I think this is the last of the trial buses and will most likely become 2453. Quite like this one - has a kind of retro feel about it

I thought that there was another Volvo coming?

Looks exactly the same as Torrens' 1906. Is there any difference?

They've smoothed out the window line by using a bit more black paint?

busrider wrote:They've smoothed out the window line by using a bit more black paint?

The white paint on 1906 looks so tacky.

It appears to have the same "retro" feature as Sydney's Bustechs - the step down to the centre door.

Nice looking bus! Very similar to 1906 except for the window line painted a bit "better" as others have already commented on here!

Reminds me of the Gold Coast buses on Surfside Bus Lines, except the lower seats on these buses are a fair bit lower than the window line.

boronia wrote:It appears to have the same "retro" feature as Sydney's Bustechs - the step down to the centre door.

No, it actually has a stepless centre door which AdMet has obviously required in its specification, so it is a conventional "low-entry" with low floor to the second door then high floor in the back part of the bus.

The main issue is this which I'm amazed nobody in Adelaide has picked up and commented on - most of the passengers on the low floor can't see out the window!!

Skexis wrote:

Is the fact that nobody has noticed it (or not wanted anybody to notice it in the case of the manufacturer and client) a sign of how much people in the bus industry and enthusiasts focus only on mechanical and operator issues and completely ignore the fact that buses are actually for the purpose of transporting real people?

Is it doing route services yet?

I meant to add in my posts on both this and the Citaro that these are absolutely excellent photos, both in coverage of details of the subject and technical quality. Are they the OP's photos? Well done!

Agree with that Tony - one small complaint though - no photo of the VIN plate on the Citaro.

I know that photos can be deceiving (lack of depth, etc.), but is the cord for the two-way likely to get in the way of normal operations of the vehicle (tickets, etc)?

The driving position (from the "above" shot) makes everything look a little claustrophobic to me (or that could be related to my substantial dimensions!!!)

Regards to all,
Paul

1whoknows wrote:Agree with that Tony - one small complaint though - no photo of the VIN plate on the Citaro.

There would have been more photos but for a stupid 10 shot per post limit. More photos do in fact exist however I will not post them as I do not see any valid reason to make two posts where one would be perfectly adequate and until the rule is amended the 10 shot limit remains in place, from both sides.

One thing I notice from my photos though is that great big gouge on the lower right spoke of the steering wheel. There is absolutely no reason for it to be so except for poor workmanship.

Any idea how long before it enters service?

Skexis wrote:One thing I notice from my photos though is that great big gouge on the lower right spoke of the steering wheel. There is absolutely no reason for it to be so except for poor workmanship.

Look again. It's an indentation in the wheel for a badge.

Daniel wrote:

Skexis wrote:One thing I notice from my photos though is that great big gouge on the lower right spoke of the steering wheel. There is absolutely no reason for it to be so except for poor workmanship.

Look again. It's an indentation in the wheel for a badge.

I think you're wrong. Firstly no one would place a badge there as it would be under the drivers hand for nearly all of the time and secondly the hole is an irregular shape to the point that any badge would have to be a ridiculously odd shape to fit. If anyone can post a photo of a similar bus that has a badge in that location then that's fair enough. The photo doesn't do it justice really - it's a horrible thing to look at, and to feel under your hand.

From the SCI American catalogue. Its a Victor brand badge, common on other Bustech integrals. https://issuu.com/ambersci/docs/luxury_catalog_2015-16

Interesting. Guess we got the delete badge option then. Strange place to put one though, unless the designer was a leftie of course.

2453 seen in service today on a 222 to mawson lakes around 1130

Yeah they're all out and about now. The delay was because they hadn't had brake interlocks fitted.

I guess the Department of Transport will be closely monitoring the performance of all the new buses received over the last few months, as it will help to determine which brand/type of bus that they will order when the Scania contract finished next year?

Don't forget there are also two Bustech electric buses due for trial - as announced with the Adelaide factory launch.

And here it is:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 5603747970

Very disappointing that they've just trotted out their usual body and not gone fully low floor. No excuse with an electric bus, there's no diesel engine under the rear floor that requires a high floor. Would it also comply with AdMet now apparently requiring no steps at any door? This one has steps. Of course, as pointed out earlier, the diesel one has no steps at the doors (low-entry) but Bustech hasn't altered the window-line, so a number of seated passengers can't see out the windows.

Bumbling old Bustech just can't seem to get it right.

Edit: It has been brought to my attention that almost al of the footage in that video is of their diesel buses and only glimpses of the electric bus can be seen. It may possibly have a low floor after all, we still have to wait to find out. It seems a pointless waste of time to produce a news video about a new bus and then film everything except that bus!

The Adelaide bus with the windowless seats does feature though but everybody there seems to have myopia about the problem. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that none of them actually ride buses in their daily lives so they wouldn't see a problem if they fell over it.

Yes unfortunately the interior of the ZDi electric bus subject of the whole news piece was not featured! I can confirm the Adelaide version of the ZDi does have a flat low floor for the vast majority of seats, bar a set of raised facing seats and the rearmost row of seats. The centre door does not have a step.

Yes, the window line is still high, but it has been modified from the original VST window line and is an improvement. It is a hard thing to balance. Glazing is heavy, adding tare weight which is already increased over the diesel XDi. Also more glazing means greater heat penetration, a big challenge particularly on electric buses given A/C demands are a real drain on battery performance.

Dare I say it; would an option be to bring the top of the windows down, keeping the glazing at a similar height. Depending on the design of the rear end of the bus it might end up in a similar style to the ex-Harris Park Mercedes O405NH's operated by Torrens Transit (1320-1324)