Bus used for longer-distance service
This article is about a bus used for longer-distance service. For horse-drawn carriages, see
Coach (carriage)
. For railway carriages, see
Passenger car (rail)
. For passenger vehicles used on shorter journeys, see
bus
. For other uses, see
Coach
.
A
coach
(also known as a
coach bus
,
motorcoach
, or
parlor coach
) is a type of
bus
built for longer-distance service, in contrast to
transit buses
that are typically used within a single metropolitan region. Often used for
touring
,
intercity
, and international bus service, coaches are also used for
private charter
for various purposes. Coaches are also related and fall under a specific category/type of
RVs
.
Deriving the name from
horse-drawn carriages
and
stagecoaches
that carried passengers, luggage, and mail, modern motor coaches are almost always
high-floor
buses, with separate luggage hold mounted below the passenger compartment. In contrast to transit buses, motor coaches typically feature forward-facing seating, with no provision for standing. Other accommodations may include onboard restrooms, televisions, and overhead luggage space.
History
[
edit
]
Background
[
edit
]
Horse-drawn
chariots
and
carriages
("coaches") were used by the wealthy and powerful where the roads were of a high enough standard from possibly 3000 BC. In
Hungary
, during the reign of King
Matthias Corvinus
in the 15th century, the wheelwrights of
Kocs
began to build a horse-drawn vehicle with steel-spring suspension. This "cart of Kocs" as the Hungarians called it (
Hungarian
:
kocsi szeker
) soon became popular all over Europe. The imperial post service employed the first horse-drawn mail coaches in Europe since Roman times in 1650, and as they started in the town of Kocs, the use of these mail coaches gave rise to the term "coach".
[1]
Stagecoaches
(drawn by horses) were used for transport between cities from about 1500 in Great Britain until displaced by the arrival of the railways.
[2]
One of the earliest motorized vehicles was the
charabanc
, which was used for short journeys and excursions until the early years of the 20th century.
[
citation needed
]
The first "motor coaches" were purchased by operators of those
horse-drawn vehicles
in the early 20th century
[3]
by operators such as
Royal Blue Coach Services
, who purchased their first charabanc in 1913
[4]
and were running 72 coaches by 1926.
[5]
Features
[
edit
]
As they hold passengers for significant periods of time on long journeys, coaches are designed for comfort. They can vary considerably in quality: some higher-specification coaches feature luxury seats,
air conditioning
, and refreshments, while others may only have the bare essentials such as storage and restrooms. Coaches typically have only a single, narrow door, but some can have two doors, as an increased loading time is acceptable due to infrequent stops. Some characteristics include:
- Comfortable
seats
that may include a
folding table
,
armrests
, and
recliner
. Comfort is considered to be an important feature in coaches.
[6]
- Luggage racks
above the seats where passengers can access their
carry-on baggage
during the journey
- Baggage holds
, accessed from outside the vehicle, often under the main floor or at the rear, where passengers'
luggage
can be stowed away from the seating area
- Passenger service units
, mounted overhead, on which personal reading lights and
air conditioning
ducts can be controlled and used by individual passengers with little disturbance to other passengers
- On-board
restrooms
fitted with
chemical toilets
, hand basins and
hand sanitizer
- On some coaches,
on-board entertainment
including movies may be shown to passengers
- On-board refreshment service or
vending machines
- Wheelchair
accommodation, possibly including a
wheelchair lift
for access
- Curtains
, useful on overnight services
- Onboard
AC power
and
Wi-Fi
access
Manufacture
[
edit
]
Coaches, like buses, may be fully built by integrated manufacturers, or a separate
chassis
consisting of only an engine, wheels and basic frame may be delivered to a
coachwork
factory for a body to be added. A few coaches are built with
monocoque
bodies without a chassis frame. Integrated manufacturers (most of whom also supply chassis) include
Autosan
,
Scania
,
Fuso
, and
Alexander Dennis
. Major coachwork providers (some of whom can build their own chassis) include
Van Hool
,
Neoplan
,
Marcopolo
,
Irizar
,
MCI
,
Prevost
,
Volvo
and
Designline
.
Regulations
[
edit
]
In some European countries following the 1958 type certification treaty, coach (that is vehicle of type M2 or M3) type certification is regulated by regulation number 107 from the UNECE. In the U.S., commercial drivers of motorcoaches are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Image gallery
[
edit
]
Modern coaches
[
edit
]
A representative selection of vehicles currently (or recently) in use in different parts of the world.
Vintage coaches
[
edit
]
A selection of vehicles in use in different parts of the world in the past.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Mackay, James (1988).
The Guinness Book of Stamps
. Guinness Publishing LTD, Enfield, UK. p. 26.
- ^
Dyos, H. J.
& Aldcroft, D. H. (1969)
British Transport, an economic survey
Penguin Books, p. 225.
- ^
W C Standerwick Ltd by Peter Gould
- ^
Anderson & Frankis, p. 28?29.
- ^
Anderson & Frankis, p. 41.
- ^
Cooperative design, visualization, and engineering: third international... By Yuhua Luo, page 141
- Anderson, R. C. A. and Frankis, G. (1970).
History of Royal Blue Express Services
. David & Charles.
External links
[
edit
]