A midibus is a classification of single-decker minibuses which are generally larger than a traditional minibus but smaller than a full-size single decker and can be anywhere between 8 metres (26 ft 3 in) and 11 metres (36 ft 1 in) long. While used in many parts of the world, the midibus is perhaps most common in the United Kingdom , where operators have found them more economical , and to have a sufficient number of seats compared to full size single-decker buses.
12-637: The MCW Metrorider was an integral midibus designed and built by Metro Cammell Weymann (MCW) between 1986 and 1989. Launched at the 1986 British International Motor Show in Birmingham , the MCW Metrorider was the second purpose-built midibus design for the United Kingdom bus market, following the launch of the Volkswagen LT55 -based Optare CityPacer a year prior. MCW used substantial components,
24-565: The Myllennium style of bodywork, as fitted to DAF SB220 and Dennis Dart SLF chassis. These were delivered to London Easylink , then were transferred to East Thames Buses as the ELS class, and were, in essence, OmniTowns, but lacked the Scania identity, the Scania badges were added the following year. Mayne of Manchester also bought two Scania N94UBs with East Lancs Myllennium bodies in 2004. After
36-565: The Orion VII transit bus to serve routes that include some of the steeper and curvier hills. In charter / tour roles, there is indeed a gap between the minibus (12–28 seats) and the touring coach (47–50 seats). Several shuttle bus companies such as Goshen Coach and Crystal have manufactured rear-engined vehicles with 30–35 seats, but no generic term has ever been applied to them. They are usually lumped together with smaller "minibuses", and called "minibus" or "shuttle bus". The only other alternative
48-482: The Perkins Phaser/ ZF manual S5 driveline soon being outsold by the optional 115 bhp six-cylinder 5.9 litre Cummins B series engine driving through an Allison fully automatic gearbox. Some Metroriders also featured the optional turbocharged Cummins engine, increasing their turn of speed. Disc brakes were fitted on the long-wheelbase Metrorider, as opposed to drum brakes on the short vehicles. The styling
60-648: The Scania OmniTown , are heavier and therefore more durable. In some places such as Hong Kong, some bus routes have to be served by midibuses due to the winding roads along such routes. The term "midibus" is not in common use in the United States ; such smaller and lighter-duty buses are not used for public transit there except in some very specialized instances. For example, Muni in San Francisco operates both 30-foot (9.1 m) and 40-foot (12 m) versions of
72-653: The United Kingdom by East Lancs and Scania . It used the Scania N94UB chassis, which is the single-decker version of the N94UD double-decker chassis, with East Lancashire Coachbuilders bodywork. It is sometimes mistakenly referred to as the OmniTown chassis. The confusion concerning the chassis, and indeed the buses, arises due to the complexity of the OmniTown's and other Scania products' histories. A batch of N94UB chassis were bodied by East Lancs . In early 2002, receiving
84-738: The United Kingdom's newly deregulated bus industry , receiving £27 million worth of orders before production commenced. The first major order for Metroriders following the launch was from GM Buses , who would take delivery of eighty Metroriders for use on its competitive 'Little Gem' midibus operations. Many subsequent orders followed from former municipal and National Bus Company operators as well as newly-established independent bus operators, with Metroriders being delivered to companies operating in both urban and rural environments such as London Regional Transport 's London Buses operations, South Wales Transport , Wilts & Dorset , and East Midland Motor Services . The final MCW Metrorider to be built
96-473: The acquisition of its bus business by Stagecoach , they were renumbered 28506 (YN53GFJ) and 28507 (YN53PCV). The first batch of OmniTowns with a different bodywork style to appear in the United Kingdom were delivered to Nottingham City Transport in 2004 for use on tram feeder services. The bodywork, in common with the OmniDekka , was built by East Lancs but received front and rear panels from Scania, to match
108-731: The dashboard and steering wheel coming from a Ford Cargo lorry and the original rear lights coming from the Mk4 Ford Escort Cabriolet . When MCW's parent group announced the closure of the company in 1989, MCW's current designs were offered for sale and the rights to the Metrorider, alongside the MCW Metrobus , were bought by Optare . The Metroliner was relaunched as the Optare MetroRider , and subsequently continued in production until 2000. The MCW Metrorider would ultimately suit
120-548: Was a major advance on the earlier van-based conversions, having a raked front with large windscreen and side windows to give a light interior, as well as shallower steps, a wider entrance and gangway, and improved headroom. Seating configurations ranged from 25 seats in the standard Metrorider to 33 seats in the widened long-wheelbase version of the Metrorider, which measured 8.4 metres (28 ft) in length and 2.375 metres (7 ft 9.5 in) in width. Like many MCW products, many components were from other manufacturers' stocks, with
132-1122: Was constructed by Optare at their Leeds factory in November 1989 for delivery to Kentish Bus , operating it on a London Regional Transport contract service that ran through the Rotherhithe Tunnel . A substantial export agreement was also achieved by MCW with the Metrorider, with Dutch coachbuilder Bova signing with MCW in 1987 to sell long-wheelbase right-hand drive Metroriders in Continental Europe . Smaller numbers of left-hand drive Metroriders would also be exported to Ireland for use with Dublin Bus , as well as to Hong Kong in 1988, where two air-conditioned Metroriders were delivered to China Motor Bus , with another also delivered to Kowloon Motor Bus . Midibus Midibuses are often designed to be lightweight to save on diesel fuel (e.g. smaller wheels than on larger buses), making them not as durable as heavier 'full size' buses. Some midibuses, such as
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#1732856100944144-528: Was to import a "short" (two-axle) version of European touring coaches, known often as "baby coaches", around 35 feet (10.7 m) long and equipped with some 30–32 seats. These include the TEMSA TS 30/TS 35 and the MCI J3500. In the 2000s, some manufacturers introduced mid-sized bus models based on large truck frames. Scania OmniTown The East Lancs OmniTown was a low-floor midibus body sold in
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