Volvo B9TL

The Volvo B9TL is a low-floor double-decker bus built by Volvo Buses since 2002. It superseded the older Volvo B10TL (also known as the Super Olympian) and the Volvo B7TL.

Chassis

The B9TL chassis shared the same design of the B7TL. The key difference from both its predecessor, the B10TL Super Olympian and B7TL, is the new 9.4-litre engine originally designed by Renault. The radiator is located at the rear offside, similar the smaller B7TL. The front module design is shared with other low-floor bus chassis built by Volvo, and independent suspension is fitted at the front axle.

The B9TL was initially offered in 3-axle format, and the 2-axle variant was added in 2006 to replace the B7TL. The driveline comprises a Volvo D9A Euro III engine (rated at 300bhp or 340bhp), which was later replaced by the Volvo D9B Euro IV engine (uses selective catalytic reduction technology; two versions were offered - the D9B260 rated at 260bhp for 2-axle version, and a higher powered D9B310, rated at 310bhp, for 3-axle version), and coupled to a ZF 5/6-speed gearbox. Volvo also offer the Voith 4-speed gearbox as an option.

The front wheels of 3-axle B9TL are usually supplied by ALCOA of the USA, but some buses (including the 3 prototypes) have all their wheels supplied by ALCOA.

Hong Kong

Kowloon Motor Bus

;AVD1A Volvo B9TL prototype was delivered to Hong Kong in July 2003 for Kowloon Motor Bus as a demonstrator for the "Eco-Driveline" concept (a large differential ratio, an engine with high low-end torque, and a 6-speed automatic gearbox with double overdrive ratios). However, the Volgren CR223LD body (which is actually known to have been assembled in Switzerland) had a width of only 2500mm instead of the usual 2550mm. After months of testing, the bus was licensed as LJ7006 and numbered AVD1 in March 2004. It was put into service in April 2004.

As a result of these tests, Volvo Buses and ZF adopted the Eco-Driveline system as the primary driveline option on the B9TL.

Later it was confirmed that AVD1 would leave Hong Kong after its evaluation, and a farewell tour was held by [http://www.busfanworld.org/english Bus Fan World] on 12 December 2004. The bus was delicensed on 15 December 2004 and left Hong Kong at noon on 21 December 2004.

In August 2005, AVD1 was shipped back to Hong Kong after its D9A engine was replaced by a D9B unit. Pre-October 2005, the bus was kept by Volvo in the Hong Kong United Dockyard. Later in 2005, the bus was transferred to KMB for installation of service equipment. The bus was re-licensed as MF5119 in February 2006, and re-entered service on 24 May 2006. The bus is one of the first two to meet the Euro IV emissions standards in Hong Kong (the other is an Alexander Dennis Enviro500 with fleet number ATEU1, originally ATE257).

;AVBE/AVBW classIn early 2004, a Volvo B9TL prototype with a modified version of the TransBus Enviro500 body arrived in Hong Kong. It had a slightly different front and rear design, and its rear route box was moved beneath the upper deck rear window. After TransBus International was renamed Alexander Dennis in May 2004, it became the only TransBus Enviro-series bus with a non-Dennis chassis.

Later in the same year, a Wright-bodied B9TL prototype was also delivered. The rear design of its Wright body was different from that of the Wright-bodied Volvo B10TL (AVW-class), with the number plate moved beneath (and a little to the right of) the rear route box.

On 12 January 2005, the TransBus Enviro 500-bodied B9TL was finally licensed as LU3721 with fleet number AVBE1, and the Wright-bodied B9TL was licensed as LU3739 with fleet number AVBW1. Both of them entered service on the night of 8 February 2005.In early 2005 Kowloon Motor Bus ordered 25 B9TL chassis with Wright bodywork, which entered service in 2005/2006. One of them (fleet number AVBW25) had participated in the "EFE Showbus 2005" event in the UK before delivery.

In late 2005, Kowloon Motor Bus placed a further order of 38 Wright-bodied B9TL and 50 Enviro500-bodied B9TL, the Wright-bodied buses entered service in mid/late-2006, and the Enviro500-bodied buses entered service in late 2006/2007. These were followed by another 35 buses with Enviro500 bodywork, they entered service in 2007/2008.

Long Win Bus

Kowloon subsidiary Long Win Bus operates ten B9TL chassis with Alexander Dennis Enviro500 bodywork. They entered service in 2007/2008.

United Kingdom

In tri-axle form, the B9TL made its debut in Britain when Weavaway Travel of Newbury placed an order for 6 B9TL with East Lancs "Myllennium" Nordic bodywork in late 2004 and put them into service in April/May 2005, becoming the first UK operator of the type. Since then, 2 more were sold to Roadliner of Poole and Provence Private Hire of St Albans for school contracts and commercial work.

The 2-axle Volvo B9TL did not make its debut in Britain until the middle of 2006. The first demonstrator, with Wright Eclipse Gemini body, was delivered to London General (part of the Go-Ahead Group) in July 2006 for evaluation, it is used on route 11 along with the current Wright-bodied Volvo B7TL. The first order was secured from Delaine for 2 examples with the new East Lancs Olympus bodywork. The first one, along with an Alexander Dennis Enviro400-bodied version, were unveiled in "Euro Bus Expo" show in November 2006.

Initial order of the 2-axle version has been slow in Britain, particularly in London, after falling foul with the noise and capacity requirements imposed by Transport for London. Otherwise, the B9TL managed greater success - notably with Lothian Buses ordering 50 examples for delivery in 2007 and then 50 more in 2008, First with 453 for use in its UK operations (for delivery in 2007-10), and Ulsterbus of Northern Ireland, with 125. The first order from Arriva was 10 buses with East Lancs Visionaire bodywork for The Original Tour, followed by an order for 16 buses with Darwen Olympus bodywork in high specification featuring leather seats, these buses were received by Arriva Yorkshire and went on the road between January and May 2008. Other notable customers include East Yorkshire Motor Services, Highland Scottish, Yorkshire Coastliner and Flights Hallmark.

In Northern Ireland, Translink have purchased approximately 100 B9TL Geminiis, all bodied by Wrightbus.

Ireland

Dublin Bus of Dublin, Ireland placed an order for 20 B9TL with single-door Alexander Dennis Enviro500 bodywork in early 2005. These buses are the largest in the fleet and also the first tri-axle double deckers for the Irish capital, the first of them entered service in December 2005. These "VT" class buses run on high-demand routes, such as route 46A.

In 2007, Dublin Bus ordered 50 B9TL with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodywork and another 50 B9TL with Alexander Dennis Enviro500 bodywork for delivery in 2007/2008. The 2-axle buses entered service in summer/autumn 2007, and the 3-axle buses entered service in December 2007/early 2008. Later Dublin Bus ordered 50 B9TL with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodywork and 50 B9TL with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork for delivery in 2008/2009.

ingapore

SBS Transit of Singapore placed an order for 150 B9TL chassis, the largest order to date, which were fitted with bodywork from ComfortDelgro Engineering, part of SBS Transit's parent company. These are Singapore's first wheelchair-accessible buses. However, instead of automatic ramps, SBS Transit has decided to use manually-operated ramps. While the ramps would need more time to deploy, they would be more reliable than automatic ones and would be cheaper to install and maintain because of the absence of complicated mechanical parts.

The buses were launched on 15 February 2006 by Singapore's then Minister for Transport, Yeo Cheow Tong. They were supposed to be deployed from April onwards, but this was delayed till June 2006 - they were slightly wider than most other buses in Singapore, bus stops had to be retrofitted for the wheelchair-bound, and it was necessary to survey which bus routes in Singapore had the most pressing need for such buses.

Fourteen such buses were registered initially, in the range of SBS7300P to SBS7320G (not all registration numbers inclusive). Bus Service 21 was the first to receive the buses, where ten were put into service serving between St. Michael's Bus Terminal and Pasir Ris Interchange on 27 June 2006, with an official launch ceremony held at Pasir Ris Interchange on 26 June 2006. Service 21 was chosen after consultations with various welfare organizations serving the needs of the handicapped, as well as the Land Transport Authority. This route also passes the premises of the Handicaps Welfare Association as well as Tan Tock Seng Hospital, among other medical facilities. B9TLs continued to roll out of the bodywork assembly plant at SBS Transit's Hougang depot, being deployed on selected routes served by several Depots, where the routes chosen are expected to serve large numbers of elderly commuters.

SBS Transit placed an additional order for 50 more chassis soon after placing its first B9TLs into operation, bringing the total fleet size to 200. As of 29 September 2006, before the Euro 4 dateline of 1 October 2006 set by the Singapore government for diesel vehicles, all 200 B9TLs have been registered, with registration numbers SBS7300P to SBS7499A. Currently, all 200 B9TLs are out on the roads.

External links

* [http://www.volvo.com/bus/global/en-gb/products/City+buses/Chassis/Volvo+B9TL+Double+Deck/introduction_new.htm Product description in the Volvo website]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/itv2/vts.htm Pictures of Dublin Bus's VT class, the Enviro500-bodied B9TL]
* [http://ioo5.net/index.php?page=10&co=K English site for KMB buses]
* [http://www.delainebuses.com/Images/141%20Journal%202006/141%20Journal%202006.htm Delaine buses website page detailing order and delivery of B9TL Olympus number 141]

ee also

Other Volvo low floor bus models:
*B7L/B7LA
*B7RLE
*B7TL
*B9L/B9LA
*B10TL
*B12BLE/B12BLEA

Competitors (2-axle):
*Alexander Dennis Enviro400
*Scania N230UD/N270UD

Competitors (3-axle):
*Alexander Dennis Enviro500
*Neoplan Centroliner
*Scania K310UD