A midibus is a classification of single-decker

minibus A minibus, microbus, or minicoach is a passenger-carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is us ...

es which are generally larger than a traditional minibus but smaller than a full-size single decker and can be anywhere between and 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. Midibuses are often designed to be lightweight to save on

diesel fuel Diesel fuel, also called diesel oil, heavy oil (historically) or simply diesel, is any liquid fuel specifically designed for use in a diesel engine, a type of internal combustion engine in which fuel ignition takes place without a spark as a re ...

(e.g. smaller wheels than on larger buses), making them not as durable as heavier 'full size' buses. Some midibuses, such as 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.

United States designs

The term "midibus" is not in common use in the United States; such smaller and lighter-duty buses are not used for

public transit Public transport (also known as public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) are forms of transport available to the general public. It typically uses a fixed schedule, route and charges a fixed fare. There is no rigid definition of wh ...

there except in some very specialized instances. For example, Muni in San Francisco operates both and versions of 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 was to import a "short" (two-axle) version of European touring coaches, known often as "baby coaches", around 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.

Models

* Alexander Dennis Enviro100EV *

Alexander Dennis Enviro200 The Alexander Dennis Enviro200 (previously known as the TransBus Enviro200) is a midibus that was manufactured by TransBus International and later Alexander Dennis between 2003 and 2018. The original TransBus Enviro200 design was innovative but ...

Dart – also manufactured and marketed in North America by New Flyer Industries as the New Flyer MiDi * Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC * Gillig Low Floor (29 and 35 ft variants) * New Flyer Xcelsior (35 ft variants) * ARBOC Specialty Vehicles * BYD K7/K7M * BYD B8 *

Thomas Built Buses Thomas Built Buses, Inc. (commonly known as Thomas) is an American bus manufacturer. Best known for its production of the first ever rear engine Type C school bus, Thomas produces other bus designs for a variety of usages. Currently, its productio ...

Saf-T-Liner HDX (25, 30, 35 ft variants) *Agrale MT12 (chassis) *Autosan Sancity 9 LE * Autosan Sancity 10LF – (

Low floor Low or LOW or lows, may refer to: People * Low (surname) Low is an English language, English and Languages of Scotland, Scottish surname. It is also a common surname found among Overseas Chinese language, Chinese communities around the world. ...

integral) * Albion Nimbus – from 1955 to 1965 *Bedford VAS – From 1961 to 1987 * Bedford JJL – an early unsuccessful attempt at a purpose-built midibus 1975–81 *

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

SU – 1960–6 * BYD C6 ( Gemilang Coachworks) * Chance Coach/Optima Opus * Daewoo BS090 Royal-Midi *Daewoo BC095 * Dennis Domino *

Dennis Dart The Dennis Dart is a Rear-engine design, rear-engined single-decker bus, single-decker midibus chassis that was introduced by Dennis Specialist Vehicles, Dennis of Guildford, England, in 1989, replacing the Dennis Domino. Initially built as a ...

(chassis) * Dennis/Transbus/Alexander Dennis Dart SLF (chassis) *ElDorado EZ Rider II MAX/BRT * FAP A-402 * Grande West Vicinity * Golden Dragon XML6606 * Golden Dragon XML6855JEVJ0C8 * Hino Melpha * Hino Rainbow * Heuliez GX117 *Heuliez GX127 * Hyundai Aero Town * Hyundai Global 900 *Hyundai GreenCity *Mercedes-Benz Trekka * Ikarus 405 *Ikarus E91 * Ikarbus ik-107 * Irisbus Citelis 10 * Isuzu Erga Mio * Isuzu Gala Mio * Isuzu Journey-K *Isuzu Novo * Isuzu Turquoise *Iveco EuroMidi *Kutsenits City *Kravtex Credo EN9,5 * Leyland Swift *MAN 10.xxx HOCL/MAN 11.xxx HOCL (chassis) *MAN 12.xxx HOCL/MAN 12.xxx HOCL-NL (chassis) *MAN 13.xxx HOCL (chassis) *MAN 14.xxx HOCL/MAN 14.xxx HOCL-NL (chassis) * MAN Lion's City M * MAZ-206 * MAZ-256 * MCW Metrorider * Marshall Minibus * Mercedes-Benz O520 Cito * Mercedes-Benz O530K (Citaro K) *Mercedes-Benz OH1115LSB (chassis) * Mitsubishi Fuso Aero Midi MJ/MK/Aero Midi-S * New Flyer Industries D30LF / 35LF * Neoplan Centroliner * Nissan Diesel Space Runner JP *

Nissan Diesel Space Runner RM The Nissan Diesel Space Runner RM (kana:日産ディーゼル・スペースランナーRM) was a medium-duty single-decker bus produced by the Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast ...

*Nissan Diesel RB80 (chassis) * Optare Excel * Optare MetroRider * Optare Solo * Optare Solo SR * Optare Versa *

Otokar Navigo Otokar Otomotiv ve Savunma Sanayi A.Ş., also known simply as Otokar, is a Turkish bus and military vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Sakarya, Turkey. Otokar is a subsidiary of Koç Holding. History Otokar was founded in 1963 as Turkey' ...

/Sultan * PAZ-3237 * PAZ-4230 * Scania OmniTown *SOR CN 8.5 * Sunwin iEV7 * Sunwin iEV8 *Temsa Prestij *Thaco Town TB82S *Thaco Town TB85S *Thaco TB94CT *Thaco Meadow 85S *Thaco Meadow 89CT *Van Hool NewA309 * VDL SB120 * VDL SB180 * Volkswagen Volksbus * Volvo B6/B6LE (chassis) * Volvo B6BLE (chassis) * Wright StreetLite *Ashok Leyland Jan Bus Midi

References

{{Buses Buses by type

United States designs

Models

See also

References