Brussels orders 60 city bus prototypes
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• A major European exercise in city bus design is now underway by four groups of manufacturers following a substantial pilot order from the 500-vehicle Brussels municipal fleet. The order calls for four batches of 15 prototype buses to be delivered this summer.
The four groups of manufactuers are: DAF/Van Hool; Mercedes/Jonckheere; Magirus-Deutz/Jonckheere; and Bus and Car/Caterpillar. The first three of these are modified versions of existing buses and the design from the American-owned, Belgian-based Bus and Car Co is the only completely new one. Like the other three prototypes this will be an integral bus with rear-mounted engine.
It is understood that the technology employed by the company in the express coaches it builds for the American Continental Trailways will be used for the new bus. Air suspension will be incorporated together with a 210 bhp Caterpillar engine driving through an Allison automatic gearbox. The bus will carry 90 passengers and have 38 seats.
Substantial orders for vehicles may go to the successful bus after evaluation trials are complete.