User:Mliu92/sandbox/Van Hool newA series

The Van Hool newA or A gamma is a family of low-floor transit bus designs available in multiple lengths, ranging from X to Y, body configurations, including articulated models, and with different powertrain options, including conventional diesel, hybrid diesel-electric, and hydrogen fuel cells. The newA were introduced in 2001, succeeding Van Hool's prior A5-series transit bus family.

Design

Van Hool newA model designation

A	G/GG	3	xx	(suffix)
Autobus (transit bus)	Geleed (optional, for articulated buses; "GG" designates double-articulated bus)	Nominal floor height (low-floor, approx. 300 mm (12 in) boarding height at doors)	Model/nominal length: 09 = 10 m (33 ft) 30 = 12 m (39 ft) 60 = 12 m (39 ft) 00 = 18 m (59 ft) (artic.)	Special features: Hyb = Hybrid diesel-electric powertrain K/L = engine between axles, instead of being aft of rear axle T = trolleybus

For example, a Van Hool A330 T is a low-floor transit bus ("newA") with a nominal 12 m (39 ft) length that is equipped with trolley poles. Some "newA" buses built for North America use a slightly different nomenclature, with A300 K (for kort, meaning short) being equivalent to the A309, and A300 L (for lang, meaning long) being equivalent to the A330.

Model history

The AG300 is an articulated 60-foot (18.3 m) bus, while the A330 is a 40-foot (12.2 m) bus.

A300L These buses are unique to the United States market, as they have their engines mounted between the front and rear axles in an attempt to improve the ride quality. This bus is a longer version of the previously-introduced 30-foot (9.1 m) A300K (K stands for kort, "short" in Dutch and L for lang, "long").

Van Hool was building 16 hydrogen fuel cell buses for the United States as of August 2009. These buses are powered by fuel cells from UTC Power and lithium batteries from EnerDell. This project is unusual in that the buses have been designed from the ground up as fuel cell buses and are designed, built, and integrated by a single manufacturer.

History

In the 1980s, European countries started to move away from standard bus designs, leaving the design of transit buses to the manufacturers. Van Hool's response was the development of the A-series low-floor transit buses. The first member, the A500, was introduced in 1985. A complete family would follow, supplemented by the A300, which was launched in 1991 and featured a completely low floor just 300 mm (12 in) from the ground. Production of the A-series continued into the early 21st century, when it was replaced by the newA-series.

Van Hool signed an exclusive distribution agreement with ABC Bus Companies in 1987 and subsequently ABC began marketing Van Hool over-the-road coaches in the United States; Van Hool would go on to take a minority ownership stake in ABC in 1998. In 2001, Van Hool introduced the newA-series transit buses, replacing the A-series. It featured a new body design and many other changes. Again, a complete family was developed, with different lengths and configurations.

An AC Transit 30-foot (9.1 m) Van Hool A300K bus

Van Hool and ABC partnered with AC Transit (Alameda and Contra Costa counties, California) to demonstrate the A3 series as a future transit alternative in 2002. In 2013, Van Hool decided to invest in a United States assembly plant to offer transit buses that qualify for federal subsidies in accordance with "Buy America" requirements for content and final assembly; a site in Morristown, Tennessee was selected in 2018, and the plant was scheduled to be completed by 2020.

North American deployment

The A330 and AG300 low floor transit coaches formally entered service in AC Transit's fleet in June 2003. In 2008, AC Transit took delivery of a fleet of new model A300L 40-foot (12.2 m) buses. A survey of AC Transit riders found that they approved of the design and quality of the new buses. AC Transit has over 290 Van Hool buses either in its fleet or on order as of August 2016.

Utah Transit Authority (based in Salt Lake City) purchased ten A300L 40-foot (12.2 m) buses in 2008, followed by four more in 2009, for its MAX Bus Rapid Transit system. These buses differ from AC Transit's A300Ls as they have three doors and are equipped for cold weather and high altitude operations.

York Region Transit (north of Toronto, Ontario) uses the A330 and AG300 buses on its Viva routes, though the A330 buses are being transferred to the conventional YRT service as more Nova LFX buses arrive for the Viva services. The Reseau de transport de Longueuil (south of Montreal, Quebec) also uses the AG300 buses, and was the first to use Van Hool transit buses in North America (AG700) in 1989.

Washington, D.C.'s Circulator uses the A330 buses. These 29 buses were purchased from AC Transit in 2005. In addition to the A330 models, the Circulator now uses the new A300K buses, which first went into service in April 2009. The Circulator recently took delivery of 14 A300K, 31-foot (9.4 m) buses to build out its route structure. The A300K was chosen because of its ability to do the work of 40-foot (12.2 m) buses for nearly all operations with the smaller body and engine of a midi bus.

FirstTransit took delivery of 12 A300Ls and 4 AG300s in early 2009, for use on the University of Minnesota Campus Connector.

Baltimore, Maryland's Charm City Circulator have recently ordered and since put 5 A300Ls into service early 2011. The A300L was a supplement order to their already existing, but rehabilitating Designline buses.

Twelve of the fuel cell buses are being purchased by AC Transit and four by CT Transit of Hartford, Connecticut.