Volvo Super Olympian

The Volvo Super Olympian was a low-floor double-decker bus manufactured by Volvo. It replaced the 3-axle version of Volvo Olympian. The chassis had the designated manufacturer code B10TL.
History.
The Volvo Super Olympian was unveiled in 1998, with one chassis being sent to Hong Kong for a motor show held by International Union of Public Transport in the same year. The chassis was later returned to the United Kingdom.
Chassis design.
The Super Olympian chassis was based on the Volvo Olympian. The front radiator was moved behind the front axle on the 12 metre version, or in front of the second axle for the 10.6 metre version (due to its shorter wheelbase). In order to lower the chassis further, the assisted steering function of the middle axle was cancelled. The suspension system has also been largely modified so that it is electronically controlled instead of moving passively. One special feature is that after turning, the suspension unit does not return to normal, remaining tilted to either the left or right, until the bus becomes stationary.
An option for 11.3 metre length of Super Olympian was also available, but no orders were received. The Super Olympian was powered by the Volvo D10A285 (Euro II or Euro III), with a maximum power of . Its somewhat insufficient engine power has earned some mildly derisive nicknames in Hong Kong. The most common are "豬" (pig), "扒" (meat cutlet) and "豬扒" (pork chop, derived from the pronunciation of the word "Super").
Initially, the Super Olympian chassis were built in Volvo's factory in Irvine, Scotland. After the closure of the factory in mid-2000, production was moved to Wrocław, Poland.
Hong Kong.
Kowloon Motor Bus.
12m version.
Kowloon Motor Bus ordered the first batch of 61 (3ASV1-61) Alexander ALX500 bodied B10TL Super Olympians with ZF 4HP590 transmission, and roller shuttle route displays in 1998. These entered service in 1998/99. All except the prototype 3ASV3 had narrow 2+2 seats on the upper deck. The first buses were retired in November 2017.
A further 80 Super Olympians (3ASV62-141) entered service in 2000/01. These buses have electronic route displays and ZF 5HP590 transmission. 3ASV78 was the 3,000th Alexander bodied bus supplied to KMB, and 3ASV141 was the first KMB bus to meet Euro III emission standards.
The last 351 Super Olympians (3ASV142-492), including 21 which were fitted with Australian Volgren CR223LD bodywork, entered service in 2001/02. All of these buses had their chassis built in Poland. Their D10A285 engines were built to meet Euro III emission standards and had aluminium alloy front wheels supplied by Alcoa. 3ASV297 was coated with special metallic paint, which shows different colours (mainly green and purple), depending on the angle of light reflection.
10.6m version.
Kowloon Motor Bus was the only buyer of 10.6 metre Super Olympians. The first 49 (ASV1-49) 10.6m Alexander ALX500 bodied Super Olympians were introduced in 2001. They are equipped with D10A285 Euro II engines and had Alcoa front wheels.
ASV50, which was put into service in 2002, is a prototype short-wheelbase Super Olympian (chassis built in 1999), and also the only short-wheelbase Super Olympian built in Scotland. It is equipped with a Euro II D10A285 engine and ZF 4HP590 transmission rather than the previous 5HP590 as fitted to older ASVs.
ASV51-100 were also equipped with the Euro III D10A285 engines. They are almost identical with ASV1-49, except for minor interior differences. Only the first 24 were put into service in 2003. The remaining 26 were stored for more than a year, and they were put into service between September 2004 and March 2005.
12m wider version.
In January 2003, Kowloon Motor Bus received the first Wright-bodied Super Olympian with a 2.55 metre-wide body (once known as the "Wright Explorer"). Like the Alexander Dennis Enviro500, it featured a straight staircase and plug exit door. It was numbered AVW1 and was registered on 20 March 2003.
The next 49 buses (AVW2-50) with a slightly different design followed shortly after AVW1, they entered service in 2003/04. The last 50 buses (AVW51-100), which are almost identical, entered service in 2004/05, These were the last batch of Volvo Super Olympian ordered by KMB.
New World First Bus.
New World First Bus bought 103 Super Olympians in five batches, all are 12 metres long and were fitted with Alexander ALX500 bodies.
The first 40 (5001-5040), fitted with electronic route displays, were introduced in 1999. The next 20 (5041-5060), with their side route number boxes moved to a lower position, entered service in 2000/01. The chassis of 5060 was the first to be built in Poland. New World First Bus began de-registering the buses on 21 November 2017.
The next 19 Super Olympians (5061-5079), with Euro III D10A285 engines and Alcoa front wheels, entered service in 2001. To mark the occasion of meeting the Euro III emission standard, New World First Bus designed a full body advertisement for one of them (fleet number 5070) to state that they were environmentally friendly. They were followed by 10 similar examples (5080-5089) later that year. Among these buses, 5080-5086 had their registration numbers originated from ex China Motor Bus buses and service cars.
The last batch of 14 Super Olympians (5090-5103), entered service in 2002, had their rear electronic route number displays raised above the emergency window to form a box, the design being unique among all similar vehicles in Hong Kong. These were all withdrawn and were either sold to Citybus, converted to a training bus or headed to the scrapyard.
The last three buses in the fleet (5072, 5076, 5079) had been retired on 27 August 2019. These were the last buses to have no headrest in franchised service.
Singapore.
In late 1999, Volvo delivered one Volgren CR222LD-bodied Super Olympian to the then Singapore Bus Service for trial purposes. It was Singapore's first low floor "Superbus", and had advanced specifications at time of introduction. Originally deployed on routes serving the then new Sengkang New Town, it was transferred to Ang Mo Kio bus depot in 2004. This bus was burnt in a depot fire in 2010, and was subsequently written off.
Satisfied with the trial, SBS purchased 51 Volvo Super Olympians in 2000. These buses were the last to be ordered by SBS prior to their rebranding to SBS Transit. 50 were bodied with an updated Volgren CR222LD bodywork, with one entering service in April 2002 and the remaining buses entering service in early 2003. They were also the first buses to be registered with the SBS Transit livery. One bus was built completely by Volgren in Australia, and hence equipped with a Transit Media electronic destination signage (EDS). The rest, which were assembled locally, debuted with plastic destination signages initially and were retrofitted with LECIP electronic destination displays in 2012. All buses of this batch had served out of Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh and Bedok North depots throughout their lifespan. While most units have since been scrapped, two units are currently preserved. One unit has been exported to Hong Kong for preservation, while the other unit is currently preserved and repurposed at a special education school in Singapore.
In early 2005, the last Volvo Super Olympian, debuted with a prototype ComfortDelGro Engineering (CDGE) bodywork, which later form the basis of the subsequent first batch of Volvo B9TLs debuting in the following year. Originally deployed to Bukit Batok depot, it was transferred to Toa Payoh depot in 2012, where it was refurbished with yellow seats and its original Transit Media EDS replaced with a LECIP EDS. It is also the last non-wheelchair accessible bus in Singapore. Initially slated to retire in early 2022, it was taken out of revenue service in November 2020, in line with the Land Transport Authority's mandate of a full wheelchair accessible bus fleet by December 2020.
Replacement.
Production of Volvo Super Olympian ended in 2004 and 2005 after completion of the last order from Kowloon Motor Bus and SBS Transit. Its successor was the Volvo B9TL.


Punggol LRT line

The Punggol LRT line is an automated guideway transit line in Singapore. The line, which initially opened on 29 January 2005, connects the residential districts and suburbs of Punggol to Punggol Town Centre, where it connects with the North East MRT line and the Punggol Bus Interchange. It is the third line of the LRT system in Singapore and like all other LRT lines, it is fully elevated and uses automated trains.
The first phase is a line with 15 stations in two loops. It is the second LRT line to be operated by SBS Transit.
History.
Plans for the Punggol LRT line were drawn up and announced in January 1999 with the development of Punggol New Town. Construction began in June 2000 by a consortium comprising Sembcorp Industries, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Corporation, at a cost of S$354 million. Meanwhile, the Punggol LRT line was awarded to Singapore Bus Service (present-day SBS Transit) on 20 May 1999. The first phase was completed in June 2004 and underwent testing by the Land Transport Authority. The system was handed over to SBS Transit on 1 December that year, which conducted more trial runs and staff training before the opening of the East Loop on 29 January 2005. However, due to limited developments around some stations on the loop at the time, only the stretch of stations from Cove station to Kadaloor station were opened. The West Loop opened in stages on 29 June 2014.
A covered middle track at Punggol station and two short track pieces branching from Teck Lee station had already been built in anticipation of a possible branch line to Punggol North, but these plans were subsequently scrapped, and a new Punggol Coast MRT station is being built instead.
Improvements.
On 31 October 2012, the Land Transport Authority announced that by 2016 the Sengkang and Punggol LRT lines would be upgraded to two-car trains, doubling the passenger capacity. An additional 16 more cars were to be ordered, bringing the total fleet size to 57. The longer trains also required modifications to the signaling and communication system.
On 29 December 2016, trains started operating in the two-car formations on the line's East loop during morning and evening peak hours from 6.45 am to 8.45 am and from 6.15 pm to 8.15 pm. Service frequency will be maintained at three to four minutes during morning and evening peak hours.
On 15 December 2017, the Land Transport Authority said there will be limited services on parts of the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) on most Sundays from 14 January 2018 to 25 February that year, to facilitate renewal and improvement works from (except 18 February as it is a Chinese New Year holiday). Only one platform will open for service at 5.30am on Sundays. The other platform will open from 7am. On 22nd of that month, SBS Transit said the arrangement is expected to continue until end April that year.
From 27 May to 7 October that year, limited services on Sundays will continue on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT). One platform will open at 5.30am and the other platform will open at 5.30pm.
On 5 February 2021, the Land Transport Authority announced that it has purchased 17 two-car trains for the Punggol and Sengkang LRT systems. The new trains will be delivered progressively from 2024 to 2027. In addition to new trains, the Sengkang Depot will also be expanded to 11.1 ha from the existing 3.5 ha to ensure that is capacity and maintenance space for the new trains. The expansion of the depot will also see two new reception tracks being built to shorten the train launching time. To ensure there is enough electricity to support the larger fleet of trains, 3 new power station will be built, increasing the total number of power stations supporting the system to 8 once completed.
Stations.
Services.
There are four services in total, with two services on each loop.
Rolling stock.
Trains operating on the line are Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Crystal Movers C810s and C810As. Trains operate from the Sengkang Depot which provides maintenance and train overhaul facilities for both the Punggol and Sengkang LRT lines.
Train formation.
The original system consists of single-car C810s. Each unit is long and can carry up to 105 passengers. 16 original C810s were modified to allow two-car train operation and 16 C810As came with this configuration. This boosted capacity to 204 per trip.
Train control.
The line is equipped with Kyosan APM fixed block signalling system for Automatic train control (ATC) under Automatic train operation (ATO) GoA 4 (UTO). The subsystems consist of Automatic train protection (ATP) to govern train speed, Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) to track and schedule trains, and a computer-based interlocking (CBI) system that prevents incorrect signal and track points settings.


Toyota MiniAce

The Toyota MiniAce was a small utility vehicle built by Toyota from November 1967 until November 1975. It shared many parts with the Toyota Publica, especially the Publica P20 Pickup. In Japan, it was sold through the "Corolla Store" and "Toyota Auto Store" networks. Because it shares many parts with the popular Toyota Publica and the highly collectable Toyota Sports 800 most MiniAces have been used for parts and very few survive. Its exterior dimensions and engine displacement, while very small, do not conform to "kei car" Japanese government regulations.
History.
The concept origina he particularly small turning circle of only . It entered the market in November 1967, as a truck or as a panel van. Priced low, in consideration of its payload, the MiniAce sold well, especially due to its compliance to the Japanese annual road tax obligation.
True success followed once the MiniAce Van (UP100V) and MiniAce Coach, a seven-seater minibus, were added in August 1968. Soon, though, more modern challengers like Mitsubishi's Delica began whittling away at the market share of the MiniAce. Its toughest competitor, the 1969 received a water-cooled 1.2 liter engine for 1972. The MiniAce's 2U-B engine offered only at 4,600 rpm, which was enough for a claimed top speed of . Nonetheless, Toyota's 1967 engagement with Daihatsu meant that Toyota was to relinquish this portion of the market, and no more serious investments in the MiniAce were made. After December 1969, manufacture was transferred from Toyota's Takaoka plant and was now shared between Hino, Daihatsu, and the Fuji Auto Body Co., Ltd. which made the bodies.
In the early seventies the MiniAce received a very light facelift, mainly consisting of a plastic shield with a "Toyota" script located just beneath the front windshield. As the air-cooled U engine would have a hard time passing new, stricter emissions standards for 1976, production was halted in November 1975. Although the MiniAce had become too small and spartan for the now more sophisticated Japanese consumers, it was still a strong seller in other Asian markets. The larger LiteAce and all new TownAce took over, with Daihatsu's Hijet covering the lower end of the segment.
In December 2011, Toyota returned to this market segment with the introduction of the Toyota Pixis Van and Truck, rebadged Daihatsu Hijets.


Toyota ToyoAce

The Toyota ToyoAce is a light to medium cab over truck built by Toyota since September 1954. Until a renaming contest in 1956, the truck was sold as the "Toyopet Light Truck SKB". Since 1985 the ToyoAce and Dyna truck lines have been merged, with the Dynas generally being intended for heavier duty work. In Japan, it was exclusive to Japanese Toyota dealerships called "Toyopet Store".
History.
First generation.
The first-generation ToyoAce was a one-ton truck of a semi-cab over design. It has a four-cylinder sidevalve inline-four "type S" engine of and . It was originally sold as the "Toyopet Light Truck", a not very inspired name which was changed for "ToyoAce" after a public contest in 1956. The spartan interior featured hammock-style seats, as in a Citroën 2CV. The "K" in the model code was shared, as was the chassis, with the Toyopet SK/RK Truck, a line which was later to become the Toyota Stout. The first Toyoace initially sold slowly, due to a price much higher than the three-wheeled trucks with which it was competing. After a large drop in price, however, the ToyoAce went on to change the Japanese market for light trucks in favor of four-wheeled vehicles.
There were also panel van, light van, double cab and other body styles developed. These received chassis numbers from SK17 to SK19. In 1958 power of the S engine was increased to . The former Central Motors produced the ToyoAce van from June 1956 to July 1960.
Second generation.
The semi-cab over layout was retained for the second-generation Toyopet ToyoAce, initially sold as the SK20. The new SK20 was also sold as a panel van (SK20V) and as a double-cab truck (SK20P). The sidevalve 1 liter engine's power remained , as for its predecessor. It was introduced in March 1959, but already by October that year it underwent a facelift and received a new engine, the 1.0-liter P type. This was the PK20 series. Australian versions were badged as a Toyota 25. Later yet, 1.25 and 1.5 ton versions were added, with more powerful 1.2 (2P) and 1.5-litre (R) engines. This picture is a PK3# with two single lights, the upgrade added in 1966 was the PK4# series which was fitted with the R engine. After the initial S-engined series, there were only PK models even though they were being powered both by the P and R series engines. This was to set it apart from the Stout which used the "RK"-series chassis numbers. In a May 1967 facelift, the car received quad headlights and a 3P-engined (1.35 L, "PK32") version was added.
Unlike the front-engined SKB, the engine in the second-generation ToyoAce was moved, to underneath and behind the seats. This allowed seating for three rather than two. The cabin also tilted for engine access. The split windshield was replaced with a single unit, still flat. This ToyoAce had a long life, remaining on the market until 1971.
Third generation.
The third-generation ToyoAce received Y-series chassis codes to avoid confusion. It was introduced in August 1971 and had a much more modern design, and was available in several new body styles. There were 3P type and 12R gasoline engines (1.35 or 1.6 litres, from the 12R) as well as the 2.5-litre 2J diesel engine with . The diesel was introduced in July 1972. Payloads now ranged between . In August 1977 a special "just low" version appeared, with small twin rear wheels for a lower cargo surface.
Starting with this generation, the ToyoAce was used as the basis of a commercial van to accommodate passengers for commuting, called the Toyota HiAce, which was sold at Toyota Japanese dealerships called "Toyopet Store," thereby affording Toyota the ability to sell the ToyoAce as a smaller companion to the Toyota Coaster.
Model codes include PY10, RY10/12/14, and JY16.
Fourth generation.
The fourth-generation ToyoAce was built between March 1979 and August 1985. This was the last ToyoAce to be of a separate design from the larger Dyna. While the overall size and cargo area was similar to those of the Y10-series, the wheelbase was shorter to allow for a narrower turning circle. The new ToyoAce also met new more stringent emissions and noise standards introduced for 1979. The 1.6-litre 12R was retained, although power was down somewhat to . The 2J diesel also remained, but was complemented by the all new L type, a 2.2-liter SOHC unit with . There was also a bigger 2-litre 5R petrol engine available, but diesels were now beginning to become more important in this sector. The amount of diesel versions increased from seven to 25, as opposed to twenty petrol models.
In 1982, a delivery van that allowed passengers to walk upright within the vehicle was introduced, called the Toyota QuickDelivery which is popular with delivery services and industries where working from inside the vehicle and mobility are an asset.
Model codes include RY20, LY20, LY30, JY30 and Y40. A long-wheelbase version was also available.
Fifth generation.
Introduced in August 1985, the fifth-generation ToyoAce was based on the fifth-generation Dyna, which had been launched a year earlier. The ToyoAce models were generally for lighter duty and are offered with smaller engines, down to the 1,626 cc 1Y petrol unit. Models in the 1.5 ton range (called G15) had Y-series chassis codes (Y50/60), while the heavier duty 2–3.5 ton versions have the U-series codes of the Dyna (U80/90, marketed as the ToyoAce G25 and G35). The one-tonner was discontinued, with the HiAce truck taking its position in the market. There was now also the option of an LPG-powered two-litre engine, and the expanded diesel range now went up to a four-litre six.
Sixth generation.
The sixth-generation (introduced in May 1995) was merged fully with the Dyna, still with Y-series chassis numbers for the lighter models and U-series for the heavier versions. The only difference between the Dyna and the ToyoAce from now on is the badging, and that they are sold through separate sales channels. The range expanded again, now also including a wide-bodied rebadging of the Hino Ranger FB. The lighter portion of the range remained on the market until 2001, two years after the heavier versions had been replaced.
Seventh generation.
In May 1999 the heavier diesel versions (1.75-3.5 tons) were replaced by the new seventh-generation ToyoAce. A four-ton model was new to the ToyoAce lineup. In June 2001, the lighter models were also replaced by the seventh-generation model.
Eighth generation.
In June 2011 the eighth-generation ToyoAce appeared, now featuring hybrid drive systems in several models.
The ToyoAce got a minor change at the front and received a collision avoidance system and a lane-departure alert system.


Intercity bus service

An intercity bus service (North American English) or intercity coach service (British English and Commonwealth English), also called a long-distance, express, over-the-road, commercial, long-haul, or highway bus or coach service, is a public transport service using coaches to carry passengers significant distances between different cities, towns, or other populated areas. Unlike a transit bus service, which has frequent stops throughout a city or town, an intercity bus service generally has a single stop at one location in or near a city, and travels long distances without stopping at all. Intercity bus services may be operated by government agencies or private industry, for profit and not for profit. Intercity coach travel can serve areas or countries with no train services, or may be set up to compete with trains by providing a more flexible or cheaper alternative.
Intercity bus services are of prime importance in lightly populated rural areas that often have little or no public transportation.
Intercity bus services are one of four common transport methods between cities, not all of which are available in all places. The others are by airliner, train, and private automobile.
History.
Stagecoaches.
The first intercity scheduled transport service was called the stagecoach and originated in the 17th century. Crude coaches were being built from the 16th century in England, but without suspension, these coaches achieved very low speeds on the poor quality rutted roads of the time. By the mid 17th century, a basic stagecoach infrastructure was being put in place. The first stagecoach route started in 1610 and ran from Edinburgh to Leith. This was followed by a steady proliferation of other routes around the country.
A string of coaching inns operated as stopping points for travellers on the route between London and Liverpool by the mid 17th century. The coach would depart every Monday and Thursday and took roughly ten days to make the journey during the summer months. They also became widely adopted for travel in and around London by mid-century and generally travelled at a few miles per hour. Shakespeare's first plays were staged at coaching inns such as The George Inn, Southwark.
The speed of travel remained constant until the mid-18th century. Reforms of the turnpike trusts, new methods of road building and the improved construction of coaches all led to a sustained rise in the comfort and speed of the average journey—from an average journey length of 2 days for the Cambridge-London route in 1750 to a length of under 7 hours in 1820. Robert Hooke helped in the construction of some of the first spring-suspended coaches in the 1660s and spoked wheels with iron rim brakes were introduced, improving the characteristics of the coach.
In 1754, a Manchester-based company began a new service called the "Flying Coach". It was advertised with the following announcement: "However incredible it may appear, this coach will actually (barring accidents) arrive in London in four days and a half after leaving Manchester." A similar service was begun from Liverpool three years later, using coaches with steel spring suspension. This coach took an unprecedented three days to reach London with an average speed of eight miles per hour.
Even more dramatic improvements to coach speed were made by John Palmer at the British Post Office, who commissioned a fleet of mail coaches to deliver the post across the country. His experimental coach left Bristol at 4 pm on 2 August 1784 and arrived in London just 16 hours later.
The golden age of the stagecoach was during the Regency period, from 1800 to 1830. The era saw great improvements in the design of the coaches, notably by John Besant in 1792 and 1795. His coach had a greatly improved turning capacity and braking system, and a novel feature that prevented the wheels from falling off while the coach was in motion. Obadiah Elliott registered the first patent for a spring-suspension vehicle. Each wheel had two durable steel leaf springs on each side and the body of the carriage was fixed directly to the springs attached to the axles.
Steady improvements in road construction were also made at this time, most importantly the widespread implementation of Macadam roads up and down the country. Coaches in this period travelled at around 12 miles per hour and greatly increased the level of mobility in the country, both for people and for mail. Each route had an average of four coaches operating on it at one time - two for both directions and a further two spares in case of a breakdown en route.
Motorbuses.
The development of railways in the 1830s spelt the end for the stagecoaches across Europe and America, with only a few companies surviving to provide services for short journeys and excursions until the early years of the 20th century.
The first motor coaches were acquired by operators of those horse-drawn vehicles. W. C. Standerwick of Blackpool, England acquired its first motor charabanc in 1911, and Royal Blue from Bournemouth acquired its first motor charabanc in 1913. Motor coaches were initially used only for excursions.
In 1919, Royal Blue took advantage of a rail strike to run a coach service from Bournemouth to London. The service was so successful that it expanded rapidly. In 1920 the Minister of Transport Eric Campbell Geddes was quoted in Punch magazine as saying "I think it would be a calamity if we did anything to prevent the economic use of charabancs" and expressed concern at the problems caused to small charabanc and omnibus operators in parliament.
In America, Carl Eric Wickman began providing the first service in 1913. Frustrated about being unable to sell a seven-passenger automobile on the showroom floor of the dealership where he worked, he purchased the vehicle himself and started using it to transport miners between Hibbing and Alice, Minnesota. He began providing this service regularly in what would start a new company and industry. The company would one day be known as Greyhound.
In 1914, Pennsylvania was the first state to pass regulations for bus service in order to prevent monopolies of the industry from forming. All remaining U.S. states would soon follow.
The coach industry expanded rapidly in the 1920s, a period of intense competition. The Road Traffic Act 1930 in the UK introduced a national system of regulation of passenger road transport and authorised local authorities to operate transport services. It also imposed a speed limit of 30 mph for coaches whilst removing any speed limit for private cars.
The 1930s to the 1950s saw the development of bus stations for intercity transport. Many expanded from simple stops into major architecturally designed terminals that included shopping and other businesses. Intercity bus transport increased in speed, efficiency and popularity until the 1950s and 1960s, when as the popularity of the private automobile has increased, the use of intercity bus service has declined. For example, in Canada in the 1950s, 120 million passengers boarded intercity bus service each year; in the 1960s, this number declined to 50 million. During the 1990s, it was down to 10 million.
Characteristics of intercity buses/coaches.
Intercity buses, as they hold passengers for significant periods of time on long journeys, are designed for comfort. A sleeper bus is an example of a vehicle with optimum amenity for the longest travel times.
Route and operation.
An intercity coach service may depart from a bus station with facilities for travellers or from a simple roadside bus stop. A coachway interchange is a term (in the United Kingdom) for a stopping place on the edge of a town, with connecting local transport. Park and ride facilities allow passengers to begin or complete their journeys by automobile. Intercity bus routes may follow a direct highway or freeway/motorway for shortest journey times, or travel via a scenic route for the enjoyment of passengers.
Intercity buses may run less frequently and with fewer stops than a transit bus service. One common arrangement is to have several stops at the beginning of the trip, and several near the end, with the majority of the trip non-stop on a highway. Some stops may have service restrictions, such as "boarding only" (also called "pickup only") and "discharge only" (also called "set-down only"). Routes aimed at commuters may have most or all scheduled trips in the morning heading to an urban central business district, with trips in the evening mainly heading toward suburbs.
Intercity coaches may also be used to supplement or replace another transport service, for example when a train or airline route is not in service.
Safety.
Statistically, intercity bus service is considered to be a very safe mode of transportation. For example, in the United States there are about 0.5 fatalities per 100 million passenger miles traveled according to the National Safety Council.
When accidents do occur, the large passenger capacity of buses means accidents are disastrous in their magnitude. For example, the Kempsey bus crash in Australia on 22 December 1989 involved two full tourist coaches, each travelling at 100 km/h, colliding head-on: 35 people died and 41 were injured.
Intercity coach travel by country.
Canada.
Intercity coach service is the only public transit to reach many urban centres in Canada, and Via Rail services are very sporadic outside the Québec City–Windsor Corridor. Coach service is mostly privately owned and operated, and tends to be regionally focused. Greyhound Canada, once Canada's biggest intercity carrier, ceased operations in 2021. Major operators are listed below.
China.
In relatively developed regions of China where the motorway network is extensive, intercity coach is a common mean of transport between cities. In some cities, for example Shenzhen, nearly every town / district has a coach station.
Hong Kong.
There are numerous inter-city coach services between Hong Kong and various cities of Guangdong Province, e.g. Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Zhongshan and Zhuhai. These kinds of coaches are legally classified as a kind of non-franchised public bus, as "International Passenger Service".
In addition, there are some coach services which just carry passengers between the city of Hong Kong and the border crossing at Shenzhen, without entering the city centre in Shenzhen or further. These services are termed 'short-haul cross-boundary coach service' by the Transport Department which nearly the whole journey is within the limits of Hong Kong, as opposed to 'long-haul cross-boundary coach service' which runs between cities.
Germany.
Intercity coach service in Germany became important in the decades following the Second World War, as the Deutsche Bundesbahn and the German federal post office operated numerous bus routes in major cities and metropolitan areas associated with each other. While rail was quicker and more convenient, the buses were a low-cost alternative. With the increasing prosperity of society and the growing use of the automobile, the demand fell significantly and most of these lines were abolished in the 1970s and 1980s.
One exception was traffic from and to (West-)Berlin. A long-distance bus network linking Berlin with Hamburg and several other German locations was created at the time of German division because of the small number of train services between the cities. It still exists today.
Until 2012 new long-distance bus lines could only be added in accordance with "Passenger Transportation Act" (PBefG), meaning if they did not compete with existing rail or bus lines. Since Germany - in contrast with many other European countries - has a well-developed rail network to all major cities and metropolitan areas, the domestic marketing of long-distance buses in Germany was much less significant than in many other countries.
The existing lines were often international lines as exist in almost all European countries, and for the transportation within Germany, there was a ban.
In 2012, the PBefG was amended, essentially allowing intercity bus services. Thus, since 1 January 2013 Coach services have been allowed if they are longer than 50 kilometers, which led to a fast-growing market with companies like Meinfernbus, Deinbus, Flixbus, ADAC Postbus, Berlin Linien Bus GmbH and City2City. Starting shortly after the establishment of the market a consolidation process occurred, which reduced the number of competing companies. ADAC Postbus became Postbus upon the ADAC leaving the cooperation. Meinfernbus and Flixbus fused to create a common company (currently the biggest operator of long-distance buses in Germany) while City2City folded operations. Deinbus came close to bankruptcy but secured an investor in time.
Greece.
Since Greece's rail network was underdeveloped, intercity bus travel became important in the post-war years.
The main bus operator in Greece is KTEL. It was founded in 1952.
Ireland.
Generally slower than rail travel with refreshment and toilet stops required on longer routes.
The main operators in the country are the Bus Éireann and private operators, such as JJ Kavanagh and Sons. The bus service between Dublin and Belfast is provided by Bus Éireann and Ulsterbus providing frequent service, including direct connections to Dublin Airport. Some bus services run overnight.
Israel.
Because of the weak-developed rail network and the small size of the country and the resulting low domestic air traffic, the long-distance bus cooperative Egged is the main public transport service in the country. Because of the widespread network, Egged is considered one of the largest bus companies in the world, in part because of the long-distance bus lines. However, in recent years Israel railways has expanded and upgraded its route network and other companies have taken over routes previously served by Egged.
Netherlands.
In the relatively small Netherlands there is a limited number of long-distance routes within the country. In 1994, the Interliner-network started with express buses on connections devoid of rail transport. Owing to high fares, a dense rail network and other reasons, the Interliner network fell apart into several different systems. In 2014, only a limited number of express buses existed as regular public transport usually under the name Qliner.
Besides of regular public transport, a number of international bus companies serves Netherlands.
Norway.
Norway has long-distance bus routes within the country. They operate in barely inhabited areas, including mountains, and affect the construction of a comprehensive railway network. Except in the Oslo area, Norway has only a rather sparse rail network, which extends north of the Arctic Circle to Fauske and Bodø, and to the north of Narvik with a connection to the Swedish rail network. Many of the routes are based on random railways. In addition to this network, they provide public passenger transport by many more companies within Norway than airlines, shipping lines (including the Hurtigruten) and bus lines, including many long-distance bus lines.
The buses used in the north of the country (especially in the county of Finnmark) have both a passenger compartment and a freight compartment in the rear: many remote villages are connected to the outside world only by these buses, thus achieving a large part of the cargo by bus to the city.
Pakistan.
Intercity bus transportation has risen dramatically in Pakistan due to the decline of Pakistan Railways and the unaffordable prices of airplanes for the average Pakistani. Numerous companies have started operating within the country such as Daewoo Express and Niazi Express, Manthar Bus Service and have gained considerable popularity due to their reliability, security and good service. Smaller vans are used for transportation in the mountainous north where narrow and dangerous roads make it impossible for the movement of larger buses.
Former Yugoslavia.
Intercity bus travel in Serbia, as well as in other countries of former Yugoslavia, is very popular in proportion to travel by rail and air. In some regions, data has shown that intercity bus routes have transported over ten times the number of passengers carried by intercity trains on the same competing routes. It has been a trend around Serbia and the Balkan region that small towns and some villages have their own flagship bus carrier, often branded with the last name of the family whose owner runs that bus company. Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, and Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, have very large central bus terminals that operate 24 hours a day. The largest intercity bus operator in the whole region is Lasta Beograd which operates from Serbia to many countries in Europe.
Switzerland.
Switzerland has an extremely dense network of interconnected rail, bus and ship lines, including some long-distance bus lines. Although Switzerland is a mountainous country, the rail network is denser than Germany's. Switzerland is an exception to the rule that long-distance bus lines are established especially in countries with inadequate railway network, or in areas with low population density. Some of the railway and main bus routes on Italian territory also serve to shorten the distance between Swiss towns. From Germany lines run from Frankfurt am Main, Heidelberg, Karlsruhe to Basel and Lucerne.
Long-distance bus services in Switzerland:
Taiwan.
Most of the time, coaches in Taiwan is driving on Controlled-access highway, so it is mainly called Highway Coach (Chinese name:國道客運).
e.g. KBus（國光客運）, UBus（統聯客運）, HoHsin（和欣客運）.
Turkey.
Turkey has an extensive network of intercity buses. Every part of the country is served. The buses are popular, comfortable and frequent. For example, there are over 150 departures from Istanbul to Ankara each day. The level of onboard service is very high, with free drinks and snacks on long-distance routes. Notable operators including Pamukkale, Kâmil Koç, Metro, and Ulusoy. Tickets can be bought online from all of them.
United Kingdom.
There is an extensive network of scheduled coach transport in the United Kingdom. However, passenger numbers are a fraction of those travelling by rail. Coach travel companies often require passengers to purchase tickets in advance of travel, that is they may not be bought on board. The distinction between bus and coach services is not absolute, and some coach services, especially in Scotland, operate as local bus services over sections of route where there is no other bus service.
National Express Coaches has operated services under that name since 1972. Megabus started in 2004 and Greyhound UK in 2009. There are many other operators. Receipts in 2004 were £1.8 billion (2008 prices) and grew significantly between 1980 and 2010. Ulsterbus connect places in Northern Ireland which are no longer on the railway network.
United States.
In the mid-1950s more than 2,000 buses operated by Greyhound Lines, Trailways, and other companies connected 15,000 cities and towns. Passenger volume decreased as a result of expanding road and air travel, and urban decay that caused many neighborhoods with bus depots to become more dangerous. In 1960, American intercity buses carried 140 million riders; the rate decreased to 40 million by 1990, and continued to decrease until 2006.
By 1997, intercity bus transportation accounted for only 3.6% of travel in the United States. In the late 1990s, however, Chinatown bus lines that connected New York with Boston and Philadelphia's Chinatowns began operating. They became popular with non-Chinese college students and others who wanted inexpensive transportation, and between 1997 and 2007 Greyhound lost 60% of its market share in the northeast United States to the Chinatown buses. During the following decade, new bus lines such as Megabus and BoltBus emulated the Chinatown buses' practices of low prices and curbside stops on a much larger scale, both in the original Northeast Corridor and elsewhere, while introducing yield management techniques to the industry.
By 2010 curbside buses' annual passenger volume had risen by 33% and they accounted for more than 20% of all bus trips. One analyst estimated that curbside buses that year carried at least 2.4 billion passenger miles in the Northeast Corridor, compared to 1.7 billion passenger miles for Amtrak trains. Traditional depot-based bus lines also grew, benefiting from what the American Bus Association called "the Megabus effect", akin to the Southwest Effect, and both Greyhound and its subsidiary Yo! Bus, which competed directly with the Chinatown buses, benefited after the federal government shut several Chinatown lines down in June 2012.
Between 2006 and 2014, American intercity buses focused on medium-haul trips between 200 and 300 miles; airplanes performed the bulk of longer trips and automobiles shorter ones. For most medium-haul trips curbside bus fares were less than the cost of automobile gasoline, and one tenth that of Amtrak. Buses are also four times more fuel-efficient than automobiles. Their Wi-Fi service is also popular; one study estimated that 92% of Megabus and BoltBus passengers planned to use an electronic device. New lower fares introduced by Greyhound on traditional medium-distance routes and rising gasoline prices have increased ridership across the network and made bus travel cheaper than all alternatives.
Effective June 25, 2014, Greyhound reintroduced many much longer bus routes, including New York–Los Angeles, Los Angeles–Vancouver, and others, while increasing frequencies on existing long-distance and ultra-long-distance buses routes. This turned back the tide of shortening bus routes and puts Greyhound back in the position of competing with long-distance road trips, airlines, and trains. Long-distance buses were to have Wi-Fi, power outlets, and extra legroom, sometimes extra recline, and were to be cleaned, refueled, and driver-changed at major stations along the way, coinciding with Greyhound's eradication of overbooking. It also represented Greyhound's traditional bus expansion over the expansion of curbside bus lines.
Safety on U.S. intercity buses.
On August 4, 1952, Greyhound Lines had its deadliest accident when two Greyhound buses collided head-on along then-U.S. Route 81 near Waco, Texas. The fuel tanks of both buses then ruptured, bursting into flames. Of the 56 persons aboard both coaches, 28 were killed, including both drivers.
On May 9, 1980, a freight ship collided with the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, resulting in several vehicles, including a Greyhound bus, falling into the Tampa Bay. All 26 people on the bus perished, along with nine others. This is the largest loss of life on a single Greyhound coach to date.
On March 5, 2010, a bus operated by Tierra Santa Inc. crashed on Interstate 10 in Arizona, killing six and injuring sixteen passengers. The bus was not carrying insurance, and had also been operating illegally because the company had applied for authority to operate an interstate bus service, but had failed to respond to requests for additional information.
Security on U.S. intercity buses.
Though generally rare, various incidents have occurred over time involving both drivers and passengers on intercity buses.
Security became a concern following the September 11 attacks. Less than a month later, on October 3, 2001, Damir Igric, a passenger on a Greyhound bus, slit the throat of the driver (who later survived his injuries and was hospitalized) as he tries to take control of the bus, resulting in a crash that killed 7 passengers, including Igric, and injuring six other passengers. It was determined there was no connection between the September 11 attacks and this incident. Nevertheless, this raised concern.
On September 30, 2002, another Greyhound driver was assaulted near Fresno, California, resulting in two passenger deaths after the bus then rolled off an embankment and crashed. Following this attack, driver shields were installed on most Greyhound buses that now prevent passengers from directly having contact with the driver while the bus is in motion, even if the shield is forced open. On buses which do not have the shield, the seats directly behind the driver are generally off limits.
The growing popularity in the United States of new bus lines such as Megabus and BoltBus that pick up and drop off passengers on the street instead of bus depots has led to a rise in the perceived security of intercity buses. Megabus states that a quarter of its passengers are unaccompanied women.
Urban-suburban bus line.
Urban-suburban bus line is generally categorized as public transit, especially for large metropolitan transit networks. Usually these routes cover a long distance compared to most transit bus routes, but still short—usually 40 miles in one direction. An urban-suburban bus line generally connects a suburban area to the downtown core.
The vehicle can be something as simple as a merely refitted school bus (which sometimes already contains overhead storage racks) or a minibus. Often a suburban coach may be used, which is a standard transit bus modified to have some of the functionality of an interstate coach. An example would be the Suburban line employed by TransLink (Vancouver), typically going from the downtown core of Vancouver to suburban cities such as Delta and White Rock. In such case, the vehicles are modified standard transit bus, but with only one door and air conditioning. The vehicles provide accommodation for the disabled (through a lift or ramp at the front), and thus has a few high-back seats, usually in the front, that can be folded up for wheelchairs. The rest of the seats are reclining upholstered seats and have individual lights and overhead storage bins. Because it is a commuter bus, it has some (but not much) standing room, stop-request devices, and a farebox. This model also has a bike rack at the front to accommodate two bicycles.
Some lines use a full-size interstate coach with on board toilet, such as the "TrainBus" service of Vancouver's West Coast Express commuter rail system. Suburban models in the United States are often used in Park-and-Ride services, and are very common in the New York City area, where New Jersey Transit Bus Operations is a major operator serving widespread bedroom communities.


Train announcement

Train announcements are used to inform passengers of the railway timetable of upcoming trains, possible changes such as delays or railway platform changes, and reminders about the non-smoking policies and to keep a safe distance between the tracks and the passengers as well as minding the gap between train and platform. A well-known phrase comes from the London Underground and is the three word phrase: "Mind the gap".
Train station announcements vary in length and volume. The longest announcement can be heard in Wales, reaching a duration of almost 3 minutes, listing all 39 stations in English and Welsh.
Although train station announcement can seem outdated in addition the platform display and mobile apps, it is necessary for people with vision impairment and for warnings.In Singapore, important train announcements are made in the four official languages.


Trams in Nizhny Novgorod

The Nizhny Novgorod tram network ("Нижегородский трамвай") (formerly "Gorky tram network") comprises 16 tramlines and uses a standard Russian broad gauge. Trams have been operating in Nizhny Novgorod since 1896, but services were interrupted for a few years following the 1917 Russian Revolution.
Internet rumours that the city tram network was to be progressively run down surfaced a few years ago: they were emphatically and officially denied.
History.
Three tram companies.
The history of trams in Nizhny Novgorod begins with an informal competition involving three companies. On 15 May 1895 the firm Hartmann & Co signed a contract with the city to build two lines. Later in the summer of the same year Siemens & Halske also concluded a contract. A third company building a tramline was Podobedow & Co. Siemens won the race, with a tramline ready for use on 20 May 1896 and formally opened on 21 June. This line, which led to the showground being used for the vast All-Russia Exhibition, was closed down again after the exhibition ended in October. However, a year later, after the tracks and overhead power lines had been removed, the line was reconstructed, except that it now stopped slightly short of the former exhibition site.
It was also on 21.June 1896 that Hartmann & Co opened their two Metre gauge lines both of which linked Minin-Pozharsky ("Малой Покровским") Square with what has since been renamed Gorky Square. However, the two lines followed different routes. There was a line through the upper town (Grand Kremlin / citadel) and a line through the lower (river shore level) town. Together they therefore formed a closed "circle" tramline, except that at the end points the altitude differences were far too extreme for a continuous line: for passengers/pedestrians the terminus stations were therefore connected using large elaborate elevators (lifts), known as the Kremlewski Elevator and the Poklavinsky Elevator.
The third of the companies, Podobedov & Co., already had experience of constructing a temporary "on-ice" tram line at St. Petersburg, and they brought their expertise to Nizhny Novgorod for a 750 mm narrow gauge line serving the 1896 exhibition site itself. The vehicles included a special tramcar for the Royal family.
Crossing the river and an ownership changes in 1897.
It was not till 16 June 1897 that Siemens built the first tram crossing of the Oka River, using a pontoon bridge. This was as part of a broad gauge line linking the city's Moscow line terminus with what is today known as Skobe. Initially the Siemens line over the bridge was extended along the right bank of the Oka, but this ran parallel with the Hartmann & Co "lower town" line near the river shore and the Siemens extension was dismantled by order of the city authorities.
In 1897 the Hartmann & Co system was renamed "Russian Company for electric trams and lighting" ("Русскому обществу электрических дорог и электрического освещения", known today as Nizhegorodelektrotrans / "Нижегородэлектротранс"). The original contracts concluded in 1895 had always identified the city as the owner of any tramlines, but they had included the right for Hartmann to lease the concession to operate the trams for 35 years. The name change marked the point where Hartmann sold this concession back to the city. The next year the Siemens & Halske concession also passed to the Russian company, after which the "Russian Company for electric trams and lighting" became Nizhny Novgorod's monopoly tram operator till 1908.
Further expansion and a single gauge standard.
In 1901 the line connecting Pochvalinski und Ostrohnaya opened, followed in 1902 by the line between Kremlevsko and Monastyrnya. The line in the "upper town" was extended to .
The decision was taken in 1910 to standardise the gauge, using the Broad gauge that had already become standard across most of the Russian rail network. The work was completed in 1923, and was also applied to the rails of the horse tram that had operated between 1908 and 1918.
Years of war and revolution.
On 8 October 1914 the municipality purchased the "Russian Company for electric trams and lighting" ("Русскому обществу электрических дорог и электрического освещения" for 1.2 Million rubles. Disruption following the 1917 Russian Revolution and the Civil War led to the suspension of operations on 1 May 1919. The trams only started to run again on 3 August 1923.
A unified network, some new trams and further expansion.
Four years later, on 10 October 1927, the "upper town" and "lower town" networks were finally linked up. This left the city with a connected tram network of . At this stage, however, the tramcars themselves were still based the original ones acquired when the system was set up. In 1930 the city purchased 30 new tramcars from the Mytishchi factory (today the Metrowagonmash company) on the north-eastern edge of Moscow. Another 24 tramcars followed in 1932.
1930 was also the year in which the city, in collaboration with the Michigan based Ford Motor Company, started work on what would become the giant GAZ Car plant, then known as the " Nizhegorodsky Avtomobilny Zavod" and later known for producing Volga cars as well as a huge number of commercial and military vehicles. In 1932 the plant produced its first passenger car, a Ford Model A according to western sources, and on 1 April 1933 the factory received its own (approx) tram connection with the rest of the city network. As a result of this and other projects, by 1935 the Gorky tram network had grown to .
War.
War returned, between the Soviet Union and Germany in June 1941, and most of the tram workers were conscripted into the army: their places were taken by women. Another feature of the period was a widespread shortage of fuel for heating and energy, and it was necessary to switch off heating in the tramcars. However, none of the nine significant air-raids that the city suffered during the German invasion damaged the tram network.
Postwar expansion followed by more choices for passengers.
The 1950s and 1960s were years of expansion. By 1960 a further of lines had been constructed, and the network was now organised into 18 routes. The total network in 1965 extended to . The system was further enhanced in 1968 with a new larger tram depot.
Later in the 1960s competition from buses increased. Investment in new tramlines stopped, and a project already underway to build a new tram bridge across the Oka River was not completed. Competition for investment intensified in 1977 when work began on the city metro system, and competition for passengers on the busiest lines intensified further after 1985 when the first stretch of Metro line became operational. From the mid-1980s there was nevertheless a return to tram investment, but following the economic challenges posed by the Perestroika revolution, there was also an increased emphasis on efficiency. A reconfiguration of the network followed in 1992 which reduced the number of operational tramcars needed.
Today.
Today the Nizhny Novgorod tram network employs around 5,000 people and 387 tramcars across a network of approximately . In order to help the system's financial position almost all the tramcars carry advertising. To keep costs down, employees paint advertisements on the tramcars by hand.


Wuling Dragon

The Wuling Dragon was a series of cabover microvans and kei trucks made by SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile, the Chinese joint venture with General Motors of the United States of America. The Dragon is the successor of the earlier Liuzhou Wuling LZ110, which was based on the 1977-1984 Mitsubishi Minicab.
History.
Production began around 1990 after an agreement was signed with Mitsubishi to produce the 1984-1991 Mitsubishi Minicab under license, as the Liuzhou Wuling LZW 6320/6430 (bus/van versions) and LZW 1010 (pickup trucks). In 1998 the car received a facelift and became the LZW6330/6332. A seven passenger minivan called the LZW6360 was added in 2003.
The engines used were originally a Daihatsu 843 cc three-cylinder and Mitsubishi's 1,061 cc 4G82 four-cylinder (all Chinese built). Since at least 1998 the engines used are 0.8-, 1.0-, and 1.1-litre versions of the old Suzuki F8A/F10A inline fours with 35, 43, and 48 PS (26, 32, and 35 kW) respectively. More recently the 1.1 has been dropped and the power of the smaller engines are increased to . Other engines have also been fitted, such as Daihatsu's 993 cc three-cylinder.
The Dragon is popular as it is of the right size for China's densely populated areas and it is cheaper than most import vehicles into China. The long wheelbase double cab pickup (LZW 1010SD/PSN, more recently LZW 1020PSLNE3) developed by Wuling sits on a longer () wheelbase and is of overall length, considerably longer than the of the microvan version.


Downtown Garland station

Downtown Garland station (formerly known as Garland Central Transit Center until 2002) is a DART Light Rail station located in Garland, Texas (USA) at Walnut and Fifth Streets. It reopened November 18, 2002, serving the downtown Garland area including Garland City Hall, Historic Downtown Garland and Heritage Park. From 2002 until the 2012 extension to Downtown Rowlett, it served as the northeast terminus of the .


Trolleybuses in Izmir

The Izmir trolleybus system formed part of the public transport network in the city of Izmir, Turkey, from 1954 to 1992. Operated by ESHOT, the system was one of three trolleybus systems to have existed in Turkey, along with ones in Ankara and Istanbul, and was the last of them to close. Trolleybuses operated mainly in Konak, with lines to Buca, Balçova and Tepecik.
History.
Trolleybuses replaced the declining tramways of İzmir. The first trolleybuses, built by MAN, arrived in Izmir on May 14, 1954 on a ship from Germany. The first trolleybus line opened on July 28, 1954, or August 16, 1954, between Konak and Güzelyalı. The original fleet totalled eighteen vehicles, MAN trolleybuses (model MKE 3) with Rathgeber bodies, numbered 1–18. The fleet was expanded in 1957 with a purchase of 20 Fiat 2411F trolleybuses, numbered 19–38.
The Izmir system was the only Turkish trolleybus system ever to use articulated trolleybuses, but it had only three such vehicles, total. They were built by Fiat/Viberti in 1958 and were numbered 39–41. ESHOT never acquired any more articulated trolleybuses. In the 1960s, the high cost of importing new trolleybuses led the company to convert a batch of Büssing motorbuses into trolleybuses. There were three such conversions in 1962, numbered 42 and 44–45, and 18 more in 1968, numbered 46–63.
After the closure of the Istanbul trolleybus system, in 1984, Izmir acquired most of its trolleybuses. These were built in 1962 by Alfa Romeo-Fiat, and a total of 75 were acquired secondhand from Istanbul. This was the last fleet of trolleybuses to enter service in Izmir. As of mid-1989, the active trolleybus fleet included 19 of the 1957 Fiat 2411F vehicles, all three of the 1958 Viberti-bodied Fiat articulated vehicles, one 1959 Fiat 2411F (No. 43), and 67 ex-Istanbul Alfa Romeo-Fiat vehicles built in 1962. The last of the MAN trolleybuses that opened the system were retired in 1987 and the last Büssing vehicles in 1988 or 1989.
Route 3 was withdrawn on June 9, 1989, leaving four routes still operating: 1, 2, 70 and 80.
With its fleet falling apart, ESHOT discontinued trolleybus service in 1992, with different sources giving the date as either March 6, 1992, or September 1992.


Trolleybuses in Grimsby

The Grimsby trolleybus system once served the seaport of Grimsby, in Lincolnshire, England. Opened on , it gradually replaced part of the Great Grimsby Street Tramways, a tramway that had served both Grimsby and the neighbouring holiday resort of Cleethorpes. It was closed on .
By the standards of the various now defunct trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom, the Grimsby system was a small one, with a total of only two routes, and a maximum fleet of just 19 trolleybuses.
History.
A horse tramway had been opened in Grimsby in 1881, and had been extended into neighbouring Cleethorpes in 1887. This had been converted to an electric tramway in 1901, at a time when legislation prevented Corporations from operating their own tramways. However, the provisions of the Tramways Act (1870) meant that the Corporation had the option to buy the system within its own boundaries after 21 years, and they exercised this right on 21 July 1922. Negotiations were protracted, and they finally paid £109,848 for the major part of the Great Grimsby Street Tramways network on 6 April 1925. The system was in a poor state of repair, and the route southwards from Riby Square to Freeman Street and Hainton Avenue was in urgent need of renewal.
Two months after taking over the tramway, a meeting was held on 5 June 1925, at which options were considered. Replacement of the tramway track was estimated to cost £20,000, while conversion of the overhead wiring for trolleybuses was costed at £12,375. They decided to proceed with the trolleybus option, and the route was extended at its southern end to Weelsby Road. In order to provide the service, they bought five trolleybuses from Richard Garrett & Sons of Leiston, Suffolk. These were single deck vehicles with a centre entrance, pneumatic tyres, and seating for just 22 passengers. The trams ran until 2 October 1926, and the trolleybuses took over from the following day, with no fares being charged on the first day. Demand for the service was sufficient that two more vehicles were acquired in early 1927. Because there was only a single overhead wire between Riby Square and the tram depot in Victoria Street, the trolleybuses were provided with a skate, that allowed them to use one trolley boom on the tram wire and the skate to complete the circuit through the tram tracks, in order to reach the depot.
Following the success of this first route, plans were made for several routes beyond the tramway, principally to the south west of Grimsby, connecting to the Weelsby Road terminus and the Old Market Place, as well as a loop around Grimsby, running along Cleethorpes Road, Victor Street, Wellington Street, South Durban Street and Eleanor Street. None of these came to fruition, as the Corporation began running motorbuses in 1927, and these required less investment in infrastructure.
After Grimsby Corporation had bought their part of the tramway, they had continued to work with Great Grimsby Street Tramways running the joint service between Grimsby and Cleethorpes. Meanwhile, Cleethorpes had applied for permission to run their part of the tramway and to then convert it to trolleybuses in the Cleethorpes Urban District Council Act (1928). In 1932 the two towns agreed that if Cleethorpes replaced its part of the tramway with trolleybuses, Grimsby would do the same, and by 1935, Grimsby were ready to proceed. They ordered ten new three-axle double deck trolleybuses with centre entrances from Associated Equipment Company (AEC) in 1936, and Cleethorpes paid £50,000 for the remainder of the Great Grimsby Street Tramways, taking over from 15 July 1936.
Grimsby's second trolleybus service began on 22 November 1936, running from Old Market Place to the borough boundary at Park Street. For nearly eight months, both trams and trolleybuses operated on the Riby Square to Park Street section, as the through tram service continued until Cleethorpes had installed their trolleybus wiring. The final trams ran on 17 July 1937, and the new joint trolleybus service between the towns began on the following day. At the Cleethorpes end, the new route ran for a short distance beyond the Kingsway tram terminus to a turning loop at Bathing Pool. Cleethorpes ran their part of the joint service with vehicles also made by AEC, but unlike the Grimsby examples, they had two axles and rear entrances.
Demise.
The trolleybus fleet was expanded by the purchase of three Karrier vehicles in 1944 and another six in 1947. In 1955, trolleybuses on the original Riby Square to Weelsby Road route were temporarily replaced by motor buses. This was intended to be for an experimental period of three months, but the change was made permanent on1 October 1955, leaving just the Grimsby to Cleethorpes route. With both undertakings being so small, discussions about amalgamating them had taken place intermittently for years, until on 1 January 1957 Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport was created, controlled by a committee with representatives from both Corporations. Cleethorpes vehicles had 100 added to their fleet numbers and were transferred to the Grimsby Depot, enabling the Cleethorpes Depot at Pelham Road to be closed on 2 March 1957. Sunday services were discontinued from September 1958, and in October 1959 a report was produced advocating that the system be abandoned. This was ratified by both Corporations in November, and the final day of trolleybus operation was .
Some of Grimsby's Karrier trolleybuses were sold to Bradford, but do not appear to have been used in public service there. the Walsall system bought several of the Cleethorpes vehicles, where they continued to operate until the closure of that system in 1970. Two of the former Grimsby/Cleethorpes trolleybuses are recorded as having survived.
Fleet.
For the opening of the system, Grimsby bought five single-deck vehicles from Richard Garrett & Sons of Leiston, Suffolk in 1926, and supplemented them with two more the following year. When the opening of the Grimsby and Cleethorpes joint service was imminent, they bought ten rather larger vehicles from Associated Equipment Company (AEC). These had three axles and double deck bodywork, with seating for 58 passengers. During the Second World War, they obtained three Karrier vehicles, fitted with wartime utility bodywork, which had bodywork by Park Royal Vehicles of West London, the only ones not to have bodywork by Charles H. Roe of Leeds. The final batch were six more Karriers, obtained in 1946–47.
The Cleethorpes vehicles are also mentioned here, because they only ever worked the joint service into Grimsby, and many of them passed to Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport when that was created in 1957. Their first ten vehicles were two-axle AECs, obtained in 1937, and supplemented by three more in 1938. However, being a seaside town, traffic levels were reduced during the Second World War, and they sold Nos.59 and 60–62 to Nottingham in 1940, as they were experiencing increased traffic levels, but were unable to purchase new vehicles as most manufacturers were engaged in war work. Post-war, they obtained four vehicles from British United Traction (BUT) in 1950, and two from Crossley Motors in 1951.
When the Joint Transport Committee was created, they inherited all of the Karriers and four of the AECs from Grimsby. Cleethorpes vehicles that became part of the joint undertaking had 100 added to their fleet numbers. Three AECs were transferred, as were the four BUTs and two Crossleys. After closure, Karriers 19 to 22 and 24 were sold to Bradford, but never worked in public service, while BUTs 159–162 and Crossleys 163–164 were sold to Walsall.
Preservation.
Two of the Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport vehicles have been preserved.


Carrosserie Hess

Carrosserie HESS AG is a bus, trolleybus and commercial vehicle manufacturer based in Bellach, Switzerland. Their products can be found operating in several countries, including the United States and Canada.
History.
The company was founded in 1882, when Heinrich Hess set up business in Solothurn to build customised car bodies. The company first began building buses in 1919, and production reverted to aluminium products in 1933. It produced its first trolleybuses in 1940 for the Swiss cities of Basel and Biel/Bienne. In 1961, it commenced building of articulated vehicles, some of which were supplied to operators in the United States and Canada in 1975. The company soon began to expand, and businesses were set up in Portugal and Australia in 1957 and 1978. respectively. The U.S. business was set up in 1996. The company began production of low-floor buses and trolleybuses in 1991, and in 2003 built its first double-articulated trolleybuses.
Products.
Bus kits.
As well as building complete vehicles, Hess also manufactures bus kits for its worldwide customers. These kits are imported and then assembled on reaching their destination.
Minibuses.
Hess also builds smaller buses, mainly for the transportation of school children and persons with disabilities.
Commercial vehicles.
Hess builds vehicles designed for commercial purposes, such as vans, some of which are fitted with tipper equipment, loading ramps and trailers.


Cherry Hill station (Light RailLink)

Cherry Hill station is a Baltimore Light Rail stop in Baltimore, Maryland. There is currently no free public parking at this station, but connections can be made to 3 of MTA Maryland's buses from here.
The Cherry Hill stop is accessible to the streets via a walking tunnel. When the station opened in 1992, this raised concerns about safety, as the tunnel could be a hideout for muggers. The agency then known as the Mass Transit Administration pledged to keep a police vehicle parked at the station at all times to address these concerns.


Trolleybuses in Plovdiv

The Plovdiv trolleybus system () was a part of the public transport network of the city and municipality of Plovdiv, the second most populous city in Bulgaria.
Opened in December 1955, the system had waxed and waned in size over time. As of the beginning of 2012, it was made up of only one route. There are current disputes between the operator and the municipality regarding the validity of the trolleybus contract. Gradski Transport Plovdiv is still the operator of this type of transport, despite the numerous infractions of the contract since 2010. In October 2012, because the operator is a private company, the city lost the opportunity to acquire 65 mln lv EU funding for purchasing approximately 100 brand-new trolleybuses. The system was officially closed on 1 October 2012 although some trolleybuses continued operation for a few more weeks. Currently there is no trolleybus movement and the municipality has issued an order for dismantling the overhead network.
Services.
The sole Plovdiv trolleybus line was:
Fleet.
, the Plovdiv trolleybus fleet had 47 trolleybuses:


Bavarian EP 2

The electric locomotives of Bavarian Class EP 2 were in light passenger train service in Germany for almost 50 years. After their initial classification as EP 2 by the Royal Bavarian State Railways ("Königlich Bayerische Staats-Eisenbahnen"), they were redesignated as E 32s from 1927 to 1968 in the DRG's numbering plan and, later in the DB classification scheme. In their final years, post-1968, they were given the EDV-compatible classification of 132. Characteristic of the E 32 was its short length and link drive ("Stangenantrieb").
History.
The Bavarian Group Administration of the Deutsche Reichsbahn procured 29 E 32 electric locomotives between 1924 and 1926-29 for light passenger train duties. To begin with they still carried their Bavarian classification of EP2 20 006 to 034, before they were allocated to DRG Class E 32. Numbers 01 to 05 were unused, because they had already been allocated to the Bavarian EP 1 (later DRG Class E 62). The E 32s were employed on all the Upper Bavarian lines. In 1932 the top speed on eight of the engines was raised from 75 to 90 km/h after they had been given new gear transmissions. These eight machines were then given the numbers E 32 101 to 108 (E32.1).
Deutsche Bundesbahn.
24 engines were taken over by the Deutsche Bundesbahn after the Second World War, five had had to be written off as war losses. In 1968 22 machines were renumbered ito the EDP system as Class 132. Their service ended on 1 August 1972, when the last eight 132s were retired.
Museum.
E 32 27 has been preserved. It is housed in the Bochum-Dahlhausen Railway Museum as a non-operational exhibit.


Gray Line Montreal

Gray Line Montreal, although a member of the Coach Canada family, is an independently managed operation, that also formerly carried the brand of Stagecoach Montréal. They run a fleet of coaches and double-decker buses in and around Montreal, under the banner of Gray Line Worldwide sightseeing tours, offering city tours and trips to Quebec City. Although departures are mostly at the Dorchester Square/Peel Street location, some of the routes offer hop-on hop-off convenience.
History.
Autocar Connaiseur was founded in 1982 by Lorenzo Calce, a former vice-president of Murray Hill Limousines, operating charters and Gray Line sightseeing tours in Montreal. In 1997 the company, which had grown to a fleet of over 100 buses, was sold to Coach USA the North American division of Stagecoach. Approval under the "Investment Canada Act" was given in October 1999, for Stagecoach to acquire Autocar Connaisseur of Montréal.
The parent of each of the Connaisseur Group of companies is 3329003 Canada a non-carrier owned by Coach USA. Gray Line Montreal was included in the April 2019 disposal by Stagecoach of its North American operations to Variant Equity Advisors.


Mr. Taxi

"Mr. Taxi" is the first original Japanese song recorded by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. It was released as a double A-side single with the Japanese version of "Run Devil Run" on April 27, 2011 as the third single from the group's eponymous debut Japanese album. Written by Allison Veltz, Paolo Prudencio, Chan Royce, and Scott Mann, and produced by STY, "Mr. Taxi" is an electropop and R&B song. A Korean version was later recorded and included on the group's reissue of their 2011 Korean album "The Boys".
"Mr. Taxi" was a commercial success in Japan; it became the group's first single to sell 100,000 physical units in its first week of release. The single peaked at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart, number five on the RIAJ Digital Track Chart, and number one on the Japan Hot 100. It received certifications from the Recording Industry Association of Japan on four bases–physical sales (gold), PC downloads (platinum), "chaku-uta" (double platinum), and full-length "chaku-uta" (double platinum). "Mr. Taxi" was also successful in Taiwan, on whose record chart it charted at number three. The Korean version peaked at number nine on the Gaon Digital Chart and sold over 1.5 million digital units in South Korea in 2011.
Background and composition.
Proceeds of the single were announced to be donated to the Japanese Red Cross. The double A-side single contains a Japanese version of their 2010 Korean single "Run Devil Run" which was released as a digital single on January 25, 2011. "Mr. Taxi / Run Devil Run" was the first release by the group that contained an original Japanese song, as all previous releases by the group in Japan had been covers of their Korean songs, "Gee" and "Genie".
"Mr. Taxi / Run Devil Run" was released physically in Japan in three different editions on April 27, 2011: The "regular edition" only contains the CD. The "deluxe first press edition" contains the CD single, a mini-photobook of the members, a trading card, and a DVD containing the music video of "Run Devil Run" and a dance version. The "limited period edition" contains the CD, a DVD with the music video of "Run Devil Run", and a different photobook. The Japanese version of "Run Devil Run" was offered digitally through the Japanese iTunes Store starting January 25, 2011. The single was released internationally on April 23, 2011 through digital download on the iTunes store.<ref name="Mr. Taxi / Run Devil Run - Single"></ref> In the United Kingdom, the single impacted BBC Radio 1's Essential Mix on October 27, 2012.
A Korean version of "Mr. Taxi" was released on December 8, 2011, as the lead single from the group's reissue of their third Korean studio album, "Mr. Taxi" (2011). The group promoted the single prior to its release on various Korean music shows, including Music Bank, Show! Music Core, Inkigayo, and M! Countdown. "Mr. Taxi" received its first performance as a single on You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook broadcast on December 2, 2011. "Mr. Taxi" is an electropop and R&B song.
Live performances.
The girl group first performed "Mr. Taxi" live on May 13, 2011. They have since performed the song (both Korean and Japanese versions) on SM Town tours. In September 2012. while promoting "Oh!", they performed "Mr. Taxi" on "Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ" They then performed the song again as part of "Oh!"'s promotions on "Music Lovers".
Commercial performance.
"Mr. Taxi / Run Devil Run" set a new record for Girls' Generation, being their first Japanese single to sell 100,000 units during its first week of release. The single also managed to peak at the number one spot on "Billboard" Japan Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks. It reached a peak of eleven on the year-end singles chart of the Japan Hot 100. On May 25, 2011, "Mr. Taxi" topped the Taiwanese music chart, G-Music. The single also performed well on the "Oricon" Charts, reaching number on the Daily Single Chart, number two on the Weekly Single Chart, while reaching number forty-six on Oricon's Yearly Single chart. In the group's native South Korea, the single sold over 13,000 copies on the "Gaon" Albums Chart. "Mr. Taxi" performed well on its own, selling over 787,000 copies in 2011 on the International Single Chart of "Gaon".
Music videos.
The teaser video for "Mr. Taxi" was released on April 22, 2011, and the music video was released on April 28, 2011, the dance version was released three days prior on April 25, 2011. The choreography for "Mr. Taxi" was handled by long-time collaborator Rino Nakasone, with Sim Jaewon.
The video begins with the girls dressed in yellow taxi driver outfits in front of a screen that flashes words and patterns in blue lighting. Sooyoung leads the first chorus dance, while Jessica and Yoona lead the second and third. At the beginning of the second verse, it changes to the girls being dressed in black outfits (with differently colored piping for each girl), and dancing in front of a multicolored map of the world. Near the end of the second verse, and throughout the rest of the video, the video alternates between shots of the girls in their yellow outfits and their black outfits. After the second chorus, Sooyoung sings a rap bridge line "One, two, three, here we go! Oh!," which is followed by a dance break performed by Hyoyeon. The bridge continues with vocals by Yuri, Sunny, Sooyoung, Jessica, Tiffany and Taeyeon, after which there are more alternating shots between the two scenes (yellow and black outfits) for the final chorus, ending with the girls freezing in position in their yellow uniforms as the light fades out.
The music video was nominated for "Video of the Year" at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards Japan but was lost to EXILE's "Rising Sun".
A music video of the Korean version was released to accompany the single's release made entirely from the group's performance of the song on their 2011 Girls' Generation Asia Tour, with a dance rehearsal for the song leaking in March 2012.


Berna

Berna was a Swiss manufacturer of buses, trolleybuses and trucks, which later also specialized in surface metallurgical treatments and components. Until the 1960s it was primarily a vehicle manufacturer, but between 1965 and 1978 vehicle manufacturing was phased out and replaced with other products. The company was based in Olten.
History.
The company was founded in 1902 by Joseph Wyss and changed its name from "Schweizerische Automobil Fabrik Berna" (S.A.F.B.) to "Motor-Werke Berna AG" in 1906. The company initially manufactured cars, and Wyss was its first car designer. Berna was also involved in the development of the Tank "Nahkampfkanone 1" Berna's first car, made in 1902, was the "Berna Vis-à-Vis Idéal". Another model was powered by one-cylinder engines, which were placed on the rear. In 1903, a new car called the "Unicum" was produced with the engine placed on the front and the back wheels were powered by chains. By 1905, Berna was also building trucks/lorries.
In 1907, Wyss sold the company to a businessman named Locher, who eventually went bankrupt. The company came under English control in 1908, and production of cars ceased, but it was bought back by Swiss shareholders in 1912, and reorganized as Motorwagenfabrik Berna AG (Berna Motor Vehicle Factory). In 1929, following a period of financial difficulties, Saurer acquired majority control of Berna. Manufacturing of trucks, like the Berna 2, Berna L275/10, Berna 2VM, Berna 2 US and buses continued, including trolleybuses starting in 1940.
In 1965, Berna branched out into metallurgy with two new subsidiaries in the United States and Germany, selling the metal treatment product "Bernex". Vehicle manufacturing was taken over entirely by Saurer in 1976, and Berna AG became a wholly owned subsidiary of Saurer. In 1978 the company had 650 employees and realized 55 million CHF in sales. In 1995, Berna AG had 160 employees and 45 million CHF in sales. In 2003, the Saurer Group sold the company, which had gradually separated into two divisions with different specialties, and the sale resulted in the establishment of two new but affiliated companies, Bernex Bimetall AG and IonBond AG Olten, both still sharing the same site in Olten.
Trolleybuses.
Production of trolleybuses lasted from 1940 to 1967 and included both two-axle and articulated vehicles. All were sold to Swiss transit systems. Although the total number made was only 131, they were purchased by seven of the country's 15 different urban trolleybus operators, or approximately half of all urban Swiss trolleybus systems existing during the period. A few 1965–66 Berna trolleybuses were still in passenger service in 2010 in Valparaíso, Chile, whose trolleybus operating company bought them secondhand from Geneva and Schaffhausen when they were withdrawn from service there in 1992.


C2-class Melbourne tram

The C2-class trams are five-section Alstom Citadis 302 trams built in La Rochelle, France that operate on the Melbourne tram network. They were built for the tram network in Mulhouse, France, but being surplus to Mulhouse demands, were leased to use in Melbourne in 2008, later being purchased by the Government of Victoria. The trams operate solely on route 96.
History.
In 2008 an arrangement to lease five low-floor, air-conditioned, bi-directional, five section Alstom Citadis 302 trams was brokered with Mulhouse, France, through Yarra Trams' then French parent, Transdev. The lease agreement was $9 million for four years with shipping costs of $500,000 for each tram, with the first tram arriving in Melbourne in February 2008. The first tram was launched on 11 June 2008, nicknamed "Bumble Bee 1", with the rest following suit up to "Bumble Bee 5"; all entered service on route 96.
Being surplus to the demands of Mulhouse, they were originally intended to be leased only until December 2011. However, it was announced in November 2010 that the State Government was in negotiations to acquire the C2-trams, with all five subsequently purchased in 2012/13.
Prior to entering service in Melbourne they had minor adjustments made at Preston Workshops, including improvements to the air-conditioning and modifications to the Mulhouse livery.
In July 2014, C2 5123 was the first C2 class tram to receive the new Public Transport Victoria livery.
In October 2017, C2 5106 was the first C2 class tram to receive the new advertisement livery.
In April 2018, C2 5123 was the second C2 class tram to receive the new advertisement livery.
In May 2018, C2 5111 was the third C2 class tram to receive the new advertisement livery.
Operation.
C2-class trams operate on the following route:


Nissan C80

The Nissan C80 was a medium-duty cabover truck manufactured by the Japanese automaker Nissan. The 3.5 ton C80 was introduced in 1966 to fill the gap between the 2 ton Nissan Caball and the 5 ton Nissan 680. Like the Caball, the C80 was a cab forward truck, shared with the Nissan Civilian. Two engines were available: the 3.0L H30 inline-6 that produced 120 horsepower, or the SD33 inline-6 diesel that produced 98 horsepower. The transmission was a column-shift 4-speed manual. There were no significant changes made to the C80 while in production when it was discontinued in 1976. It was exclusive to Japanese Nissan dealerships called "Nissan Bluebird Store" .