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  #1  
Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 12:54 AM
Trainguy Trainguy is offline
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Doubled-Decker Buses

I just saw one of those leased doubled decker buses heading eastbound over the PMB. Has anyone ridden on them yet? If so, first impressions?

If these are cost effective, hopefully TL will buy a few of them.
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  #2  
Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 1:33 AM
Colin4567 Colin4567 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trainguy View Post
I just saw one of those leased doubled decker buses heading eastbound over the PMB. Has anyone ridden on them yet? If so, first impressions?

If these are cost effective, hopefully TL will buy a few of them.
Desmond already said in the year-end interview with Global (if I remember correctly) and they're planning on buying about 30, to be delivered spring 2019 or so???
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  #3  
Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 2:06 AM
Orcair Orcair is offline
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I got on one quickly on the 354 - they seem a lot bigger, but there is really limited headroom on the bottom-floor. That being said, they will be a godsend on peak express routes compared to the Orions, which have really limited standee space.
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Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 2:29 AM
Vin Vin is offline
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As far as I know, Victoria's BC Transit has been using DD buses for years, and Ottawa just started not long ago I believe. Would love to see lots of them plying our streets like British cities, or in Hong Kong and Singapore.
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  #5  
Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 3:42 AM
Trainguy Trainguy is offline
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As far as I know, Victoria's BC Transit has been using DD buses for years, and Ottawa just started not long ago I believe. Would love to see lots of them plying our streets like British cities, or in Hong Kong and Singapore.
I guess it all depends on the clearances. The overpasses and other structures would need to be high enough for the buses to clear obviously.
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Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 4:53 AM
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Wouldn't work too well downtown with all the trolley bus wires.
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  #7  
Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 5:04 AM
Meraki Meraki is offline
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I guess it all depends on the clearances. The overpasses and other structures would need to be high enough for the buses to clear obviously.
Alexander Dennis (the manufacturer) makes two models designed with North American clearances in mind, the lower being 3.91m.
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Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 5:36 AM
ilikeredheads ilikeredheads is offline
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I ride them all the time whenever I'm in Hong Kong. I'm surprised Translink didn't test them earlier considering Victoria has been using them since 2000. Heck, even Vegas runs doubledeckers in their fleet. The 2 doubledeckers that Translink is testing is the super low height version of the Environ500. It's the only variant that will fit under GMT. Should they decide to place an order, their plan is to use them on express routes like the 620, 351, and 555.

Imo, they should also be used on B-line routes where passenger demand is high. However, I don't see Translink using them outside of the routes they are currently testing simply due to the fact that the Richmond depot is the only facility that can accommodate them.
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Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 5:50 AM
Meraki Meraki is offline
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Imo, they should also be used on B-line routes where passenger demand is high. However, I don't see Translink using them outside of the routes they are currently testing simply due to the fact that the Richmond depot is the only facility that can accommodate them.
B-Lines are the worst place to use them. B-Lines need fast passenger boarding/unboarding and to carry lots of people. The double deckers serve well the commuter traffic, where everyone is sitting for 30-40 minutes and doing mainly pickups, then dropoffs.
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Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 7:58 AM
flipper316 flipper316 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trainguy View Post
I just saw one of those leased doubled decker buses heading eastbound over the PMB. Has anyone ridden on them yet? If so, first impressions?

If these are cost effective, hopefully TL will buy a few of them.
Seats are hard and uncomfortable. Almost like sitting on a church pew. They don't recline. Totally different than the Orion's seats. Major disappointment as you guys know these buses are used on longer predominantly highway routes.
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  #11  
Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 9:39 AM
ilikeredheads ilikeredheads is offline
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Originally Posted by Meraki View Post
B-Lines are the worst place to use them. B-Lines need fast passenger boarding/unboarding and to carry lots of people. The double deckers serve well the commuter traffic, where everyone is sitting for 30-40 minutes and doing mainly pickups, then dropoffs.
my experience in HK says otherwise. Doubledeckers are more versatile then you think.
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  #12  
Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 5:10 PM
DKaz DKaz is offline
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Kelowna has had double decker buses for several years now, too. Welcome to the party, Vancouver!

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  #13  
Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 6:03 PM
s211 s211 is offline
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Sherwood Park (suburb of Edmonton) uses them for commuter routes too.
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  #14  
Old Posted Jan 16, 2018, 6:12 PM
Vin Vin is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Meraki View Post
B-Lines are the worst place to use them. B-Lines need fast passenger boarding/unboarding and to carry lots of people. The double deckers serve well the commuter traffic, where everyone is sitting for 30-40 minutes and doing mainly pickups, then dropoffs.
Have you seen the London Routemaster double decker bus with front, middle and back doors? Those hybrid electric-diesel buses not only look really good, but also load and unload very very fast, albeit with a high price tag! London is now testing a new fleet of Hydrogen DD buses.
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  #15  
Old Posted Jan 17, 2018, 2:54 AM
Express691 Express691 is offline
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All I'm curious is how this has its own thread when it can be talked in the Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion thread.
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  #16  
Old Posted Jan 17, 2018, 3:27 AM
casper casper is offline
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Victoria uses them on the trunk route from the Ferries to downtown.

When UVic is in session they get used quite a bit to move large volumes of students to from campus. During the summer some of them get used by Willsons for cruise ship passenger charters.

They are quite versatile.
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  #17  
Old Posted Jan 17, 2018, 4:28 AM
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Reecemartin Reecemartin is offline
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Old Posted Jan 17, 2018, 4:29 AM
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  #19  
Old Posted Jan 17, 2018, 5:32 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ilikeredheads View Post
my experience in HK says otherwise. Doubledeckers are more versatile then you think.
Ditto Singapore. Dwell times for 2-deckers and artics are roughly the same - it all depends on how many people are at the stop.

If all else fails, though:

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  #20  
Old Posted Jan 17, 2018, 4:30 PM
DKaz DKaz is offline
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It is hard to stand on the second floor when the bus is in motion, so people don't get up to prepare to get off a bus. That is wasted time, so definitely more suitable for suburban routes.
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