mr.x
July 11th, 2007, 03:20 AM
PICTURES: http://trans-vancouver.fotopic.net/c1304087.html
New Nova bus like 'sports car': Ex-driver
Frank Luba, The Province
Published: Friday, July 06, 2007
For most of us, the new Nova LFS is just a bus. But for Coast Mountain Bus Co. maintenance engineer Kevin Plimbley, a former driver, the Nova is so much more.
"It's more of a sports car than our regular buses are," said Plimbley yesterday. "It's a much more effortless bus to drive."
Plimbley had the chore of taking The Province on a demonstration ride in the new, made-in-Quebec bus.
There will be 126 of the new Low-Floor-System buses in TransLink's fleet this year, with 75 earmarked to replace old buses and 51 used to expand the number of vehicles.
Their addition bumps the fleet size to 1,320 standard buses, plus 140 community shuttles.
The new Novas are lighter than their predecessors because their frames are stainless steel but their skins are partially fiberglass and partially thermo-plastic.
Being lighter, they're more fuel efficient and have better acceleration.
They're also about five decibels quieter than buses bought as recently as 2001.
The entire package is just an improvement.
"There's better operator visibility with the larger windshield," said Plimbley. "[There is] smoother, more powerful braking with the disc brakes."
The noise reduction may be the most noticeable improvement.
"Having a quieter bus is less stressful," said Plimbley. "You don't hear the rumble of the engine all the time. It makes it [driving] go easier."
There are improvements for the passengers, too. With the quieter disc brakes instead of drums, passengers will have to endure less squealing to a stop. "They're going to notice the noise level," said Plimbley.
Doors open with an easy push or are triggered by a motion sensor that keep the doors open so they can't close on passengers.
Nova aisles are wider, making it easier for scooters and wheelchairs to access their two spots per bus.
But there are fewer seats, 35, to make room for more people -- 82. Previous low-floor buses had a capacity of 75 to 77 people.
fluba@png.canwest.com
SUPER NOVA FACTS
TransLink has bought 126 Nova LFS [Low-Floor-System] diesel buses made in Quebec by Nova Bus, which is owned by Sweden's Volvo Bus Corp.
- Total cost is $50 million, which comes from the $69 million returned to TransLink by the federal government as part of the gas-tax refund.
- Four of the new Novas are already in service on Route 106. A total of 51 will arrive this month and another 75 will be delivered this year.
- The buses have 280-horsepower Cummins diesel engines, which meet the most stringent emission guidelines. The use of low-sulphur fuel and diesel particulate traps make the vehicles the cleanest non-trolley buses in the TransLink fleet.
- Instead of drum brakes, the Novas use quieter, disc brakes that are more than 2.5-centimetres thick.
© The Vancouver Province 2007
New Nova bus like 'sports car': Ex-driver
Frank Luba, The Province
Published: Friday, July 06, 2007
For most of us, the new Nova LFS is just a bus. But for Coast Mountain Bus Co. maintenance engineer Kevin Plimbley, a former driver, the Nova is so much more.
"It's more of a sports car than our regular buses are," said Plimbley yesterday. "It's a much more effortless bus to drive."
Plimbley had the chore of taking The Province on a demonstration ride in the new, made-in-Quebec bus.
There will be 126 of the new Low-Floor-System buses in TransLink's fleet this year, with 75 earmarked to replace old buses and 51 used to expand the number of vehicles.
Their addition bumps the fleet size to 1,320 standard buses, plus 140 community shuttles.
The new Novas are lighter than their predecessors because their frames are stainless steel but their skins are partially fiberglass and partially thermo-plastic.
Being lighter, they're more fuel efficient and have better acceleration.
They're also about five decibels quieter than buses bought as recently as 2001.
The entire package is just an improvement.
"There's better operator visibility with the larger windshield," said Plimbley. "[There is] smoother, more powerful braking with the disc brakes."
The noise reduction may be the most noticeable improvement.
"Having a quieter bus is less stressful," said Plimbley. "You don't hear the rumble of the engine all the time. It makes it [driving] go easier."
There are improvements for the passengers, too. With the quieter disc brakes instead of drums, passengers will have to endure less squealing to a stop. "They're going to notice the noise level," said Plimbley.
Doors open with an easy push or are triggered by a motion sensor that keep the doors open so they can't close on passengers.
Nova aisles are wider, making it easier for scooters and wheelchairs to access their two spots per bus.
But there are fewer seats, 35, to make room for more people -- 82. Previous low-floor buses had a capacity of 75 to 77 people.
fluba@png.canwest.com
SUPER NOVA FACTS
TransLink has bought 126 Nova LFS [Low-Floor-System] diesel buses made in Quebec by Nova Bus, which is owned by Sweden's Volvo Bus Corp.
- Total cost is $50 million, which comes from the $69 million returned to TransLink by the federal government as part of the gas-tax refund.
- Four of the new Novas are already in service on Route 106. A total of 51 will arrive this month and another 75 will be delivered this year.
- The buses have 280-horsepower Cummins diesel engines, which meet the most stringent emission guidelines. The use of low-sulphur fuel and diesel particulate traps make the vehicles the cleanest non-trolley buses in the TransLink fleet.
- Instead of drum brakes, the Novas use quieter, disc brakes that are more than 2.5-centimetres thick.
© The Vancouver Province 2007