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Concept
Articulated bus
Summary
An articulated bus, also referred to as a slinky bus, banana bus, bendy bus, artic bus, tandem bus, double bus, vestibule bus, wiggle wagon, stretch bus, sausage bus or an accordion bus, (either a motor bus or trolleybus) is an articulated vehicle 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), 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 long, in contrast to standard rigid buses at 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. 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 ; as such, they are used almost exclusively on high-capacity, high-frequency arterial routes and on bus rapid transit services.
First example of the articulated bus appeared in Milan (Italy) in the 1937. In 1938, Twin Coach built an articulated bus for the city of Baltimore; this bus, which had four axles on a long body, was only articulated in the vertical direction to accommodate steep grades. 15 examples of the "Super Twin" were built in 1948, but it was not developed further.
Official source
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