Alexander Dennis Enviro500: Difference between revisions

Alexander Dennis Enviro500
Alexander Dennis Enviro500
	Kowloon Motor Bus Enviro500 in Hong Kong in October 2005
Overview
Manufacturer	TransBus/Alexander Dennis
Body and chassis
Doors	1 or 2
Floor type	Low floor
Chassis	Alexander Dennis Enviro500; 3-axle Volvo B9TL
Powertrain
Engine	Cummins ISMe/ISM/ISLe/ISL (ADL Enviro500); Volvo D9A/D9B (3-axle Volvo B9TL)
Power output	Cummins: 330hp/335hp/340hp; Volvo: 300hp/310hp/340hp
Transmission	Voith; ZF Ecomat; Allison B500R; ZF EcoLife
Dimensions
Length	11.3, 12.0, and 12.8 metres
Width	2.55 metres
Height	4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 metres
Curb weight	23.13 tonnes

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Revision as of 11:45, 5 May 2014

The Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (previously known as the TransBus Enviro500) is a three-axle double-decker bus built by Alexander Dennis (formerly by TransBus) in the United Kingdom. It was unveiled in 2002 and is one of the Enviro-series bus models made by TransBus/Alexander Dennis.

Original design

The Dennis chassis for Enviro500 (also known as Trident E500^[1]) was modified from the Trident 3. It can be fitted with Cummins ISMe335 Euro III engine (later Cummins ISLe340 Euro IV/Euro V engine which uses AdBlue to reduce emission of nitrogen oxides through selective catalytic reduction process), or ISM-330 engine for the buses delivered to North America, and coupled to Voith DIWA864.3E 4-speed or ZF 5HP602 5-speed gearbox. Later Voith DIWA864.5 4-speed gearbox, ZF 6HP602 6-speed gearbox and Allison B500R 6-speed gearbox became available and now they are the standard configurations.

Initially only the 12-metre (40 ft)-long version of the Enviro500 was built, but in 2007 Alexander Dennis announced the production of the 12.8-metre-long version,^[2] and an 11.3-metre-long variant followed in 2008.

Later Alexander Dennis developed the hybrid electric version of Enviro500, known as the Enviro500H, with GM-Allison's parallel hybrid drive system; it was unveiled in late 2008.^[3]^[4]

The body of the Enviro500 was based on the original style of the single-deck Enviro300, and the upper-deck frontal design was similar to the design used on the Plaxton President body.

The vehicle exceeded some design limitations in Hong Kong, prompting the local Transport Department to make some exclusions in order to make the buses available to KMB on time.

The width of the bus is 2.55 metres exceeded the limit of 2.50 metres. The width of 2.55 metres approved by the European Union, became the current standard.
A fixed glass replaced the emergency door at the rear of the upper deck, but with more hammers available for emergency.
The front indicators are the smallest of all current models of Kowloon Motor Bus.

The facelifted version of Enviro500 body, first built in late 2003, have revised frontal and rear designs. This version of Enviro500 bodywork ws also available with Volvo B9TL chassis.

In 2011, Alexander Dennis unveiled the Enviro500 with new frontal design, which had the same front with the Enviro400.

Hong Kong

Kowloon Motor Bus

The Enviro500 is the first model of second-generation low-floor buses for Kowloon Motor Bus, with straight staircase and plug door (only at the exit) fitted. All KMB's Enviro500 buses had a bronze band added to the champagne livery to differentiate them from the first-generation low-floor buses.

When TransBus announced the development of the Enviro500, KMB became the launch customer by changing the last 20 of an order for 100 Dennis Trident 3s to the Enviro500 in 2002. Later in the same year, KMB placed an order for a further 100. The first Enviro500 arrived in Hong Kong on 12 November 2002 and was registered in January 2003 with all in service by November 2003.

In 2003 KMB placed another order for 65 Enviro500s, quickly followed by a further 50. The bodywork of these buses received a number of minor modifications. The first 112 buses entered service between November 2003 and June 2005, and the remaining three buses were registered by its subsidiary Long Win Bus.

Due to the commencement of the KCR West Rail in late 2003 and KCR Ma On Shan Rail in late 2004, the Transport Department requested KMB to reduce its fleet size, so the registration of these four batches of KMB Enviro500 were delayed and some of them were stored before entering service.

In 2005, KMB ordered a further 25 with modified bodywork and new Alexander Dennis badge, 24 of them (five had their electronic route destination displays supplied by Gorba instead of Hanover) entered service in early 2006. The last one, a Euro IV-engined prototype, with fleet number ATEU1 (originally ATE257), entered service on 24 May 2006. In 2009, it reemerged as a Euro V-engined bus.^[5]

In late 2005, KMB ordered 15 more buses which entered service in August 2006.

Later a batch of 9 buses with Euro IV engines was ordered for delivery in 2009, which entered service in mid-2009. One of them was fitted with luggage rack after body assembly. It was quickly followed by another batch of 46 buses for delivery in 2010, 20 of them were eventually diverted to Long Win Bus, and 26 buses entered service with KMB in 2010-2011.

A batch of 35 buses with Euro V engines was ordered for delivery in 2010/11, 30 of them were eventually diverted to Long Win Bus, and 5 buses entered service with KMB in 2011.

In July 2008, one was written off after being burnt out in KMB's depot in Tin Shui Wai on 31 March 2008.

Long Win Bus

Long Win Bus registered three Enviro500 buses, which were originally ordered by Kowloon Motor Bus, in August 2005 to cope with the increased demand for bus services after the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland.

In late 2005, Long Win Bus ordered five more which had luggage racks fitted when new, entering service in June/July 2006.

A further batch of seven buses with Euro IV engines had been ordered for delivery in 2009. The first six buses entered service in mid-late 2009. The last one, which was fitted with coach seats, entered service in October 2009. These were followed by further five buses, with the first four being registered in December 2009; the last one, which was fitted with coach seats, entered service in April 2010. In 2010, Long Win Bus received 20 more Enviro500 buses with Euro IV engines.

A batch of 6 Enviro500 buses with Euro V engines was ordered for delivery in 2010/11. These, together with 30 diverted from KMB's order, were put into service between 2011 and 2013.

Citybus

Until 2014, Citybus has 220 Enviro500s in services, they are all 12 metres long.

Citybus ordered 10 Enviro500s with Euro IV engine and luggage racks, soon after its sister company New World First Bus's order. The first batch of chassis arrived Hong Kong in the third quarter of 2007 for body assembly in NWFB depot at Chong Fu Road. They entered service in December 2007/January 2008.

A further batch of 18 buses with Euro IV engines had been ordered for delivery in 2009, they entered service in 2009. They were followed by another 77 buses, they entered service in 2010/11. In 2011 Citybus ordered 115 Enviro500s, with three fitted with luggage racks.

MTR

Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation originally ordered 9 12-metre long Euro IV-engined Enviro500 buses in early 2007 for its Feeder Bus service.^[6] The first completed bus arrived Hong Kong on 24 November 2007, then registered in February 2008 and entered service in March 2008; the rest of them entered service in March/April 2008.

Due to a railway merger between MTR and KCR in late-2007, they are now operated by MTR Corporation for running MTR Feeder Bus (previously known as KCR Feeder Bus) routes.

Later a batch of 15 buses with Euro IV engines was ordered for delivery in 2009, they were first registered in April–August 2009. This was followed by another order for 9 buses in 11.3-metre length which entered service in 2012.

New World First Bus

There are 123 Enviro500 buses in service.

New World First Bus ordered 18 Enviro500 buses with Euro IV engine in early 2007.^[6] 17 buses entered service in early/mid-2008, another one (fleet number 5504) was shipped to Australia in March 2008, after body assembly, for demonstration in several cities between April and May 2008, it finally entered service in June 2008.

In 2008 New World First Bus ordered 20 11.3 metre examples with Euro IV engines for delivery in 2009. They entered service in July–October 2009. A further batch of 20 similar buses with Euro V engines entered service in early 2010.

In 2010, a batch of 24 12m-long buses with Euro V engines was ordered for delivery in 2010-2011. They entered service in January–May 2011.

In 2011 New World First Bus ordered 13 12m-long Enviro500s, all of them entered service in May 2012. These were followed by another 28 12m-long buses which started to enter service in 2013.

CLP Group

CLP Group ordered five Enviro500 buses with Euro IV engines for its staff shuttle bus service in 2008. The specification is similar with Citybus's Enviro500, but without wheelchair place and standees. They entered service in June 2009.

Europe

United Kingdom

In August 2008, First Glasgow ordered a batch of 25. They entered service between April and June 2009.

North America

In 2004, Alexander Dennis started to explore the North American market for its Enviro500. The American version of Enviro500 have modified bodies and redesigned fuel tanks, which enable the straight staircase to be moved forward. Alexander Dennis built four left hand drive Enviro500 (one 12m-long bus and three 12.8m-long bus) for demonstration in the United States and Canada.

Bus operators which evaluated the Enviro500 included Community Transit of Snohomish County, Washington (December 2005), Unitrans of Davis (January 2006, two weeks), OC Transpo of Ottawa (28 June to 12 July 2006 and February 2007), San Francisco Municipal Railway of San Francisco (November 2007 to January 2008)^[7] and the Réseau de transport de la Capitale of Quebec City (March 2013).

Alexander Dennis also built one 12-metre Enviro500 demonstrator for long-term loan. It was first loaned to Community Transit between 2007 and 2009 which put it into service on 1 August 2007, the bus was used on commuter routes between Seattle and various points in Snohomish County during its first year in operation.^[8] From September 2010, it was loaned to Strathcona County Transit on a one-year lease for the operator's one-year-long double-decker pilot project.^[9] The pilot is part of an exploration of different high-capacity bus types to carry more passengers on the high-demand commuter routes, which are between Strathcona County and Edmonton; an articulated bus is also being evaluated as an alternative and there is no commitment to put any Alexander Dennis model or any double-decker design into permanent service. This bus becomes the first double-decker to be used for regular transit service in Alberta.^[10]

In late 2008, Alexander Dennis announced the assembly of the American version of Enviro500 by ElDorado National of the United States.^[4]

Canada

BC Transit ordered nine Enviro500 which were allocated to Victoria, British Columbia and entered service in early 2005. Two of them had taken part in a promotional show in USA, which was organized by Alexander Dennis in January 2005, before entering service. These were followed by another 26 which entered service in 2008; sixteen of them were allocated to Victoria and the other ten were allocated to Kelowna. In 2009, BC Transit received one Enviro500H for evaluation.

GO Transit, Toronto's regional transit authority, has 22 12.8-metre long Enviro500s. Twelve were introduced in early 2008. Ten extra units entered service in early 2009. Later it ordered 25 12.8-metre-long Enviro500s with new front and a lower height to meet bridge clearance requirements in Ontario, the first bus was delivered in 3 April 2013 and the remaining 24 in May 2013.^[11]

OC Transpo also purchased 3 Enviro500s for further testing, after two trials in 2006/07. The first unit arrived in November 2008 and the city of Ottawa operated them on a variety of routes. These three demo buses were sold to BC Transit in the summer of 2012. It ordered 75 12.8-metre-long Enviro500s with new front for delivery in 2012/13, the first one officially arriving on 23 August 2012. As of 19 September 2013, 74 of 75 these new Enviro500 buses are in service (1 damaged in an accident and presumed retired).^[12]

Strathcona County Transit has decided to order 14 Enviro500s for their service between Sherwood Park and Edmonton, Alberta, with the first arriving in late August and subsequent buses arriving by the spring of 2014.^[13] They chose the double decker over articulated models and motor coaches after a year of testing between September, 2010 and October, 2011.^[14]

United States

Gray Line New York, owned by Coach USA ordered 20 open-top Enviro500 for its sightseeing operations in New York and put them into service in spring 2005, these were the first open-top Enviro500 built (another 13 would later be ordered). Gray Line also received three single-door Enviro500 in summer 2005 for operation in San Francisco.

Citizens Area Transit (now RTC Transit) of Las Vegas had its first 50 Enviro500s enter service by October 2005. The service, marketed as "The Deuce", runs along the Las Vegas Strip. Certain high-traffic routes, such as along Maryland Parkway and Nellis Boulevard, have also used these buses. They offer extra ventilation grilles outside the engine compartment to cope with Southern Nevada's dry desert climate and high summertime temperatures. Las Vegas's Enviro500s have the largest air conditioning system ever created for a transit vehicle, with eight fans fitted on the air conditioning unit. As of October 2006, CAT had firm orders for another 41 of the type worth $29.8 million; these were delivered in late 2007. A further 40 had also been ordered for delivery in 2008; these were 12.8 meters long and had a second staircase to speed loading and unloading. All these vehicles were used for regular fixed-route operations, not for sightseeing operations.

Les Cars Rouges, a sightseeing company, ordered 16 open-top Enviro500 for sightseeing operations in the USA, delivery of these buses started in early 2007. Eight of the Enviro500 are destined for San Francisco, and the rest of them are destined for Washington D.C.

Community Transit currently has a fleet of 23 12.8m buses.^[15]

Unitrans (the student-run transit service of University of California, Davis, known for years for its operation of former London Transport double-decker buses) ordered two Enviro500 which were delivered in early 2010; these are the first batch of Enviro500s with the bodywork assembled by ElDorado National.

SLO Transit ordered one Enviro500 which entered service in late 2010.

Hele-On Bus introduced one 12.8m Enviro500 in the first half of 2011.

Oceania

Australia

A Enviro500 with Kiwi Bus Builders bodywork was unveiled in 2011. This bus was the first Enviro500 with bodywork constructed by other bodybuilders, it was subsequently acquired by Rockleigh Tours in Melbourne. Kiwi Bus where actually commissioned by Rockleigh Tours to build the bus on their behalf. After a five year project to acquire a new double decker ADL could only supply a chassis that needed to be modified to make it narrower to meet Australian standards. Kiwi Bus Builders best fit Rockleigh Tours requirements.^[16]

Enviro500 bodywork on Volvo B9TL chassis

As of early 2009, Kowloon Motor Bus and Long Win Bus in Hong Kong and Dublin Bus of Ireland are operating Volvo B9TLs that have been received Enviro500 bodies.

2012 "New Generation" Enviro500

In 2012, Alexander Dennis unveiled a new generation Enviro500 with a new chassis design. The chassis (also known as the Trident E500 Turbo and E50D) had the longitudinally-mounted engine and gearbox slightly offset to the left. The Cummins ISLe engine was retained, with choices of ZF EcoLife and Voith DIWA gearbox. Like the Enviro400 with straight staircase, the shape of fuel tank was specifically adopted to be mounted under the staircase. All the axles utilised were supplied by ZF instead of Dana.

The bodywork followed the design of Hong Kong version-Enviro400, with a new design of staircase known by Alexander Dennis as the "Square-Case", which had similar size with spiral staircase but with all steps being rectangular shaped.