Apron bus

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An apron bus , also known as an airport bus or airport apron bus , is a special omnibus that runs on the apron at airports . It is used to transport passengers from the reception building to the aircraft and back if the aircraft cannot dock directly at the terminal using passenger boarding bridges .

In some cases, passengers are also transported between several passenger buildings using apron buses. Ordinary city ​​buses (usually articulated buses ) are usually used for this. In order to achieve a high total capacity, as few seats as possible are built in.

However, there are also special apron buses that are adapted to the special requirements of airport operations and therefore operate more economically and ecologically. Since they do not leave the private premises of the airport, apron buses are often wider than the 2.55 meters permitted in road traffic. The leading manufacturers are the German companies Contrac-Cobus and Viseon (formerly Neoplan) and the Spanish company Acciona .

So-called lounge buses are used at Washington Dulles International Airport , which also transport passengers from the main terminal to the satellite terminal. These can dock directly to the aircraft so that no passenger stairs are necessary. At Paris-Charles de Gaulle similar buses are used.

There are also bidirectional apron buses , for example at Vienna, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi airports. They can drive in both directions and are therefore also equipped with two driver's cabs . This solution saves time and space for turning maneuvers. Another typical feature: apron buses often have doors on both sides and / or rear doors; this allows greater flexibility when approaching the terminals or aircraft.

At Zurich Airport , touristic tours are carried out with a former apron bus.

Electric apron buses

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

In 2013 , the Chinese car manufacturer BYD Auto won a tender from Schiphol Airport for the delivery of 35 electric buses and the associated charging stations against four competitors . The first vehicles were delivered in autumn 2014, the delivery was completed in summer 2015. Schiphol is the first airport in the world to handle all passenger transport on the apron with electric buses.

Stuttgart Airport

After a battery-powered apron bus had been in operation at Stuttgart Airport for a long time , six additional E.COBUS 3000 battery buses from the manufacturer COBUS Industries were ordered at the end of 2014. The first vehicle was handed over in October 2015 and deliveries are expected to be completed by the end of November 2015.

gallery

  • Extra-wide apron bus from Contrac-Cobus

  • Extra-wide apron bus from Neoplan

  • Typical interior with a high proportion of standing room

  • Apron bus at Berlin-Tegel Airport

  • Lounge bus in Washington

  • "Appa 4" articulated bus at Streschewoi Airport in Russia

Web links

Commons : Airside transfer buses  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ FBW-Hess-Vorfeldbus on www.fahrzeugbilder.de
  2. ↑ IHS Airport 360 Schiphol shifts to zero-emission apron buses (English) accessed on August 8, 2015
  3. ↑ Fleet of 35 BYD ebuses to serve Amsterdam Schiphol Airport on Busandcoach.com from July 1, 2015, accessed on September 25, 2015 ( Memento of the original from September 25, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / busandcoach.com
  4. ↑ COBUS News - December 2014. In: COBUS Industries press archive. ASEAG , December 2014, accessed November 10, 2015 .