Alexander Dennis Enviro300

The Alexander Dennis Enviro300 (previously known as the TransBus Enviro300) is a light-weight single-deck bus built by Alexander Dennis (previously by its predecessor TransBus International) in the UK since 2001. The design was introduced in order to fill a gap in the manufacturers product range and was the first bus to be built as an integral bus by the manufacturer.

The Enviro300 was the first of the new Enviro range of buses from TransBus. At the beginning the Cummins ISB"e"220 Euro III engine was provided as standard, with the choice of 3 gearboxes: ZF 5HP502, Allison T280R and Voith DIWA854.3E.

It was developed to compete with the European-built heavy-weight single-decker buses sold in the UK, the most notable being Volvo. Many full-size (12m or more) single-decker buses are primarily designed for use on the continent and to carry a large number of standing passengers which is commonplace on the continent, but the Enviro300 is designed solely for the UK market where large numbers of standing passengers are not often carried. TransBus therefore believed that operators could make significant fuel savings by operating light-weight buses and produced a vehicle which is claimed to be lighter than its continental rivals but offer more seating capacity.

The Enviro300 has not sold as well as the manufacturer had hoped, though sales were not helped by the collapse of TransBus International in 2004. The majority of the Enviro300s sold are operating in First Group's First Midland Red subsidiary, all but one are of 12m length, and the Stagecoach Group.

After few years since its launch, the chassis of the Enviro300 became available with East Lancs Esteem bodywork, with the first two for Courtney Coaches entered service in 2006. This is the first time the Enviro300 chassis being constructed with bodywork by another manufacturer.

In late 2007 Alexander Dennis introduced the restyled version of Enviro300 with the same front panel as the Enviro 200 Dart and the Enviro 400. The body is also available on MAN 18.240 and Volvo B7RLE chassis. As part of the 2007/8 order, Stagecoach have announced they have ordered 100 Enviro300-bodied MAN 18.240, 95 are to be standard 12m buses and the other 5 being 12.8m long, with the first one entered service in January 2008.

ee also

Competitors (chassis/complete bus):
* Volvo B7L
* Volvo B7RLE
* VDL SB200
* Scania L94UB
* Scania K230UB
* Scania OmniCity
* Scania OmniLink

Competitors (bodywork):
* East Lancs Esteem
* Plaxton Centro
* Wright Eclipse Urban

Other Alexander Dennis bus products:
* Dart SLF
* Javelin
* R-Series
* Trident 2
* Pointer
* Enviro200 Dart
* Enviro400
* Enviro500

External links

* [http://www.alexander-dennis.co.uk/enviro300/single_deck_benchmark.htm Product description of Enviro300 in Alexander Dennis official website]
* [http://www.alexander-dennis.co.uk/single_deck/enviro_chassis.htm Product description of Enviro300 chassis in Alexander Dennis official website]