases of low-demand routes, or to navigate small local streets, some models of minibus and small midibuses have also been used as transit type buses.

The development of the midibus has also given many operators a low-cost way of operating a transit bus service, with some midibuses such as the Plaxton SPD Super Pointer Dart resembling full size transit type vehicles.

Developments

Due to their public transport role, transit buses were the first type of bus to benefit from low-floor technology, in response to a demand for equal access public service provision. Transit buses are also now subject to various disability discrimination acts in several jurisdictions which dictate various design features also applied to other vehicles in some cases.

Due to the high number of high-profile urban operations, transit buses are at the forefront of bus electrification, with hybrid electric bus, all-electric bus and fuel cell bus development and testing aimed at reducing fuel usage, shift to green electricity and decreasing environmental impact.

Developments of the transit bus towards higher capacity bus transport include tram-like vehicles such as guided buses, longer bi-articulated buses and tram-like buses such as the Wright StreetCar, often as part of Bus Rapid Transit schemes. Fare collection is also seeing a shift to off-bus payment, with either the driver or an inspector verifying fare payments.

Commuter bus service

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Transit bus.

General information on transit bus alternate fuels

Buses

List of buses

Configuration	Articulated bus Bi-articulated bus Bruck Coach Combination bus Double-decker bus High-floor Lowbridge double-deck bus Low-floor bus Midibus Minibus Multi-axle bus Open-top bus Rigid bus Single-decker bus Trailer bus

Special uses	Advert bus Airport bus Armoured bus Campaign bus Express bus Highway bus Mobile lounge Party bus Police bus School bus Shuttle bus Sleeper bus Transit bus Train replacement Training bus Tour bus Trolley-replica bus

Technologies	3D Express Coach Bombardier Guided Light Transit Cutaway van chassis Dual-mode bus Electric bus Fuel cell bus Guided bus Gyrobus Hybrid electric bus Motor bus Online Electric Vehicle Trolleybus Solar bus

Manufacturing	Bus manufacturing Bus manufacturers List of trolleybus manufacturers

Category: Buses Portal: Buses

Public transport

Bus service	Bus list Bus rapid transit Charabanc Express bus Guided bus Intercity bus driver Open top bus Public light bus Rail replacement bus Shuttle bus Transit bus Trolleybus

Rail	Cable car Commuter rail Funicular Heavy rail Heritage railway Heritage streetcar High-speed rail Horsecar Inter-city rail Interurban Light rail Medium-capacity rail transport system Monorail Rapid transit Regional rail Rubber-tyred metro Street running Tram Tram-train

Vehicles for hire	Auto rickshaw Boda-boda Cycle rickshaw Gondola Hackney carriage Limousine Motorcycle taxi Paratransit Personal rapid transit Pulled rickshaw Share taxi Taxicab

Carpooling	Car jockey Flexible carpooling Real-time ridesharing Slugging Vanpool

Ship	Cable ferry Ferry Hovercraft Hydrofoil Ocean liner Water taxi

Other transport	Aerial tramway Airline Airliner Bicycle-sharing Carsharing Elevator Escalator Gondola lift Horse-drawn vehicle Maglev Moving walkway People mover Trackless train

Locations	Airport Bus bulb Bus garage (bus depot) Bus lane Bus stand Bus station Bus stop Bus terminus Bus turnout (bus bay) Circle route Cross-city route Dry dock Hangar Harbor Interchange station Kassel kerb Layover Metro station Park and ride Port Queue jump Radial route Taxicab stand Train station Tram stop Transit mall Transport hub Transport network

Ticketing and fares	Automated fare collection Bus advertising Contract of carriage Dead mileage Exit fare Fare avoidance Fare evasion Farebox recovery ratio Free public transport Free travel pass Integrated ticketing Manual fare collection Money train Paid area Proof-of-payment Reduced fare program Smart cards Ticket machine Transfer Transit pass

Facilities	Checked baggage First class Sleeper Standing passenger Travel class

Scheduling	Bus bunching Clock-face scheduling Headway On-time performance Public transport timetable Short turn

Other topics	Airport security Boarding Crush load Destination sign Hail and ride Network length Non-revenue track Prohibited activities Rail subsidies Request stop Passenger load factor Security Transit district Transit map Transit police Transit-oriented development (TOD) Transportation authority

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, April 23, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.