ABC VanHool A300L Low Floor Mid Engine Transit Bus 40'

ABC VanHool A300L Luxury Low Floor Transit Bus 40'

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• ABC
• VanHool
• A300L
• Transit
• Bus

[coconuttelegraph321]

With a midship engine placement on of the advantages you will have is a more even weight distribution

[8v71buses]

Wow she's beautiful

[Oaklandgirlpitlover1]

@Smoznizjev I saw the double leaf front doors. They are similar to the slide-glide action of most other transit buses. And yes they are much wider. In fact I like the double leaf front doors better. And I saw more seats in these buses too. I don't know if America is ready for the "DOUBLE ARTICULATED BUS". Great video clips though.

[Smoznizjev]

@Oaklandgirlpitlover1 The A360 is a Low Entry bus, like pretty much every North American transit bus: low floor up to the second door, then a few steps up with the other seats. And yes, they have more seats, even though they're also 40 footers. The single leaf front door is again an AC transit specification: all other Van Hool transit buses in Europe, North Africa and Canada, except for a few in Holland (again: customer demand) have much wider, double leaf front doors.

[Oaklandgirlpitlover1]

@Smoznizjev Are you sayin these A360s have more seating? Or is it because they are articulated busses? Because what you describe sounds like something AC Transit has already. They just got another shipment of 40 footers. They have this Massive one front door. Whats up with that?

[Smoznizjev]

@Oaklandgirlpitlover1 Buses like the A300 and A330 are designed for heavy-duty routes in inner cities: very busy (hence the three doors option, to shorten dwell times), with lots of stops at short distance, so people are on them for a short time, hence the relatively few seats. But make no mistake: they are meant to be worked hard. Very hard. Here in Europe, they take a beating in the inner cities where they are used, and take it well. Had AC gone for A360s, you wouldn't have the complaints.

[Oaklandgirlpitlover1]

@Smoznizjev I agree with you to a point. AC Transit is run by idiots. So you are correct when you say it is not VanHools fault for using busses that were not meant for heavy long distance city routs. From what you are saying, I'm compelled to believe that these VanHools are more appropriate for shuttle service. But for the heavy stuff they are doing here in Oakland, they are a real nightmare. Its like putting Hannah Montana in a Gangsta' Rap video. A real BAD idea.

[Smoznizjev]

@Oaklandgirlpitlover1 Full low floors like the A300 and A330 are developed for short-distance travel in busy city centers, where total capacity is more important than number of seats. If AC uses them on half rural lines that is not Van Hool's fault, but AC Transit's. They could have gone for the A360 which has a similar layout as North American Low Floor buses, with a few steps up after the second door. But they didn't. Not Van Hool's fault, they build what the customer asks for.

[Smoznizjev]

@Oaklandgirlpitlover1 Here's that funny thing I've always wondered about: Van Hool transit buses are used in dozens of countries, on three different continents. They are considered to be some of the best around. There is one giant exception where they hate them: AC Transit. Here's the thing: AC Transit's Van Hools have more standing than sitting because that's what AC Transit asked for. Nothing to do with Van Hool. Same with pretty much every complaint I've heard: all AC Transit choices.

[Oaklandgirlpitlover1]

@Smoznizjev First of all, I used to drive these Van Hools for AC Transit here in Oakland. And they are "ABSOLUTE SHIT"! Who the hell wants a bus built more for standing than sitting? Especially when People have worked all day and they are tired. And if you just ABSOLUTELY have to go lowfloor, New Flyer, Gillig, NABI and Neoplan blows VanHool out of the water. WAAAAAAAAYYYYY more seating for the weary traveler, AND a better quality of bus. VanHools are cute busses. But thats all they are.

[Smoznizjev]

@Oaklandgirlpitlover1 How is that 'awful'? Thanks to this midship engine placement, this bus can have a full low floor all the way to the back, something I don't think any US-built transit bus has. Thanks to this, only 8 of the 33 seats require a step up to sit down. In US buses, the entire back of the bus requires a few steps up...