15M - STRETCHING THINGS TOO FAR?

The European Commission's (EC's) recently published report The Use of Buses and Coaches of up to 15m in Length will reopen the debate about vehicles over 12m long, and may result in UK or even European Union (EU) legislation about them. The German manufacturer Neoplan began the move toward longer vehicles with its 15m long Megaliner coach, whose four axles have a twin-steer twin rear bogie configuration that made them easy to manoeuvre and gave them an excellent weight distribution. Its subsequent Megashuttle bus was less successful, but has been used in East Germany. Several other manufacturers have been attracted by the idea of bigger coaches. In 1994, the EC made a proposal to harmonise the maximum dimensions and weights of road vehicles throughout the EU, and suggested a maximum length of 12m for all rigid vehicles, except for Germany, some of whose regions already allowed 15m long coaches. Because different EU countries had different policies about vehicle lengths, the EU later allowed all its member states to adopt their own maximum vehicle lengths, and the EC published its new report. The report points out some advantages of longer vehicles and concluded that they were no less safe. It considers how far long coaches and buses can use existing roads, and examines six EU legislative possibilities for the future.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00076392
• Corporate Authors:

  Ian Allan Limited

  Terminal House
  Shepperton, Middlesex  England  TW17 8AS
• Publication Date: 1998-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 29-31
• Serial:
  • BUSES
  • Volume: 50
  • Issue Number: 523
  • Publisher: Ian Allan Publishing, Limited
  • ISSN: 0007-6392

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Axles; Buses; Design; Federal government; Legislation; Length; Maximization; Policy; Safety; Vehicles
• Identifier Terms: European Commission; European Union
• Uncontrolled Terms: Maximum
• ITRD Terms: 1322: Axle; 1272: Bus; 1271: Coach; 9011: Design (overall design); 8303: EU; 183: Government (national); 1556: Legislation; 6488: Length; 9042: Maximum; 173: Policy; 1665: Safety; 1255: Vehicle
• Subject Areas: Design; Law; Policy; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00759347
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Feb 19 1999 12:00AM