Midibus
A midibus is a regular service bus that is around eight to ten meters long, which is two to four meters shorter than a standard bus . Vehicles of this type have found widespread use since the 1980s, particularly in regular services in smaller towns and in the outskirts of large cities. Tour buses of this size are known as club buses .
construction
The size and available space of a midibus are above that of minibuses , but still well below that of standard buses with a length of twelve meters. The length is between 8 and 10½ meters, the transport capacity is 35 to 85 people.
| Size comparison of public buses | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vehicle | Length in meters |
Seats | Capacity in people |
Motor position |
| minibus | 6.0-7.5 | 13-22 | 20-35 | front |
| Midibus | 8.0-10.5 | 20-30 | 35-85 | Rear |
| Solo bus | 10.6-12.0 | 35-40 | 100-105 | Rear |
The midibuses can be divided into two different sizes. The larger series are shortened standard buses in which the middle section between the front axle and the second door is about two rows shorter and there are no other structural differences. The smaller buses are in-house designs that also have shorter overhangs at the front and rear, but adopt a large number of components from the standard buses. Some of these vehicles are 15 centimeters narrower (2.35 m).
What all midibuses have in common is that they are primarily optically and often also structurally based on the standard buses of the respective manufacturer. Headlights, bumpers, taillights, side windows, doors, interior fittings and the engine installation position in the rear are adopted. This is also the main criterion for differentiation from minibuses, which are usually based on small vans with a front engine. The transitions between the two midibus sizes are fluid.
Club buses are a technically similar construction for long-distance travel .
Market position
From an economic point of view, the advantage of a midibus over a standard bus is apparently not that great. Although the acquisition costs (2004) were around EUR 220,000, around EUR 50,000 lower than for standard buses. But the cost per hour was calculated at 42 euros compared to 45 euros for the standard bus.
In addition to trying to adapt the size and cost of the vehicle to demand, the main reason for purchasing midibuses is their smaller dimensions and greater maneuverability, which can be an advantage in mountain valleys or narrow old town streets. Smaller trolleybuses in Lyon represent a special case , where individual sections cannot be used by standard-sized vehicles and electrical operation is to be maintained.
Manufacturers and models
Larger midibus models are for example the Citaro K from EvoBus , the MAN Lion's City M and the Volvo 7900 10.6 m . The representatives of the smaller sizes include the Solaris Alpino , the Heuliez GX137, the Van Hool NewA309 and the Hess SwissAlpin. The Neoplan Centroliner and Mercedes-Benz Cito, which were manufactured up to 2003, were at times widespread in German-speaking countries, but due to their age, they are only used occasionally today.
In addition to Solaris Bus & Coach from Poland, there are other Eastern European models such as the Hungarian Ikarus 405 or the Russian PAZ-3237 , which can be described as real midibuses. In Great Britain , midibuses of the brands Alexander Dennis , Wrightbus and Optare are often in use, and the Dennis Dart in particular has meanwhile become widespread.
literature
- VDV - Association of German Transport Companies (publisher): Regular buses: passenger-friendly, economical, low-emission . Alba Fachverlag, Düsseldorf 1999, ISBN 978-3-87094-641-8 .
- VDV - Association of German Transport Companies (ed.): City bus - being mobile in small and medium-sized towns . Alba Fachverlag, Düsseldorf 2000, ISBN 3-87094-642-3 , Modern Vehicles, p. 173 ff .
Web links
- Michael Müller: DB EK 87 (O402). Mercedes urban line minibuses of the type O402. Traditionsbus-Berlin, 2006, accessed on June 12, 2009 (exemplary presentation of the development and use of midibuses).