Yolobus provides public transportation throughout Yolo County, California and into downtown Sacramento , western Sacramento County and northeastern Solano County .
112-444: The Yolobus fleet consists of 50 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses and 10 paratransit vehicles. Yolobus is administered by Yolo County Transportation District and bus operations have been contracted to Transdev (formerly Veolia Transport ) since 2006. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 532,400, or about 3,200 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. Riders pay different fares depending on route. Regular and Commute route pay
224-514: A 500 percent increase in the number of new CNG cylinders installed. National car maker Proton considered fitting its Waja , Saga and Persona models with CNG kits from Prins Autogassystemen by the end of 2008, while a local distributor of locally assembled Hyundai cars offers new models with CNG kits. Conversion centres, which also benefited from the rush for lower running costs, also perform partial conversions to existing road vehicles, allowing them to run on both petrol or diesel and CNG with
336-414: A CNG cylinder, plumbing, a CNG injection system, and electronics. The cost of installing a CNG conversion kit can often reach $ 8,000 on passenger cars and light trucks, and is usually reserved for vehicles that travel many miles each year. CNG costs about 50% less than petrol, and emits up to 90% fewer emissions than petrol. CNG locomotives are operated by several railroads. The Napa Valley Wine Train in
448-488: A base fare while express riders pay a higher express fare. Yolobus offers day passes that are also valid on SacRT Yolobus provides bus service to Yolo County, California , and also to western Sacramento County and northeastern Solano County . The following cities are served: Sacramento , West Sacramento , Southport, Davis , Woodland , Cache Creek, Madison , Esparto , Capay , Knights Landing , Dunnigan , Yolo , Vacaville . Most regular routes run hourly, 5–7 days
560-459: A bus to a rollover test in 1964, in 1969, Ward Body Works pointing that fasteners had a direct effect on joint quality (and that body manufacturers were using relatively few rivets and fasteners). In its own research, Wayne Corporation discovered that the body joints were the weak points themselves. In 1973, to reduce the risk of body panel separation, Wayne introduced the Wayne Lifeguard ,
672-421: A century later, the design remains in use (as an emergency exit). In 1869, Massachusetts became the first state to add transportation to public education; by 1900, 16 other states would transport students to school. Following the first decade of the 20th century, several developments would affect the design of the school bus and student transport. As vehicles evolved from horse-drawn to "horseless" propulsion on
784-430: A certain distance from home (particularly as students progressed into high school). In all but the most isolated areas, one-room schools from the turn of the century had become phased out in favor of multi-grade schools introduced in urban areas. In another change, school districts shifted bus operation from buses operated by single individuals to district-owned fleets (operated by district employees). From 1950 to 1982,
896-444: A chassis supplied by Spartan Motors , Lion produces conventional-style school buses, its design features several firsts for school bus production. Along with a 102-inch body width, to resist corrosion, Lion uses composite body panels in place of steel. In 2015, Lion introduced the eLion, the first mass-produced school bus with a fully electric powertrain. Small school buses have undergone few fundamental changes to their designs during
1008-509: A consequence of this, LNG is often used for transporting natural gas over large distances, in ships, trains or pipelines, where the gas is converted into CNG before distribution to the end user. Natural gas is being experimentally stored at lower pressure in a form known as an ANG ( adsorbed natural gas ) cylinder, where it is adsorbed at 35 bar (500 psi, the pressure of gas in natural gas pipelines) in various sponge-like materials, such as carbon and MOFs ( metal-organic frameworks ). The fuel
1120-571: A consistent training level. In contrast to the 1970s focus on structural integrity, design advances during the 1980s and 1990s focused around the driver. In 1979 and 1980, International Harvester and Ford each introduced a new-generation bus chassis, with General Motors following suit in 1984. To increase driver visibility, updates in line with chassis redesigns shifted the bus driver upward, outward, and forward. To decrease driver distraction, interior controls were redesigned with improved ergonomics ; automatic transmissions came into wider use, preventing
1232-423: A contract facilitated by Advanced Energy to IC Bus to produce the buses. Although the buses produced significant benefits, the buses were slowly discontinued when the hybrid system manufacture Enova faded into financial challenges. In 2011, Lion Bus (renamed Lion Electric Company) of Saint-Jérôme, Quebec was founded, marking the first entry into the segment in over 20 years by a full-size bus manufacturer. Using
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#17328515815451344-918: A cost varying between RM3,500 to RM5,000 for passenger cars. The Ministry of Transport of Myanmar passed a law in 2005 which required that all public transport vehicles – buses, trucks and taxis, be converted to run on CNG. The Government permitted several private companies to handle the conversion of existing diesel and petrol cars, and also to begin importing CNG variants of buses and taxis. Accidents and rumours of accidents, partly fueled by Myanmar's position in local hydrocarbon politics, has discouraged citizens from using CNG vehicles, although now almost every taxi and public bus in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, run on CNG. CNG stations have been set up around Yangon and other cities, but electricity shortages mean that vehicles may have to queue up for hours to fill their gas containers. The Burmese opposition movements are against
1456-502: A fuel and compared to petrol, CNG has an advantageous fiscal treatment with lower excises duties (although VAT is always paid). Since CNG, as a car fuel, is not totally exempted of excise duties, CNG cars do not pay a prime road tax to partially compensate the State for the loss of revenue. Instead LPG cars pay a prime road tax in Belgium, because LPG is totally exempted from excise duties. Since CNG
1568-594: A full-size bus. For this role, manufacturers initially began the use of yellow-painted utility vehicles such as the International Travelall and Chevrolet Suburban . As another alternative, manufacturers began use of passenger vans, such as the Chevrolet Van/GMC Handi-Van , Dodge A100 , and Ford Econoline ; along with yellow paint, these vehicles were fitted with red warning lights. While more maneuverable, automotive-based school buses did not offer
1680-537: A large scale. Although school bus design had moved away from the wagon-style kid hacks of the generation before, there was not yet a recognized set of industry-wide standards for school buses. In 1939, rural education expert Dr. Frank W. Cyr organized a week-long conference at Teachers College, Columbia University that introduced new standards for the design of school buses. Funded by a $ 5,000 grant, Dr. Cyr invited transportation officials, representatives from body and chassis manufacturers, and paint companies. To reduce
1792-539: A mixture of diesel and CNG. The first commercial CNG station in Skopje is in the advanced stage of development and was expected to start operation in July 2011. In Serbia , there are about 20 public CNG refuelling stations as of August 2019. Four in the capital Belgrade , and the rest in the towns of Subotica (1), Novi Sad (1), Zrenjanin (1), Pancevo (2), Kruševac (1), Kragujevac (1), Cacak (2), and so on. Detailed list
1904-604: A period of transition, with several ownership changes leading to joint ventures and alignments between body manufacturers and chassis suppliers. In 1986, with the signing of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act, school bus drivers across the United States became required to acquire a commercial driver's license (CDL) . While CDLs were issued by individual states, the federal CDL requirement ensured that drivers of all large vehicles (such as school buses) had
2016-679: A pilot project in Benin City Edo State in 2010 by NIPCO Gas Limited . NIPCO Gas Limited is a 100% subsidiary of NIPCO PLC . As of June 2020, seven CNG stations have been built in Benin City Edo State , with about 7,500 cars running on CNG in Benin City Edo state . In Benin City Edo state , major companies such as Coca-Cola , 7up , Yongxing Steel are using CNG to power their fork-lifts/trucks while Edo City Transport Ltd (ECTS)
2128-557: A pressure of 20–25 megapascals (2,900–3,600 psi; 200–250 atm), usually in cylindrical or spherical shapes. CNG is used in traditional petrol/ internal combustion engine vehicles that have been modified, or in vehicles specifically manufactured for CNG use: either alone (dedicated), with a segregated liquid fuel system to extend range (dual fuel), or in conjunction with another fuel ( bi-fuel ). It can be used in place of petrol , diesel fuel , and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). CNG combustion produces fewer undesirable gases than
2240-496: A regular vehicle to dual fuel at the German conversion workshop of C. Melchers, for example, is around S$ 3,800; with the promise of real cost-savings that dual-fuel vehicles bring over the long term. Singapore currently has five operating filling stations for natural gas. Sembcorp Gas Pte Ltd. runs the station on Jurong Island and, jointly with Singapore Petroleum Company , the filling station at Jalan Buroh. Both these stations are in
2352-471: A school bus body with single-piece body side and roof stampings. While single-piece stampings seen in the Lifeguard had their own manufacturing challenges, school buses of today use relatively few side panels to minimize body joints. During the 1970s, school buses would undergo a number of design upgrades related to safety. While many changes were related to protecting passengers, others were intended to minimize
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#17328515815452464-410: A school bus is about to stop and unload/load students. Adopted by a number of states during the mid-1970s, amber warning lights became nearly universal equipment on new school buses by the end of the 1980s. To supplement the additional warning lights and to help prevent drivers from passing a stopped school bus, a stop arm was added to nearly all school buses; connected to the wiring of the warning lights,
2576-505: A smaller degree of transition. As International Harvester became Navistar International in 1986, the company released updated bus chassis for 1989; in 1996, it produced its first rear-engine bus chassis since 1973. In late 1996, Freightliner produced its first bus chassis, expanding to four manufacturers for the first time since the exit of Dodge in 1977. Ford and General Motors gradually exited out of cowled-chassis production with Ford producing its last chassis after 1998; General Motors exited
2688-467: A substantial improvement in safety performance. While many changes related to the 1977 safety standards were made under the body structure (to improve crashworthiness ), the most visible change was to passenger seating. In place of the metal-back passenger seats seen since the 1930s, the regulations introduced taller seats with thick padding on both the front and back, acting as a protective barrier. Further improvement has resulted from continuing efforts by
2800-430: A supplemental exit. Alongside safety, body and chassis manufacturers sought to advance fuel economy of school buses. During the 1980s, diesel engines came into wide use in conventional and small school buses, gradually replacing gasoline-fueled engines. In 1987, International became the first chassis manufacturer to offer diesel engines exclusively, with Ford following suit in 1990. While conventional-style buses remained
2912-474: A van cab with a purpose-built bus body, using the same construction as a full-size school bus. Within the same length as a passenger van, buses such as the Wayne Busette and Blue Bird Micro Bird offered additional seating capacity, wheelchair lifts, and the same body construction as larger school buses. For school bus manufacturers, the 1980s marked a period of struggle, following a combination of factors. As
3024-574: A week. Commute and express routes run only at peak times in the mornings and evenings, Monday-Friday. Many rural and commuter routes were reduced or suspended at the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic and in 2022, as part of the YoloGo Comprehensive Operational Analysis, many of these cuts were made permanent as the new service plan favored increased headways on routes 42A and 42B and the launch of new microtransit offerings at
3136-537: A wider basis, the wagon bodies of kid hacks and school cars were adapted to truck frames. While transitioning into purpose-built designs, a number of features from wagons were retained, including wood construction, perimeter bench seating, and rear entry doors. Weather protection remained minimal; some designs adopted a tarpaulin stretched above the passenger seating. In 1915, International Harvester constructed its first school bus; today, its successor company Navistar still produces school bus cowled chassis. In 1919,
3248-482: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about transportation in California is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Compressed natural gas Compressed natural gas ( CNG ) is a fuel gas mainly composed of methane (CH 4 ), compressed to less than 1% of the volume it occupies at standard atmospheric pressure . It is stored and distributed in hard containers at
3360-560: Is a very new fuel. At the beginning of 2014 there were only 17 refuelling stations, all of them in Flanders , but the number is now increasing rapidly. At the beginning of 2015 there were 29 refueling stations in Belgium, all of them in Flanders. As of January 2017, there are 76 active refueling stations in Belgium, most of them being in Flanders since only 7 of them are in Wallonia or Brussels . As
3472-421: Is aiming to increase the use of CNG powered vehicles by setting up more CNG stations in the country, the aim is to increase the current number to 8000 CNG Stations in the next two years. As of December 2022, the state of Gujarat has the highest number of CNG Pumps in the country followed by Uttar Pradesh being the second highest and with Maharashtra falling little behind the above regions. In Pakistan ,
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3584-663: Is also increasing in South America , Europe , and North America , because of rising petrol prices. Egypt is amongst the top 10 countries in CNG adoption, with 128,754 CNG vehicles and 124 CNG fueling stations. Egypt was also the first nation in Africa and the Middle East to open a public CNG fueling station in January 1996. The vast majority (780,000) have been produced as dual fuel-vehicles by
3696-424: Is also running some of its buses on CNG. Kwale, Nigeria CNG stations were inaugurated by Mr. Abhishek Sharma, the head of marketing (Natural Gas) from NIPCO Gas Limited in 2019. In China , companies such as Sino-Energy are active in expanding the footprint of CNG filling stations in medium-size cities across the interior of the country, where at least two natural gas pipelines are operational. In Malaysia ,
3808-492: Is an additional barrier to NGV market penetration. The International Organization for Standardization has an active technical committee working on a standard for natural gas fuelling stations for vehicles. Despite the lack of harmonized international codes, natural gas vehicles have an excellent global safety record. Existing international standards include ISO 14469-2:2007 which applies to CNG vehicle nozzles and receptacle and ISO 15500-9:2012 specifies tests and requirements for
3920-636: Is between 1/3 and 1/2 compared to other fossil fuels in Europe. In 2016 there are around 900 CNG stations in Germany and major German car manufacturers like Volkswagen, Mercedes, Opel, Audi offer CNG engines on most of their models. Augsburg is one of the few cities that only run CNG operated public buses since 2011. In Turkey , Ankara municipality is increasingly using CNG buses, where numbers have reached 1090 by 2011. Istanbul has started in 2014 with an order of 110 buses. Konya also added 60 buses to its fleet
4032-624: Is currently available on CNGEurope Web site. In Slovenia , there are four public CNG refuelling stations as of December 2018. Two in the capital Ljubljana , and one each in Maribor and Jesenice . Additionally, at least 14 new refuelling stations are planned in all city municipalities by the end of 2020. Ljubljana Passenger Transport operates 66 CNG fuelled city buses, as of May 2016. Its Maribor counterpart, Marprom has 19 CNG city buses in their fleet, as of October 2018. In Croatia , there are two public CNG refuelling stations situated close to
4144-479: Is filled by absorbers such as activated carbon (which is an adsorbent with high surface area) and stores natural gas by both CNG and ANG mechanisms. Compressed natural gas is sometimes mixed with hydrogen ( HCNG ), which increases the H/C ratio ( hydrogen/carbon ratio ) of the fuel and gives it a flame speed up to eight times higher than CNG. The lack of harmonized codes and standards across international jurisdictions
4256-487: Is installation on roof (typical on buses), but this could require structural modifications. In 2014, a test (by the Danish Technological Institute) of Euro6 heavy vehicles on CNG and diesel showed that CNG had higher fuel consumption, the same noise and production of CO 2 and particulates, but NO X emission was lower. Leakage of unburned methane as natural gas is a significant issue because methane,
4368-504: Is not liquefied , and is 25 percent that of diesel fuel. Gases provided the original fuel for internal combustion engines . The first experiments with compressed gases took place in France in the 1850s. Natural gas first became a transport fuel during World War I. In the 1960s, Columbia Natural Gas of Ohio tested a CNG carrier . The ship was to carry compressed natural gas in vertical pressure bottles; however, this design failed because of
4480-599: Is not totally exempted of excise duties, in Belgium it is allowed to connect a car to the home network of natural gas and to refuel the car from home. The purchase of CNG cars is not subsidised by the government, but by the Belgian producers and distributors of natural gas. Fiat and Volkswagen sell factory-equipped CNG-cars in Belgium. At the end of 2018 there were 11,188 vehicles running with CNG in Belgium. In Germany , CNG-generated vehicles are expected to increase to two million units of motor-transport by 2020. The cost for CNG fuel
4592-454: Is over 70 times safer than riding to school by car. Many fatalities related to school buses are passengers of other vehicles and pedestrians (only 5% are bus occupants). Since the initial development of consistent school bus standards in 1939, many of the ensuing changes to school buses over the past eight decades have been safety related, particularly in response to more stringent regulations adopted by state and federal governments. Ever since
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4704-448: Is stored at low temperature and nearly ambient pressure. In their respective storage conditions, LNG is a liquid and CNG is a supercritical fluid . CNG has a lower cost of production and storage compared to LNG as it does not require an expensive cooling process and cryogenic tanks. However, CNG requires a much larger volume to store the energy equivalent of petrol and the use of very high pressures (3000 to 4000 psi, or 205 to 275 bar). As
4816-456: Is stored at similar or greater energy density than CNG. This means that vehicles can be refueled from the natural gas network without extra gas compression, the fuel cylinders can be slimmed down and made of lighter, weaker materials. It is possible to mix the ANG and CNG technology to reach an increased capacity of natural gas storage. In this process known as high pressure ANG, a high pressure CNG tank
4928-410: Is the major barrier to wider/quicker adoption of CNG as a fuel. It is also why municipal government, public transportation vehicles were the most visible early adopters of it, as they can more quickly amortize the money invested in the new (and usually cheaper) fuel. In spite of these circumstances, the number of vehicles in the world using CNG has grown steadily (30 percent per year). Now, as a result of
5040-572: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) , school buses are the safest type of road vehicle. Between 2013 and 2022, there were 976 fatal school bus accidents, resulting in 1,082 deaths and approximately 132,000 injuries. On average, five fatalities involve school-age children on a school bus each year; statistically, a school bus
5152-530: The baby boomer generation was either in elementary or high school, leading to a significant increase in student populations across North America; this would be a factor that would directly influence school bus production for over three decades. During the 1950s, as student populations began to grow, larger school buses began to enter production. To increase seating capacity (extra rows of seats), manufacturers began to produce bodies on heavier-duty truck chassis; transit-style school buses also grew in size. In 1954,
5264-403: The 1930s, school buses saw advances in their design and production that remain in use to this day. To better adapt automotive chassis design, school bus entry doors were moved from the rear to the front curbside, becoming a door operated by the driver (to ease loading passengers and improve forward visibility). The rear entry door of the kid hacks were re-purposed (as an emergency exit). Following
5376-515: The 1939 conference have been modified or updated, one part of its legacy remains a key part of every school bus in North America today: the adoption of a standard paint color for all school buses. While technically named "National School Bus Glossy Yellow", school bus yellow was adopted for use since it was considered easiest to see in dawn and dusk, and it contrasted well with black lettering. While not universally used worldwide, yellow has become
5488-582: The 1990s, small school buses shifted further away from their van-conversion roots. In 1991, Girardin launched the MB-II, combining a single rear-wheel van chassis with a full cutaway bus body. Following the 1992 redesign of the Ford E-Series and the 1997 launch of Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana cutaway chassis, manufacturers followed suit, developing bodies to optimize loading-zone visibility. As manufacturers universally adopted cutaway bodies for single rear-wheel buses,
5600-645: The 2000s, though the Type B configuration has largely been retired from production. Following the 1998 sale of the General Motors P-chassis to Navistar subsidiary Workhorse , the design began to be phased out in favor of higher-capacity Type A buses. In 2006, IC introduced the BE200 as its first small school bus; a fully cowled Type B, the BE200 shared much of its body with the CE (on a lower-profile chassis). In 2010, IC introduced
5712-752: The AE-series, a cutaway-cab school bus (derived from the International TerraStar ). In 2015, the Ford Transit cutaway chassis was introduced (alongside the long-running E350/450); initially sold with a Micro Bird body, the Transit has been offered through several manufacturers. In 2018, the first bus derived from the Ram ProMaster cutaway chassis was introduced; Collins Bus introduced the Collins Low Floor,
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#17328515815455824-651: The Karachi government under the order of the Supreme Court in 2004 made it mandatory for all city buses and auto rickshaws to run on CNG with the intention of reducing air pollution. In 2012, the federal government announced plans to gradually phase out CNG over a period of approximately three years given natural gas shortages which have been negatively affecting the manufacturing sector. Aside from limiting electricity generation capacity, gas shortages in Pakistan have also raised
5936-539: The OMV (open market value) cost of newly registered green passenger vehicles. This initiative will end at the end of 2012 as the government believes the 'critical mass' of CNG vehicles would then have been built up. Due to reliability issues and lower ranges that CNG provided (as cited by users’ feedback), refueling stations mostly concentrated in the western end of Singapore, the rising demand of greener solutions like hybrid technologies, led to its demise where both public buses and
6048-427: The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Transport Canada , as well as by the bus industry and various safety advocates. As of 2020 production, all of these standards remain in effect. As manufacturers sought to develop safer school buses, small school buses underwent a transition away from automotive-based vehicles. The introduction of cutaway van chassis allowed bus manufacturers to mate
6160-728: The US successfully retrofitted a diesel locomotive to run on compressed natural gas before 2002. This converted locomotive was upgraded to utilize a computer-controlled fuel injection system in May 2008, and is now the Napa Valley Wine Train's primary locomotive. Ferrocarril Central Andino in Peru, has run a CNG locomotive on a freight line since 2005. CNG locomotives are usually diesel–electric locomotives that have been converted to use compressed natural gas generators instead of diesel generators to generate
6272-606: The Vision utilized a proprietary chassis (rather than a design from a medium-duty truck). In 2004, Thomas introduced the Saf-T-Liner C2 (derived from the Freightliner M2 ), with the body designed alongside its chassis (allowing the use of the production Freightliner dashboard). A trait of both the Vision and C2 (over their predecessors) is improved loading-zone visibility; both vehicles adopted highly sloped hoods and extra glass around
6384-508: The Ward brand name in 1993. In 1992, Blue Bird would change hands for the first of several times. In 1998, Carpenter was acquired by Spartan Motors and Thomas Built Buses was sold to Freightliner; the latter was the final major school bus manufacturer operating under family control. Alongside the 1981 introduction of Mid Bus, Corbeil commenced production in Canada and the United States in 1985. Following
6496-520: The West Coast). From 1980 to 2001, all eight bus manufacturers would undergo periods of struggle and ownership changes. In 1980, Ward filed for bankruptcy, reorganizing as AmTran in 1981. The same year, Superior was liquidated by its parent company, closing its doors. Under its company management, Superior was split into two manufacturers, with Mid Bus introducing small buses in 1981 and a reorganized Superior producing full-size buses from 1982 to 1985. At
6608-402: The adoption of yellow as a standard color in 1939, school buses deliberately integrate the concept of conspicuity into their design. When making student dropoffs or pickups, traffic law gives school buses priority over other vehicles; in order to stop traffic, they are equipped with flashing lights and a stop sign. As a consequence of their size, school buses have a number of blind spots around
6720-481: The aforementioned fuels. In comparison to other fuels, natural gas poses less of a threat in the event of a spill , because it is lighter than air and disperses quickly when released. Biomethane , biogas from anaerobic digestion or landfill , can be used. In response to high fuel prices and environmental concerns, CNG has been used in auto rickshaws , pickup trucks , transit and school buses , and trains . The cost and placement of fuel storage containers
6832-418: The aspect of customer choice was largely ended (as a result of corporate ownership and supply agreements), decreased complexity paved the way for new product innovations previously thought impossible. During the 2010s, while diesel engines have remained the primary source of power, manufacturers expanded the availability of alternative-fuel vehicles, including CNG, propane, gasoline, and electric-power buses. At
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#17328515815456944-496: The auto manufacturer in the last two years, and the remainder have been converted utilizing after market conversion kits in workshops. There are 750 active refueling stations country wide with an additional 660 refueling stations under construction and expected to come on stream. Currently the major problem facing the industry as a whole is the building of refueling stations that is lagging behind dual fuel vehicle production, forcing many to use petrol instead. Nigeria CNG started with
7056-466: The beginning of 2005, 10,300 CNG busses and 20,000 CNG cars ran on Delhi’s roads. In 2006 Fiat Siena Tetrafuel was introduced in the Brazilian market, equipped with a 1.4-litre FIRE engine that runs on E100, E25 (Standard Brazilian Gasoline), Ethanol, and CNG. Any existing petrol vehicle can be converted to a dual-fuel petrol/CNG vehicle. Authorized shops can do the retrofitting, which involves installing
7168-477: The beginning of the 2000s, manufacturers introduced a new generation of conventional-style school buses, coinciding with the redesign of several medium-duty truck lines. While Ford and General Motors shifted bus production to cutaway chassis, Freightliner and International released new cowled chassis in 2004 and 2005, respectively. In 2003, Blue Bird introduced the Vision conventional; in line with its transit-style buses,
7280-588: The capital Sofia there are 22 CNG stations making it possibly the city with the most publicly available CNG stations in Europe. There are also quite a few in Plovdiv , Ruse , Stara Zagora and Veliko Tarnovo as well as in the towns on the Black Sea – Varna , Burgas , Nesebar and Kavarna . CNG vehicles are becoming more and more popular in the country. The fuel is mostly used by taxi drivers because of its much lower price compared to petrol. Currently (as of July, 2015)
7392-535: The center of Zagreb and in Rijeka . At least 60 CNG buses are in use as a form of a public transport ( Zagreb public transport services ). School bus A school bus is any type of bus owned, leased, contracted to, or operated by a school or school district . It is regularly used to transport students to and from school or school-related activities, but not including a charter bus or transit bus . Various configurations of school buses are used worldwide ;
7504-422: The chances of traffic collisions . To decrease confusion over traffic priority (increasing safety around school bus stops), federal and state regulations were amended, requiring for many states/provinces to add amber warning lamps inboard of the red warning lamps. Similar to a yellow traffic light, the amber lights are activated before stopping (at 100–300 feet (30.5–91.4 m) distance), indicating to drivers that
7616-415: The city of Sofia is rapidly renewing its public transport fleet with MAN Lion's City buses running on CNG. Also, many companies switch to CNG cargo vans and even heavy trucks for their daily operations within city limits. In North Macedonia , there is one CNG station located in the capital Skopje, but it is not for public use. Only twenty buses of the local Public Transport Company have been fitted to use
7728-414: The complexity of school bus production and increase safety, a set of 44 standards were agreed upon and adopted by the attendees (such as interior and exterior dimensions and the forward-facing seating configuration). To allow for large-scale production of school buses among body manufacturers, adoption of these standards allowed for greater consistency among body manufacturers. While many of the standards of
7840-416: The conversion to CNG, as they accuse the companies of being proxies of the junta, and also their desire that the petrodollars earned by the regime should go towards the defense sector rather than towards improving the infrastructure or welfare of the people. In India , there are over 4500 CNG Stations all over the country now as compared to 2014 when the country only had about 900 CNG Stations. The government
7952-431: The costs of business for key industries including the fertilizer, cement and textile sectors. In Singapore, CNG was once used by public transport vehicles like buses and taxis, as well as goods vehicles until 2018. During its heyday in 2008 onwards, more owners of private cars had sought interest in converting their petrol-driven vehicles to also run on CNG – due to rising petrol prices. The initial cost of converting
8064-447: The cylinders used to store the CNG take up space in the trunk of a car or bed of a pickup truck that has been modified to additionally run on CNG. This problem is solved in factory-built CNG vehicles that install the cylinders under the body of the vehicle, leaving the trunk free, e.g. , Fiat Multipla , New Fiat Panda , Volkswagen Touran Ecofuel, Volkswagen Caddy Ecofuel, Chevy Taxi, which sold in countries such as Peru. Another option
8176-423: The decade began, the end of the baby-boom generation had finished high school; with a decrease in student population growth, school bus manufacturing was left with a degree of overcapacity. Coupled with the recession economy of the early 1980s, the decline in demand for school bus production left several manufacturers in financial ruin. To better secure their future, during the 1990s, school bus manufacturers underwent
8288-424: The deployable stop arm extended during a bus stop with its own set of red flashing lights. In the 1970s, school busing expanded further, under controversial reasons; a number of larger cities began to bus students in an effort to racially integrate schools . Out of necessity, the additional usage created further demand for bus production. From 1939 to 1973, school bus production was largely self-regulated. In 1973,
8400-404: The deployment of the exterior stop arms. Onboard GPS tracking devices have taken on a dual role of fleet management and location tracking, allowing for internal management of costs and also to alert waiting parents and students of the real-time location of their bus. Seatbelts in school buses underwent a redesign, with lap-type seatbelts phased out in favor of 3-point seatbelts . According to
8512-409: The electricity that drives the traction motors. Some CNG locomotives are able to selectively fire their cylinders only when there is a demand for power, which, theoretically, gives them a higher fuel-efficiency than conventional diesel engines. CNG is also cheaper than petrol or diesel fuel. CNG is used to transport natural gas by sea for intermediate distances, using CNG carrier ships, especially when
8624-447: The elements, with little to no weather protection. In 1892, Indiana-based Wayne Works (later Wayne Corporation ) produced its first "school car" A purpose-built design, the school car was constructed with perimeter-mounted wooden bench seats and a roof (the sides remained open). As a horse-drawn wagon, the school car was fitted with a rear entrance door (intended to avoid startling the horses while loading or unloading passengers); over
8736-657: The end of 1989, Carpenter would file for bankruptcy, emerging from it in 1990. In 1991, Crown Coach would close its doors forever; Gillig produced its last school bus in 1993. Following several ownership changes, Wayne Corporation was liquidated in 1992; successor Wayne Wheeled Vehicles was closed in 1995. In 2001, Carpenter closed its doors. During the 1990s, as body manufacturers secured their future, family-owned businesses were replaced by subsidiaries as manufacturers underwent mergers, joint ventures, and acquisitions with major chassis suppliers. In 1991, Navistar began its acquisition of AmTran (fully acquiring it in 1995), phasing out
8848-564: The entry door. In 2005, IC introduced a redesigned CE-series to fit the International 3300 chassis; to improve visibility, the windshield was redesigned (eliminating the center post). Between 2004 and 2008, Advanced Energy, an NC based non-profit created by the NC Utilities Commission begun an effort to move to plug-in hybrid school buses . A business and technical feasibility proved the benefits, and in 2006, 20 districts awarded
8960-512: The expense of fixed route coverage. On Demand "YOUR Ride Microtransit" service is available to replace fixed route service to the communities of Winters and Knights Landing that was eliminated under the YoloGo COA. BeeLine On Demand Transit was also launched in June 2023 to replace lost service for trips within the city of Woodland. This article related to bus transportation in the United States
9072-573: The eyes of the consumers. Petronas , Malaysia's state-owned oil company, also monopolises the provision of CNG to road users. As of July 2008, Petronas only operates about 150 CNG refueling stations, most of which are concentrated in the Klang Valley. At the same time, another 50 were expected by the end of 2008. As fuel subsidies were gradually removed in Malaysia starting June 5, 2008, the subsequent 41 percent price hike on petrol and diesel fuel led to
9184-581: The first Canadian-brand full-size buses sold in the United States). During the 2010s, Collins retired the Mid Bus and Corbeil brands (in 2013 and 2016, respectively). During the 2000s, school bus safety adopted a number of evolutionary advances. To further improve visibility for other drivers, manufacturers began to replace incandescent lights with LEDs for running lights, turn signals, brake lights, and warning lamps. School bus crossing arms , first introduced in
9296-558: The first diesel-engined school bus was introduced, with the first tandem-axle school bus in 1955 (a Crown Supercoach, expanding seating to 91 passengers). To improve accessibility , at the end of the 1950s, manufacturers developed a curbside wheelchair lift option to transport wheelchair-using passengers. In modified form, the design remains in use today. During the 1950s and 1960s, manufacturers also began to develop designs for small school buses, optimized for urban routes with crowded, narrow streets along with rural routes too isolated for
9408-453: The first federal regulations governing school buses went into effect, as FMVSS 217 was required for school buses; the regulation governed specifications of rear emergency exit doors/windows. Following the focus on school bus structural integrity, NHTSA introduced the four Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for School Buses, applied on April 1, 1977, bringing significant change to the design, engineering, and construction of school buses and
9520-466: The first low-floor school bus (of any configuration). Following the 2001 closure of Carpenter, the manufacturing segment has seen a much lower degree of contraction (with the exception of the 2005 failure of startup manufacturer Liberty Bus ). Following the bankruptcy of Corbeil, the company was acquired at the end of 2007 by Collins, reorganizing it as a subsidiary (alongside Mid Bus) and shifting production to its Kansas facilities. The same year, U.S. Bus
9632-632: The ground up. Introduced in 1932, the Crown Supercoach seated up to 76 passengers, the highest-capacity school bus of the time. As the 1930s progressed, flat-front school buses began to follow motorcoach design in styling as well as engineering, gradually adopting the term "transit-style" for their appearance. In 1940, the first mid-engined transit school bus was produced by Gillig in California. The custom-built nature of school buses created an inherent obstacle to their profitable mass production on
9744-416: The high cost of the pressure vessels. Since then, there have been attempts at developing a commercially viable CNG carrier. Several competing CNG ocean transport designs have evolved. Each design proposes a unique approach to optimizing gas transport, while using as much off-the-shelf technology as possible, to keep costs competitive. Worldwide, there were 14.8 million natural gas vehicles (NGVs) by 2011, with
9856-491: The industry's steady growth, the cost of such fuel storage cylinders has been brought down to a much more acceptable level. Especially, for the CNG Type 1 and Type 2 cylinders , many countries are able to make reliable and cost effective cylinders for conversion need. CNG's energy density is the same as liquefied natural gas at 53.6 MJ/kg. Its volumetric energy density, 9 MJ/L, is 42 % of that of LNG (22 MJ/L) because it
9968-457: The infrastructure for pipelines or LNG is not in place. At short distances, undersea pipelines are often more cost-effective, and for longer distances, LNG is often more cost-effective. Compressed natural gas vehicles require a greater amount of space for fuel storage than conventional petrol-powered vehicles. Since it is a compressed gas, rather than a liquid like petrol, CNG takes up more space for each GGE ( petrol gallon equivalent ). However,
10080-572: The introduction of the steel-paneled 1927 Luce bus, school bus manufacturing began to transition towards all-steel construction. In 1930, both Superior and Wayne introduced all-steel school buses; the latter introduced safety glass windows for its bus body. As school bus design paralleled the design of light to medium-duty commercial trucks of the time, the advent of forward-control trucks would have their own influence on school bus design. In an effort to gain extra seating capacity and visibility, Crown Coach built its own cabover school bus design from
10192-454: The largest in the world with 46 refuelling hoses. The Union Group, which operates 1000 CNG Toyota Wish taxis then planned to introduce another three daughter stations and increase the CNG taxi fleet to 8000 units. As a key incentive for using this eco-friendly fuel Singapore has a green vehicle rebate for users of CNG technology. First introduced in January 2001, the GVR grants a 40 percent discount on
10304-751: The largest numbers in Iran (4.07 million), Pakistan (2.85 million), Argentina (2.07 million), Brazil (1.7 million) and India (1.1 million), with the Asia-Pacific region leading with 5.7 million NGVs, followed by Latin America with almost four million vehicles. Several car and vehicle manufacturers, such as Fiat , Opel / General Motors , Peugeot , Volkswagen , Toyota , Honda , Maruti Suzuki , Hyundai , Tata Motors , and others, sell bi-fuel cars.In 1995, The Supreme Court of India decided that cars put into circulation after 1995 would have to run on unleaded fuel. At
10416-404: The last CNG taxis were on its way to being scrapped in 2018. In Italy , there are more than 1173 CNG stations. The use of methane for vehicles, started in the 1930s and has continued off and on until today. Since 2008 there have been a large market expansion for natural gas vehicles (CNG and LPG) caused by the rise of petrol prices and by the need to reduce air pollution emissions. Before 1995
10528-403: The late 1990s, came into wider use. Electronics took on a new role in school bus operation. To increase child safety and security, alarm systems have been developed to prevent children from being left on unattended school buses overnight. To track drivers who illegally pass school buses loading and unloading students, in the 2010s, some school buses began to adopt exterior cameras synchronized with
10640-504: The most iconic examples are the yellow school buses of the United States which are also found in other parts of the world. In North America, school buses are purpose-built vehicles distinguished from other types of buses by design characteristics mandated by federal and state/provincial regulations. In addition to their distinct paint color ( National School Bus Glossy Yellow ), school buses are fitted with exterior warning lights (to give them traffic priority) and multiple safety devices. In
10752-553: The most widely produced full-size school bus, interest in forward visibility, higher seating capacity, and shorter turning radius led to a major expansion of market share of the transit-style configuration, coinciding with several design introductions in the late 1980s. Following the 1986 introduction of the Wayne Lifestar , the AmTran Genesis, Blue Bird TC/2000 , and Thomas Saf-T-Liner MVP would prove far more successful. During
10864-849: The only way to have a CNG-powered car was by having it retrofitted with an after-market kit. A large producer was Landi Renzo , Tartarini Auto, Prins Autogassystemen, OMVL, BiGAs,... and AeB for electronic parts used by the most part of kit producer. Landi Renzo and Tartarini selling vehicles in Asia and South America. After 1995 bi-fuel cars (petrol/CNG) became available from several major manufacturers. Currently Fiat , Opel , Volkswagen , Citroën , Renault , Volvo and Mercedes sell various car models and small trucks that are petrol/CNG powered. Usually CNG parts used by major car manufacturers are actually produced by automotive aftermarket kit manufacturers, e.g. Fiat use Tartarini Auto components, Volkswagen use Teleflex GFI and Landi Renzo components. In Belgium , CNG
10976-432: The outside of the vehicle which can endanger passengers disembarking a bus or pedestrians standing or walking nearby. To address this safety challenge, a key point of school bus design is focused on exterior visibility, improving the design of bus windows, mirrors, and the windshield to optimize visibility for the driver. In the case of a collision, the body structure of a school bus is designed with an integral roll cage ; as
11088-698: The pressure regulator. The National Fire Protection Association 's NFPA 52 code covers natural gas vehicle safety standards in the United States. Iran , Pakistan , Argentina , Brazil and China have the highest number of CNG run vehicles in the world. Natural gas vehicles are increasingly used in Iran, Pakistan, the Asia-Pacific region, the Indian capital of Delhi , and other large cities such as Ahmedabad , Mumbai , Pune , and Kolkata , as well as cities such as Lucknow , Kanpur , Varanasi , and others. Its use
11200-434: The primary component of natural gas, is a powerful, short-lived greenhouse gas. It is more than 100 times more potent at trapping energy than carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), the principal contributor to man-made climate change. Compressed natural gas is often confused with LNG ( liquefied natural gas ). Both are stored forms of natural gas. The main difference is that CNG is stored at ambient temperature and high pressure, while LNG
11312-432: The reinforced passenger compartment of a full-size school bus. During the 1960s, as with standard passenger cars, concerns began to arise for passenger protection in catastrophic traffic collisions. At the time, the weak point of the body structure was the body joints; where panels and pieces were riveted together, joints could break apart in major accidents, with the bus body causing harm to passengers. After subjecting
11424-590: The risk of stalling (in hazardous places such as intersections or railroad crossings). Initially introduced during the late 1960s, crossview mirrors came into universal use, improving the view of the blind spots in front of the bus while loading or unloading. To supplement the rear emergency door in an evacuation, manufacturers introduced additional emergency exits during the 1980s, including roof-mounted escape hatches and outward-opening exit windows. Side-mounted exit doors (originally introduced on rear-engine buses), became offered on front-engine and conventional-body buses as
11536-504: The same year. In Portugal , there are 9 CNG refueling stations as of September 25, 2017. In Hungary , there are four public CNG refueling stations in the cities Budapest , Szeged , Pécs and Győr . The public transportation company of Szeged , Szolnok and some districts in Budapest runs buses mainly on CNG. In Bulgaria , there are 96 CNG refueling stations as of July 2011. One can be found in most of Bulgaria's big towns. In
11648-557: The second (and final) closure of Superior in 1986, New Bus Company acquired the rights to its body design, producing buses from 1988 to 1989. In 1991, TAM-USA was a joint venture to produce the TAM 252 A 121. Assembled in Slovenia with final assembly in California, the TAM vehicle was to be the first American-market school bus imported from Europe. In comparison to body manufacturers, chassis suppliers saw
11760-405: The second half of the 19th century, many rural areas of the United States and Canada were served by one-room schools . For those students who lived beyond practical walking distance from school, transportation was facilitated in the form of the kid hack ; at the time, " hack " was a term referring to certain types of horse-drawn carriages. Essentially re-purposed farm wagons, kid hacks were open to
11872-416: The segment after 2003. Both Ford and GM continue production today, concentrating on cutaway-van chassis. The beginning of the 21st century would introduce extensive changes to the production of school buses. Though vehicle assembly saw few direct changes, manufacturer consolidation and industry contraction effectively ended the practice of customers selecting body and chassis manufacturers independently. While
11984-576: The shade most commonly associated with school buses both in North America and abroad. During WWII school bus manufacturers converted to military production, manufacturing buses and license-built trucks for the military. Following the war, school bus operation would see a number of changes, following developments within education systems. Following WWII and the rise of suburban growth in North America , demand for school busing increased outside of rural areas; in suburbs and larger urban areas, community design often made walking to school impractical beyond
12096-478: The usage of school buses became funded in all 48 U.S. states. In 1927, Ford dealership owner A.L. Luce produced a bus body for a 1927 Ford Model T . The forerunner of the first Blue Bird school buses, steel was used to panel and frame the bus body; wood was relegated to a secondary material. While fitted with a roof, the primary weather protection of the Luce bus design included roll-up canvas side curtains. During
12208-612: The use of CNG was originally introduced for taxicabs and airport limousines during the late 1990s, when new taxis were launched with CNG engines while taxicab operators were encouraged to send in existing taxis for full engine conversions. The practice of using CNG remained largely confined to taxicabs predominately in the Klang Valley and Penang due to a lack of interest. No incentives were offered for those besides taxicab owners to use CNG engines, while government subsidies on petrol and diesel made conventional road vehicles cheaper to use in
12320-916: The use of the Dodge Ram Van chassis was phased out. By 2005 the United States government banned the use of 15-passenger vans for student transport, leading to the introduction of Multi-Function School Activity Buses (MFSAB). To better protect passengers, MFSABs share the body structure and compartmentalized seating layout of school buses. Not intended (nor allowed) for uses requiring traffic priority, they are not fitted with school bus warning lights or stop arms (nor are they painted school bus yellow). In 1980, school buses were manufactured by six body manufacturers (Blue Bird, Carpenter, Superior, Thomas, Ward, Wayne) and three chassis manufacturers (Ford, General Motors, and International Harvester); in California, two manufacturers (Crown and Gillig) manufactured transit-style school buses using proprietary chassis (sold primarily across
12432-678: The western part of the country. Another station on the mainland is in Mandai Link to the north and is operated by SMART Energy. SMART also own a second station on Serangoon North Ave 5 which was set up end of March 2009; The fifth and largest station in the world, located in Toh Tuck, was opened by the UNION Group in September 2009. This station is recognized by the Guniness World Records as being
12544-473: Was reorganized as Trans Tech . In 2008, Starcraft Bus entered the segment, producing school buses on cutaway chassis (a 2011 prototype using a Hino chassis was never produced). In 2009, Blue Bird and Girardin entered into a joint venture, named Micro Bird; Girardin develops and produces the Blue Bird small-bus product line in Canada. The 2011 founding of Lion Bus marked the return of bus production to Canada (with
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