Articulated bus
An articulated bus, also referred to as a slinky bus, bendy bus, tandem bus, vestibule bus, stretch bus, or an accordion bus, is an articulated vehicle, typically a motor bus or trolleybus, used in public transportation. It is usually a single-decker, and comprises two or more rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint (articulation) enclosed by protective bellows inside and outside and a cover plate on the floor. This allows a longer legal length than rigid-bodied buses, and hence a higher passenger capacity (94–120),[1][2] while still allowing the bus to maneuver adequately.
Due to their high passenger capacity, articulated buses are often used as part of bus rapid transit schemes, and can include mechanical guidance. Articulated buses are typically 18 m (59 ft) long, in contrast to standard rigid buses at 11 to 14 m (36 to 46 ft) long. The common arrangement of an articulated bus is to have a forward section with two axles leading a rear section with a single axle, with the driving axle mounted on either the front or the rear section. Some articulated buses have a steering arrangement on the rearmost axle which turns slightly in opposition to the front steering axle, allowing the vehicle to negotiate tighter turns, similar to hook-and-ladder fire trucks operating in city environments.[3] A less common variant of the articulated bus is the bi-articulated bus, where the vehicle has two trailer sections rather than one. Such vehicles have a capacity of around 200 people, and a length of about 25 m (82 ft); as such, they are used almost exclusively on high-capacity, high-frequency arterial routes and on bus rapid transit services.
Driver licensing[edit]
In some countries of the European Union, as well as in Canada, an articulated bus can be driven with the same license used to drive a rigid bus (D in Europe), while a bus towing a normal trailer requires a bus + trailer (D+E) license.
There is some confusion as to how the U.S. treats articulated buses, but the general agreement in professional circles a large misconception seems to be that they're treated as combination vehicles, and therefore requires that drivers hold a Class A commercial driver license (CDL) with a passenger (P) endorsement, which requires the passage of both a written and driven exam. However, based on guidelines from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an articulated motorcoach (bus) driver is required to possess a Class B CDL.[32] The driven exam can be completed in the Class B bus the driver wishes to operate. It is common for restrictions to be issued on the driver's license disallowing them to operate higher classes of vehicles than they tested on. A common restriction is a driver with a Class B CDL that performs their P endorsement test on a class B bus, resulting in their license bearing the "no class A passenger vehicle" restriction, which is notated with an 'M', in addition to their P endorsement. These restrictions can be removed through further testing at a later date.[33]
In the UK it is only necessary to hold a D licence on articulated buses where the driven axle is in the rear section.
As the front cannot be driven without the rear, for licensing purposes they are not considered to have a trailer necessitating the E entitlement. However, special training is needed for bi-articulated buses.
In popular culture[edit]
In a campaign associated with the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen film, a 2014 Transformers character was created using parts from an articulated bus with the actual vehicle as its intended alternate form and dubbed "Bendy-Bus Prime."[34]