Function

The cutting of expenses is, among other things, an important consideration for transport services. Because labour costs constitute a determining factor, there are always attempts to rationalise. For many years articulated buses have already replaced standard busses on routes which serve enough passengers. A new step is the introduction of a double articulated bus which thus replaces two complete busses and of course, their drivers as well.

How it works

From the outside it looks as if a simple doubling-up had taken place. However, under the vehicle the changes are considerable. They begin with the engine, which has, for many years now, been mounted, in the (simple) articulated bus, in the rear. In this case it is hardly different from a truck engine, mounted vertically, and on the left in the front vehicle. Other than the certification 'Euro 3', due to the presence of a suitable particle filter, there is nothing special about this engine. However, while standard busses have, as a rule, weaker engines than heavy trucks, this engine is of equal strength.

The front-mounted engine provides, besides an improvement of the winter qualities, the possibility to steer both axles of the trailers and thus improve the manoeuvrability. This happens purely mechanically, but it is by no means uncomplicated. In figure 2, one can see on the left, the bar coming from the front, which transfers steering movements of the front axle to the rear. Through a, on the right-hand side of the figure partly visible, extensive gearbox, the third, of all together four axles is steered. The same set-up is found, however, with stronger effect, in the fourth and last axle. The result is an extremely compliant rear section of the indeed, very long vehicle.

Only directly at the curb-side, one may not turn the steering wheel in- or outwards, because when pulling away the rear section would mount the curb. A certain amount of practise, e.g., also when reversing is definitely necessary. Whether the old regulation, which says that anyone who can drive a standard bus can drive an articulated bus as well, can be applied to the new ones, is very doubtful. 09/08