Volvo B9TL
Encyclopedia
The Volvo B9TL is a low-floor double-decker bus
built by Volvo Buses
since 2002. It superseded the older Volvo B10TL
(also known as the Super Olympian) and the Volvo B7TL
.
. The radiator is located at the rear offside, similar the smaller B7TL. The front module design is shared with other low-floor bus chassis built by Volvo, and independent suspension is fitted at the front axle (replaced by conventional front suspension after some years of production).
The B9TL was initially offered in 3-axle format, and the 2-axle variant was added in 2006 to replace the B7TL. The driveline comprises a Volvo D9A Euro III engine (rated at 300bhp or 340bhp), which was later replaced by the Volvo D9B Euro IV engine (uses selective catalytic reduction
technology; two versions were offered - the D9B260 rated at 260bhp for 2-axle version, and a higher powered D9B310, rated at 310bhp, for 3-axle version), and coupled to a ZF 5/6-speed gearbox. Volvo also offer the Voith
4-speed gearbox as an option.
The front wheels of 3-axle B9TL are usually supplied by ALCOA
of the USA, but some buses (including the 3 prototypes) have all their wheels supplied by ALCOA.
AVD1
A Volvo B9TL prototype was delivered to Hong Kong
in July 2003 for Kowloon Motor Bus
as a demonstrator for the Eco-Driveline concept (a large differential
ratio, an engine with high low-end torque, and a 6-speed automatic gearbox with double overdrive ratios). However, the Volgren
CR223LD body (which is actually known to have been assembled in Switzerland
) had a width of only 2500mm instead of the usual 2550mm. After months of testing, the bus was registered as LJ7006 and numbered AVD1 in March 2004. It was put into service in April 2004.
As a result of these tests, Volvo Buses and ZF adopted the Eco-Driveline system as the primary driveline option on the B9TL.
Later it was confirmed that AVD1 would leave Hong Kong after its evaluation, and a farewell tour was held by Bus Fan World on 12 December 2004. The bus was delicensed on 15 December 2004 and left Hong Kong at noon on 21 December 2004.
In August 2005, AVD1 was shipped back to Hong Kong after its D9A engine was replaced by a D9B unit. Pre-October 2005, the bus was kept by Volvo in the Hong Kong United Dockyard
. Later in 2005, the bus was transferred to KMB for installation of service equipment. The bus was re-licensed as MF5119 in February 2006, and re-entered service on 24 May 2006. The bus is one of the first two to meet the Euro IV emissions standards in Hong Kong (the other is an Alexander Dennis Enviro500 with fleet number ATEU1, originally ATE257).
AVBE/AVBW class
In early 2004, a Volvo B9TL prototype with a facelifted version of the TransBus Enviro500 body arrived in Hong Kong. It had a slightly different front and rear design, and its rear route box was moved beneath the upper deck rear window. After TransBus International was renamed Alexander Dennis
in May 2004, it became the only TransBus Enviro-series bus with a non-Dennis chassis.
Later in the same year, a Wright
-bodied B9TL prototype was also delivered. The rear design of its Wright body was different from that of the Wright-bodied Volvo Super Olympian (AVW-class), with the number plate moved beneath (and a little to the right of) the rear route box.
On 12 January 2005, the TransBus Enviro 500-bodied B9TL was finally licensed as LU3721 with fleet number AVBE1, and the Wright-bodied B9TL was registered as LU3739 with fleet number AVBW1. Both of them entered service on the night of 8 February 2005.
In early 2005 Kowloon Motor Bus ordered 25 B9TL chassis with Wright bodywork, which entered service in 2005/2006. One of them (fleet number AVBW25) had participated in the EFE Showbus 2005 event in the UK before delivery. Among these 25 Wright-bodied B9TL, two of them are prototypes - fleet no. AVBW15 and AVBW26 (registration no. MG470 and MH7721 respectively). AVBW15 is fitted with a D9A340 engine coupled to a 4-speed Voith DIWA864.5 gearbox instead of the D9A300 engine coupled to a 6-speed ZF6HP592C gearbox, which is unique among the whole Wright-bodied B9TL fleet.
In late 2005, Kowloon Motor Bus placed a further order of 38 Wright-bodied B9TL and 50 Enviro500-bodied B9TL, the Wright-bodied buses entered service in mid/late-2006, and the Enviro500-bodied buses entered service in late 2006/2007. These were followed by another 35 buses with Enviro500 bodywork, they entered service in 2007/2008.
AVBWU/AVWU class
In 2009, Kowloon Motor Bus ordered 175 Wright Eclipse Gemini 2-bodied B9TLs (in two batches) equipped with Euro V D9B-310 engines and Vogelsitze seats, which have begun delivery as of early 2010. These were followed by an order for a further 115 Wright-bodied B9TL in 2010.
The first 112 buses entered service between 2010 and 2011.
AVBWS class
Kowloon Motor Bus received one Wright Eclipse Gemini 2-bodied two-axle B9TL in 2010, it was first registered in December 2010.
Early withdrawal
On 29 September 2009, a KMB Wright-bodied B9TL (fleet number AVBW29, reg number MJ6852) was written off after being burnt out near Wu Chung House in Queen's Road East, Wan Chai on 10 December 2008.
After investigations, it was determined that the fire was caused by an overheated generator. Later KMB received one additional B9TL as compensation.
operates ten B9TL with Alexander Dennis Enviro500 bodywork which entered service in 2007/2008. All vehicles in this batch are almost identical to those with Kowloon Motor Bus.
received one Wright Eclipse Gemini 2-bodied two-axle B9TL in 31 July 2010. This vehicle was first registered in November 2010 and entered service in the following month.
when Weavaway Travel of Newbury
placed an order for 6 B9TL with East Lancs "Myllennium" Nordic
bodywork in late 2004 and put them into service in April/May 2005, becoming the first UK operator of the type. Since then, 2 more were sold to Roadliner of Poole
and Provence Private Hire of St Albans
for school contracts and commercial work.
The 2-axle Volvo B9TL did not make its debut in Britain until the middle of 2006. The first demonstrator, with Wright Eclipse Gemini
body, was delivered to London General
(part of the Go-Ahead Group
) in July 2006 for evaluation, it is used on route 11
along with the current Wright-bodied Volvo B7TL. The first order was secured from Delaine
for 2 examples with the new East Lancs Olympus
bodywork. The first one, along with an Alexander Dennis Enviro400-bodied version, were unveiled in "Euro Bus Expo" show in November 2006.
Initial sales of the 2-axle version had been slow in Britain, particularly in London, after falling foul with the noise and capacity requirements imposed by Transport for London
. Otherwise, the B9TL managed greater success - notably with Lothian Buses
ordering 50 examples for delivery in 2007 and then 50 more in 2008 and 75 more in 2009, First with 453 for use in its UK operations (for delivery in 2007-10), and Ulsterbus
of Northern Ireland, with 125. The first order from Arriva
was 10 buses with East Lancs Visionaire bodywork for The Original Tour, followed by an order for 16 buses with Darwen Olympus
bodywork in high specification featuring leather seats for Arriva Yorkshire
entering service between January and May 2008. Other notable customers include East Yorkshire Motor Services
, Highland Scottish
, Yorkshire Coastliner
and Flights Hallmark
.
In Northern Ireland
, Translink
purchased 125 Volvo B9TLs, all bodied by Wrightbus.
of Dublin, Ireland
placed an order for 20 B9TL with single-door Alexander Dennis Enviro500 bodywork in early 2005. These buses are the largest in the fleet and also the first tri-axle double deckers for the Irish capital, the first of them entered service in December 2005. These "VT" class buses run on high-demand routes, such as route 46A.
In 2007, Dublin Bus ordered 50 B9TL with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodywork and another 50 B9TL with Alexander Dennis Enviro500 bodywork for delivery in 2007/2008. The 2-axle buses entered service in summer/autumn 2007, and the 3-axle buses entered service in December 2007/early 2008. Later Dublin Bus ordered 50 B9TL with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodywork and 50 B9TL with Wright Eclipse Gemini
bodywork for delivery in 2008/2009.
Bus Éireann
also put 10 Wright Eclipse Gemini-bodied Volvo B9TL into service in late 2008.
of Singapore
placed an order for 150 B9TL chassis in 2004, then the largest single order, which were fitted with bodywork from ComfortDelgro Engineering, part of SBS Transit's parent company. An additional order for 50 more chassis was placed in 2006 soon after putting its first B9TLs into operation, bringing the total fleet size to 200. These B9TLs come with a Volvo D9A300 engine (Euro III), 150 having ZF 6HP602C gearboxes while the remaining 50 have Voith D864.3 gearboxes.
These are Singapore's first wheelchair-accessible buses. However, instead of automatic ramps, SBS Transit has decided to use manually-operated ramps. While the ramps would need more time to deploy, they would be more reliable than automatic ones and would be cheaper to install and maintain because of the absence of complicated mechanical parts.
The buses were launched on 15 February 2006 by Singapore's then Minister for Transport
, Yeo Cheow Tong
. They were supposed to be deployed from April onwards, but this was delayed till June 2006 - they were slightly wider than most other buses in Singapore, bus stops had to be retrofitted for wheelchair users, and it was necessary to survey which bus routes in Singapore had the most pressing need for such buses.
Bus service 21 was the first to receive the buses, where ten were put into service serving between Saint Michael's Bus Terminal
and Pasir Ris Interchange on 27 June 2006, with an official launch ceremony held at Pasir Ris Interchange on 26 June 2006. Service 21 was chosen after consultations with various welfare organizations serving the needs of the handicapped, as well as the Land Transport Authority
. This route also passes the premises of the Handicaps Welfare Association as well as Tan Tock Seng Hospital
, among other medical facilities. B9TLs continued to roll out of the bodywork assembly plant at SBS Transit's Hougang depot, being deployed on selected routes served by several depots, where the routes chosen are expected to serve large numbers of elderly commuters.
As of 29 September 2006, before the Euro 4 dateline of 1 October 2006 set by the Singapore government for diesel vehicles, all 200 B9TLs have been registered, with registration numbers SBS7300P to SBS7499A. As of 2007, all 200 buses were out on the roads.
Early withdrawal
On 7 March 2010, SBS7440T from service 25 was burnt in a bus depot fire and was de-registered several months later.
The first unit was handed over to SBS Transit by Wrightbus Ltd. on 8 September 2010, and was in service as of November 2010. The buses were registered in the license plate range SBS7500D to SBS7686B excluding registration numbers containing the digit 4 (due to tetraphobia
). On 26 August 2011, the last few buses of the first 150 Wrights had completed their registration and registration for the next 300 buses started from 21 September 2011 onwards. Registration series began from SBS7700T and later, SBS3000G. The buses in the 3000-series have different interiors from the buses in the 7000-series.
A number of 2-axle Volvo B9TL open top buses were sold to a number of cities in Continental Europe
for sightseeing purposes.
Competitors (2-axle):
Competitors (3-axle):
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
built by Volvo Buses
Volvo Buses
Volvo Buses is a subsidiary and a business area of the Swedish vehicle maker Volvo, which became an independent division in 1968. It is based in Göteborg....
since 2002. It superseded the older Volvo B10TL
Volvo B10TL
Volvo Super Olympian, also known as B10TL, is a low-floor double-decker bus which replaced the 3-axle version of Volvo Olympian ....
(also known as the Super Olympian) and the Volvo B7TL
Volvo B7TL
Volvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
.
Chassis
The B9TL chassis shared the same design of the B7TL. The key difference from both its predecessor, the B10TL Super Olympian and B7TL, is the new 9.3-litre engine originally designed by Renault TrucksRenault Trucks
Renault Trucks is a French truck manufacturer with its corporate headquarters at Saint-Priest near Lyon. Originally part of Renault, it has been owned by Volvo Group since 2001....
. The radiator is located at the rear offside, similar the smaller B7TL. The front module design is shared with other low-floor bus chassis built by Volvo, and independent suspension is fitted at the front axle (replaced by conventional front suspension after some years of production).
The B9TL was initially offered in 3-axle format, and the 2-axle variant was added in 2006 to replace the B7TL. The driveline comprises a Volvo D9A Euro III engine (rated at 300bhp or 340bhp), which was later replaced by the Volvo D9B Euro IV engine (uses selective catalytic reduction
Selective catalytic reduction
Selective catalytic reduction is a means of converting nitrogen oxides, also referred to as with the aid of a catalyst into diatomic nitrogen , , and water, . A gaseous reductant, typically anhydrous ammonia, aqueous ammonia or urea, is added to a stream of flue or exhaust gas and is absorbed...
technology; two versions were offered - the D9B260 rated at 260bhp for 2-axle version, and a higher powered D9B310, rated at 310bhp, for 3-axle version), and coupled to a ZF 5/6-speed gearbox. Volvo also offer the Voith
Voith
The Voith GmbH, which is headquartered in Germany, is a family-run corporation in the mechanical engineering sector with worldwide operations....
4-speed gearbox as an option.
The front wheels of 3-axle B9TL are usually supplied by ALCOA
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
of the USA, but some buses (including the 3 prototypes) have all their wheels supplied by ALCOA.
Kowloon Motor Bus
A Volvo B9TL prototype was delivered to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in July 2003 for Kowloon Motor Bus
Kowloon Motor Bus
The Kowloon Motor Bus Company Limited , a company of the Transport International Holdings Limited, is the largest franchised bus operators in Hong Kong, and one of the largest privately owned public bus operators in the world...
as a demonstrator for the Eco-Driveline concept (a large differential
Differential (mechanics)
A differential is a device, usually, but not necessarily, employing gears, capable of transmitting torque and rotation through three shafts, almost always used in one of two ways: in one way, it receives one input and provides two outputs—this is found in most automobiles—and in the other way, it...
ratio, an engine with high low-end torque, and a 6-speed automatic gearbox with double overdrive ratios). However, the Volgren
Volgren
Volgren is an Australian bodywork company previously owned by Volvo and the Grenda Corporation but is now entirely owned by the latter. It was established in 1977, initially supplying bodywork for Volvo buses sold in Australia, and later supplying bus bodywork on all types of chassis for both local...
CR223LD body (which is actually known to have been assembled in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
) had a width of only 2500mm instead of the usual 2550mm. After months of testing, the bus was registered as LJ7006 and numbered AVD1 in March 2004. It was put into service in April 2004.
As a result of these tests, Volvo Buses and ZF adopted the Eco-Driveline system as the primary driveline option on the B9TL.
Later it was confirmed that AVD1 would leave Hong Kong after its evaluation, and a farewell tour was held by Bus Fan World on 12 December 2004. The bus was delicensed on 15 December 2004 and left Hong Kong at noon on 21 December 2004.
In August 2005, AVD1 was shipped back to Hong Kong after its D9A engine was replaced by a D9B unit. Pre-October 2005, the bus was kept by Volvo in the Hong Kong United Dockyard
Hong Kong United Dockyard
Hong Kong United Dockyard or simply United Dockyard is a dockyard in Shek Wan, on the Tsing Yi Island of Hong Kong. HUD was formed in 1973 from the merger of Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock and Taikoo Dockyard . It is jointed owned by Hutchison Whampoa and Swire...
. Later in 2005, the bus was transferred to KMB for installation of service equipment. The bus was re-licensed as MF5119 in February 2006, and re-entered service on 24 May 2006. The bus is one of the first two to meet the Euro IV emissions standards in Hong Kong (the other is an Alexander Dennis Enviro500 with fleet number ATEU1, originally ATE257).
AVBE/AVBW class
In early 2004, a Volvo B9TL prototype with a facelifted version of the TransBus Enviro500 body arrived in Hong Kong. It had a slightly different front and rear design, and its rear route box was moved beneath the upper deck rear window. After TransBus International was renamed Alexander Dennis
Alexander Dennis
Alexander Dennis Limited is the largest bus builder in the United Kingdom. It incorporated the three last surviving bus manufacturers which started bus production before World War II: Dennis, Alexander and Plaxton.- History :Alexander Dennis was formed as TransBus on 1 January 2001, after the...
in May 2004, it became the only TransBus Enviro-series bus with a non-Dennis chassis.
Later in the same year, a Wright
Wrightbus
Wrightbus is an independent coachbuilder and pioneer of the low-floor bus. Based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, it was established in 1946 by Robert Wright and currently run by his son William Wright.-History:...
-bodied B9TL prototype was also delivered. The rear design of its Wright body was different from that of the Wright-bodied Volvo Super Olympian (AVW-class), with the number plate moved beneath (and a little to the right of) the rear route box.
On 12 January 2005, the TransBus Enviro 500-bodied B9TL was finally licensed as LU3721 with fleet number AVBE1, and the Wright-bodied B9TL was registered as LU3739 with fleet number AVBW1. Both of them entered service on the night of 8 February 2005.
In late 2005, Kowloon Motor Bus placed a further order of 38 Wright-bodied B9TL and 50 Enviro500-bodied B9TL, the Wright-bodied buses entered service in mid/late-2006, and the Enviro500-bodied buses entered service in late 2006/2007. These were followed by another 35 buses with Enviro500 bodywork, they entered service in 2007/2008.
AVBWU/AVWU class
In 2009, Kowloon Motor Bus ordered 175 Wright Eclipse Gemini 2-bodied B9TLs (in two batches) equipped with Euro V D9B-310 engines and Vogelsitze seats, which have begun delivery as of early 2010. These were followed by an order for a further 115 Wright-bodied B9TL in 2010.
The first 112 buses entered service between 2010 and 2011.
AVBWS class
Kowloon Motor Bus received one Wright Eclipse Gemini 2-bodied two-axle B9TL in 2010, it was first registered in December 2010.
Early withdrawal
On 29 September 2009, a KMB Wright-bodied B9TL (fleet number AVBW29, reg number MJ6852) was written off after being burnt out near Wu Chung House in Queen's Road East, Wan Chai on 10 December 2008.
After investigations, it was determined that the fire was caused by an overheated generator. Later KMB received one additional B9TL as compensation.
Long Win Bus
Long Win BusLong Win Bus
Long Win Bus Company Limited provides bus service to northern Lantau Island and the Hong Kong International Airport...
operates ten B9TL with Alexander Dennis Enviro500 bodywork which entered service in 2007/2008. All vehicles in this batch are almost identical to those with Kowloon Motor Bus.
Citybus
CitybusCitybus (Hong Kong)
Citybus Limited is one of the three major bus operators in Hong Kong. It provides both franchised and non-franchised bus service. The franchised route network serves mainly Hong Kong Island, cross-harbour routes , Ocean Park, North Lantau and Hong Kong International Airport...
received one Wright Eclipse Gemini 2-bodied two-axle B9TL in 31 July 2010. This vehicle was first registered in November 2010 and entered service in the following month.
United Kingdom
In tri-axle form, the B9TL made its debut in BritainUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
when Weavaway Travel of Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
placed an order for 6 B9TL with East Lancs "Myllennium" Nordic
East Lancs Nordic
The East Lancs Nordic is a type of double-decker bus body built by East Lancashire Coachbuilders. It is built on tri-axle 12 metre Volvo B7L and later tri-axle Volvo B9TL chassis, and have around 73 seats....
bodywork in late 2004 and put them into service in April/May 2005, becoming the first UK operator of the type. Since then, 2 more were sold to Roadliner of Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
and Provence Private Hire of St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
for school contracts and commercial work.
The 2-axle Volvo B9TL did not make its debut in Britain until the middle of 2006. The first demonstrator, with Wright Eclipse Gemini
Wright Eclipse Gemini
The Wright Eclipse Gemini is a type of double-decker bus body built for Volvo B7TL and later Volvo B9TL and Volvo B5L Hybrid for use in the United Kingdom....
body, was delivered to London General
London General
London General is a bus company operating in Surrey ang Greater London. It is owned by the Go-Ahead Group and operates most buses under contract to London Buses...
(part of the Go-Ahead Group
Go-Ahead Group
The Go-Ahead Group plc is a rail and bus operating company that was created following the privatisation of the UK's train and bus industries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-Early history:...
) in July 2006 for evaluation, it is used on route 11
London Buses route 11
London Buses route 11 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:...
along with the current Wright-bodied Volvo B7TL. The first order was secured from Delaine
Delaine Buses
Delaine Buses is a bus operator based in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England. They operate many East Lancashire Coachbuilders buses including the first ever Olympus.-Current Bus Services:See company timetable...
for 2 examples with the new East Lancs Olympus
Optare Olympus
The Optare Olympus is a double-decker bus built by Optare...
bodywork. The first one, along with an Alexander Dennis Enviro400-bodied version, were unveiled in "Euro Bus Expo" show in November 2006.
Initial sales of the 2-axle version had been slow in Britain, particularly in London, after falling foul with the noise and capacity requirements imposed by Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
. Otherwise, the B9TL managed greater success - notably with Lothian Buses
Lothian Buses
Lothian Buses Plc is the only municipal bus company in Scotland and the largest provider of bus services in Edinburgh, Scotland. City of Edinburgh Council own 91.01% of the company with the remainder being owned by East Lothian and Midlothian councils. As well as serving Edinburgh, Lothian Buses...
ordering 50 examples for delivery in 2007 and then 50 more in 2008 and 75 more in 2009, First with 453 for use in its UK operations (for delivery in 2007-10), and Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus is a public transport operator in Northern Ireland and operates bus services outside Belfast. It is part of Translink , which also includes Northern Ireland Railways, Metro Belfast and Flexibus.-Services:Ulsterbus is responsible for most of the province-wide bus...
of Northern Ireland, with 125. The first order from Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
was 10 buses with East Lancs Visionaire bodywork for The Original Tour, followed by an order for 16 buses with Darwen Olympus
Optare Olympus
The Optare Olympus is a double-decker bus built by Optare...
bodywork in high specification featuring leather seats for Arriva Yorkshire
Arriva Yorkshire
Arriva Yorkshire is a division of Arriva which operates bus services around West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and the southern areas of North Yorkshire in England.-History:Arriva Yorkshire was formed as a combination of mergers of previous...
entering service between January and May 2008. Other notable customers include East Yorkshire Motor Services
East Yorkshire Motor Services
East Yorkshire Motor Services is a large bus and coach operator which operates throughout Kingston upon Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, the North Yorkshire coast and the North York Moors. In and around Scarborough, EYMS operates as Scarborough & District Motor Services...
, Highland Scottish
Highland Scottish
Highland Scottish Omnibuses Ltd was formed as a bus operating subsidiary of the Scottish Transport Group in June 1985 from Highland Omnibuses Ltd, and operated until October 1995 when the company was split into two - Highland Bus & Coach and Highland Country Buses...
, Yorkshire Coastliner
Yorkshire Coastliner
Yorkshire Coastliner is a bus operator based in Malton in North Yorkshire, England. It is owned by the Blazefield Group who also own, amongst others, Harrogate & District and Keighley & District in Yorkshire....
and Flights Hallmark
Flights Hallmark
Flights Hallmark is a luxury coach and corporate cars business, which is part of the Rotala group. It is based in the English Midlands and has depots around the country, including one at Heathrow Airport.- History :...
.
In Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, Translink
Translink (Northern Ireland)
Translink is the brand name of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company , a public corporation in Northern Ireland which provides the public transport in the region. NI Railways, Ulsterbus and Metro are all part of Translink....
purchased 125 Volvo B9TLs, all bodied by Wrightbus.
Ireland
Dublin BusDublin Bus
Dublin Bus is a public transport operator in Ireland. It operates an extensive bus network of 172 radial, cross-city and peripheral routes and 18 night routes in the city of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area. The company, established in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann which is...
of Dublin, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
placed an order for 20 B9TL with single-door Alexander Dennis Enviro500 bodywork in early 2005. These buses are the largest in the fleet and also the first tri-axle double deckers for the Irish capital, the first of them entered service in December 2005. These "VT" class buses run on high-demand routes, such as route 46A.
In 2007, Dublin Bus ordered 50 B9TL with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodywork and another 50 B9TL with Alexander Dennis Enviro500 bodywork for delivery in 2007/2008. The 2-axle buses entered service in summer/autumn 2007, and the 3-axle buses entered service in December 2007/early 2008. Later Dublin Bus ordered 50 B9TL with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodywork and 50 B9TL with Wright Eclipse Gemini
Wright Eclipse Gemini
The Wright Eclipse Gemini is a type of double-decker bus body built for Volvo B7TL and later Volvo B9TL and Volvo B5L Hybrid for use in the United Kingdom....
bodywork for delivery in 2008/2009.
Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann provides bus services in Ireland with the exception of those operated entirely within the Dublin Region, which are provided by Dublin Bus. Bus Éireann, established as a separate company in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann. The logo of Bus Éireann incorporates a red Irish...
also put 10 Wright Eclipse Gemini-bodied Volvo B9TL into service in late 2008.
Singapore
Comfort DelGro Corporation Limited bodywork
SBS TransitSBS Transit
SBS Transit Limited is a public transport operator in Singapore. Its major competitor in Singapore's duopoly transport system is SMRT Corporation, which also operates bus, rail, taxi and other transport services....
of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
placed an order for 150 B9TL chassis in 2004, then the largest single order, which were fitted with bodywork from ComfortDelgro Engineering, part of SBS Transit's parent company. An additional order for 50 more chassis was placed in 2006 soon after putting its first B9TLs into operation, bringing the total fleet size to 200. These B9TLs come with a Volvo D9A300 engine (Euro III), 150 having ZF 6HP602C gearboxes while the remaining 50 have Voith D864.3 gearboxes.
These are Singapore's first wheelchair-accessible buses. However, instead of automatic ramps, SBS Transit has decided to use manually-operated ramps. While the ramps would need more time to deploy, they would be more reliable than automatic ones and would be cheaper to install and maintain because of the absence of complicated mechanical parts.
The buses were launched on 15 February 2006 by Singapore's then Minister for Transport
Ministry of Transport (Singapore)
The Ministry of Transport is a ministry in the Government of Singapore that administers and regulates land, sea and air transportation within the republic’s jurisdiction....
, Yeo Cheow Tong
Yeo Cheow Tong
Yeo Cheow Tong is a former politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he served in the Cabinet from 1990 to 2006, and was a Member of Parliament from 1984 to 2011....
. They were supposed to be deployed from April onwards, but this was delayed till June 2006 - they were slightly wider than most other buses in Singapore, bus stops had to be retrofitted for wheelchair users, and it was necessary to survey which bus routes in Singapore had the most pressing need for such buses.
Bus service 21 was the first to receive the buses, where ten were put into service serving between Saint Michael's Bus Terminal
Saint Michael's Bus Terminal
Saint Michael's Bus Terminal Saint Michael's Bus Terminal Saint Michael's Bus Terminal (Chinese:圣迈克巴士终站）is a bus station located in Saint Michael's Estate in central Singapore. This terminal used to house 2 bus services from Singapore Shuttle Bus (Pte) Ltd, which have since been withdrawn in 2003....
and Pasir Ris Interchange on 27 June 2006, with an official launch ceremony held at Pasir Ris Interchange on 26 June 2006. Service 21 was chosen after consultations with various welfare organizations serving the needs of the handicapped, as well as the Land Transport Authority
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Singapore Government.-History:...
. This route also passes the premises of the Handicaps Welfare Association as well as Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
The Tan Tock Seng Hospital is the second-largest hospital in Singapore after the Singapore General Hospital, but its accident and emergency department is the busiest in the country largely due to its geographically centralised location...
, among other medical facilities. B9TLs continued to roll out of the bodywork assembly plant at SBS Transit's Hougang depot, being deployed on selected routes served by several depots, where the routes chosen are expected to serve large numbers of elderly commuters.
As of 29 September 2006, before the Euro 4 dateline of 1 October 2006 set by the Singapore government for diesel vehicles, all 200 B9TLs have been registered, with registration numbers SBS7300P to SBS7499A. As of 2007, all 200 buses were out on the roads.
Early withdrawal
On 7 March 2010, SBS7440T from service 25 was burnt in a bus depot fire and was de-registered several months later.
Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodywork
On 13 Aug 2009, SBS Transit announced a further order of 150 more Volvo B9TL chassis with Volvo D9B310 Euro V engines, ZF EcoLife 6-speed gearboxes and Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodywork as part of a fleet renewal programme costing S$87 million. This order was followed by an additional order for another 300 buses at a cost of S$158 million in September 2010, also with similar specifications, bringing the total up to 450.The first unit was handed over to SBS Transit by Wrightbus Ltd. on 8 September 2010, and was in service as of November 2010. The buses were registered in the license plate range SBS7500D to SBS7686B excluding registration numbers containing the digit 4 (due to tetraphobia
Tetraphobia
Tetraphobia is an aversion to or fear of the number . It is a superstition most common in East Asian regions such as Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Vietnam....
). On 26 August 2011, the last few buses of the first 150 Wrights had completed their registration and registration for the next 300 buses started from 21 September 2011 onwards. Registration series began from SBS7700T and later, SBS3000G. The buses in the 3000-series have different interiors from the buses in the 7000-series.
Continental Europe
Continental Europe
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands....
for sightseeing purposes.
External links
- Product description in the Volvo website
- Bus specs from Volvo
- D9B engine specs from Volvo
- Pictures of Dublin Bus's VT class, the Enviro500-bodied B9TL
- Delaine buses website page detailing order and delivery of B9TL Olympus number 141
See also
Other Volvo low floor bus models:- B7L/B7LAVolvo B7LVolvo B7L was a low floor citybus chassis with a rear engine mounted vertically on the left of the rear overhang, it was built as a replacement for the Volvo B10L...
- B7RLEVolvo B7RLEVolvo B7RLE is a low-floor single-deck citybus launched initially in Australia in 2001, and then in the United Kingdom in 2003 to supplement the B7L single-decker, which was unsuccessful in both countries. It is similar to the B7L's predecessor, the B10BLE...
- B7TLVolvo B7TLVolvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
- B9L/B9LA
- B10TL
- B12BLE/B12BLEAVolvo B12BLEThe Volvo B12BLE is a low-entry city and suburban bus chassis launched in 2001 with an engine mounted on the rear overhang. It replaced the Volvo B10BLE and is used as a base for single deck buses in Europe and Australia....
Competitors (2-axle):
- Alexander Dennis Enviro400
- Scania N230UD/N270UDScania N-seriesScania N-series is a series of city bus with straight-up, transversely mounted Euro IV/Euro V engine at the rear.It is available as N230UB, N270UB as well as the N230UD and N270UD...
Competitors (3-axle):
- Alexander Dennis Enviro500
- Neoplan CentrolinerNeoplan CentrolinerThe NEOPLAN Centroliner is a series of low floor bus which was first unveiled in 1997, and mainly built by NEOPLAN Bus GmbH for the European market...
- Scania K310UDScania K-seriesScania K-series is a series of bus with longitudinally, straight-up mounted Euro IV engine at the rear. For the 5- and 6-cylinder engines Scania is using exhaust gas recirculation system to fulfill the legal Euro IV emission standard...