The Alexander Dennis Enviro300 (previously known as the TransBus Enviro300) is a light-weight
full-size
Full-size car—also known as large car—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than mid-size cars, it is the largest size class for cars. In Europe, it is known as E-segment or F-segment.
...
single-decker bus
A single-decker bus or single-decker is a bus that has a single deck for passengers. Normally the use of the term ''single-decker'' refers to a standard two- axled rigid bus, in direct contrast to the use of the term double-decker bus, which ...
that was built by
Alexander Dennis
Alexander Dennis is a British bus manufacturing company based in Larbert, Scotland. The largest bus and coach manufacturer in the United Kingdom with a 50% market share in 2019, it has manufacturing plants and partnerships in Canada, China, E ...
and its predecessor TransBus International between 2001 and 2015. The design was the first of the new Enviro range of buses from TransBus and also the first bus to be built as an integral bus by TransBus.
The Enviro300 was introduced in order to fill a gap in the manufacturer's product range. At the beginning the Cummins ISBe220 5.9-litre Euro III engine was provided as standard, but for Euro IV and V, the engine was the 6.7-litre ISBe with 225 hp for Euro IV and 225 or 250 hp for Euro V. There was a choice of 3 gearboxes:
ZF Ecomat
The ZF Ecomat automotive transmission was specifically designed by ZF Friedrichshafen AG primarily for city-buses and motorcoaches. It has several generations – all of the automatic transmission type, and many variants. The latest variants u ...
(originally 5HP502C, then 6HP504C),
Allison
Allison may refer to:
People
* Allison (given name)
* Allison (surname) (includes a list of people with this name)
* Eugene Allison Smith (1922-1980), American politician and farmer
Companies
* Allison Engine Company, American aircraft engine ...
T280R and
Voith DIWA
The Voith DIWA automotive transmission was designed by Voith primarily for city-buses and suburban buses. The transmission utilizes a Differential-Wandler (Converter) or DIWA which replaces two gears which would be used on a conventional transmis ...
854.5 (originally DIWA854.3E). The second generation Enviro300, with front end redesigned to match the
Enviro200
The Alexander Dennis Enviro200 (previously known as the TransBus Enviro200) is a midibus that was manufactured by TransBus International and later Alexander Dennis between 2003 and 2018. The original TransBus Enviro200 design was innovative but ...
and Enviro400, was launched in 2007.
Production of the Enviro300 ceased in 2015 with the introduction of a long-wheelbase Enviro200 MMC. More than 1,000 complete buses were produced.
First generation (2001–2008)
The TransBus Enviro300 was launched in 2001 by TransBus International, becoming the first member of the Enviro range; with the collapse of TransBus in 2004, successors
Alexander Dennis
Alexander Dennis is a British bus manufacturing company based in Larbert, Scotland. The largest bus and coach manufacturer in the United Kingdom with a 50% market share in 2019, it has manufacturing plants and partnerships in Canada, China, E ...
took over production and rebranded the Enviro300 as the Alexander Dennis Enviro300. In 2005, a school bus version was launched.
A common design was used primarily that the bus has a single-curvature windscreen with a peaked roof dome and a separately mounted
destination sign
A destination sign (North American English) or destination indicator/destination blind (British English) is a sign mounted on the front, side or rear of a public transport vehicle, such as a bus, tram/streetcar or light rail vehicle, that dis ...
. The bus was developed to compete with the European-built heavy-weight
single-decker bus
A single-decker bus or single-decker is a bus that has a single deck for passengers. Normally the use of the term ''single-decker'' refers to a standard two- axled rigid bus, in direct contrast to the use of the term double-decker bus, which ...
es sold in the United Kingdom, the most notable being
Volvo
The Volvo Group ( sv, Volvokoncernen; legally Aktiebolaget Volvo, shortened to AB Volvo, stylized as VOLVO) is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Gothenburg. While its core activity is the production, distributio ...
. Many full-size (12m or more)
single-decker bus
A single-decker bus or single-decker is a bus that has a single deck for passengers. Normally the use of the term ''single-decker'' refers to a standard two- axled rigid bus, in direct contrast to the use of the term double-decker bus, which ...
es are primarily designed for use on the continent and to carry a large number of
standing passenger
In urban public transport, provision is made for standing passengers, often called straphangers or standees, to rationalize operation and to provide extra capacity during rush hour.
Occurrence
On crowded rapid transit urban lines, while most tr ...
s which is commonplace on the continent, but the Enviro300 was 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 had not sold as well as the manufacturer had hoped, though sales were not helped by the collapse of TransBus International in 2004.
Arriva
Arriva plc is a British multinational public transport company headquartered in Sunderland, England.Stagecoach Group,
Cardiff Bus
Cardiff Bus ( cy, Bws Caerdydd) is the dominant operator of bus services in Cardiff, Wales and the surrounding area, including Barry and Penarth. The company is wholly owned by Cardiff Council and is one of the few municipal bus companies to ...
and Bus Éireann.
The Enviro300 chassis was also able to be fitted with bodywork by other manufacturers, with
Courtney Coaches
Thames Valley Buses, known until 2021 as Courtney Buses is a bus company based in Bracknell, England. Founded in 1973, the company operates a network of commercial and contracted local bus services and school buses in Berkshire, north Hampshire ...
purchasing
East Lancs Esteem
The Optare Esteem was a low-floor single-decker bus body manufactured by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, Darwen East Lancs and Optare between 2006 and 2009 on Scania N94UB, Scania N230UB, Volvo B7RLE, MAN 12.240, Alexander Dennis Dart SLF, ...
bodied examples in 2006. This was the first time the Enviro300 chassis being constructed with bodywork by another manufacturer.
Second generation (2007–2015)
In late 2007 Alexander Dennis introduced a second generation version of Enviro300 which featured styling cues similar to the Enviro200 Dart and the Enviro400. It had a single-piece windscreen covering the
destination display
A destination sign (North American English) or destination indicator/destination blind (British English) is a sign mounted on the front, side or rear of a public transport vehicle, such as a bus, tram/streetcar or light rail vehicle, that dis ...
(no longer a peaked roof dome similar to the
Marshall Capital
The Marshall Capital (later sold as the MCV Capital) was a single-decker bus body built originally by Marshall Bus between 1996 and 2002, and later by MCV Bus & Coach between 2002 and 2003. Initially launched on the step-entrance MAN 11.220 a ...
and the
MCV Stirling
MCV Bus and Coach is an Egyptian manufacturer of bus bodies founded in 2002 when Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles bought some of the design rights of defunct English bus builder Marshall Bus."A Capital idea, the evolution of MCV" ''Buses Magazi ...
). It was also available on
MAN 18.240
The MAN 18.220 is a model of low-entry single-decker bus chassis manufactured by MAN Truck & Bus between 1998 and 2017, predominantly for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Over the course of nearly two decades of production, more than 1,000 wer ...
Volvo B7RLE
The Volvo B7RLE is a low-entry single-deck bus chassis manufactured by Volvo. It was superseded by the Volvo B8RLE in 2013.
Specifications
The Volvo B7RLE is similar to its predecessor, the B10BLE. In essence the B7RLE is the front section of t ...
chassis. The second generation Enviro300 was far more successful sales wise than its predecessor, with
Arriva
Arriva plc is a British multinational public transport company headquartered in Sunderland, England.FirstGroup
FirstGroup plc is a British multi-national transport group, based in Aberdeen, Scotland.Ulsterbus ordered 45 Enviro300 bodied Volvo B7RLEs, which were the first to feature Volvo chassis since the introduction of this option, they were also built to a rural specification featuring unusual modifications such as narrower entrance doors, side wheelchair access door and 55 seatbelted seats in the form of 2+3 layout.
In January 2011, Stagecoach placed an order for 50 Enviro300s on the diesel-powered Scania K230UB chassis. These were followed by further 28 examples in 2012/13 and 28 in 2014/15.
In April 2013
Reading Buses
Reading Buses is a bus operator serving the towns of Reading, Bracknell, Newbury, Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead, Wokingham and the surrounding areas in the counties of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Hampshire, England, as well as parts of Greater L ...
took delivery of 20 gas-powered Enviro300SG buses based again on a
Scania K UB
The Scania K series is a series of chassis in Scania's city bus and coach range with longitudinally, straight-up mounted engine at the rear, replacing the K- ( K94, K114, K124) and L-type ( L94) chassis of the 4 series. The K series was f ...
chassis. These buses were jointly developed by Alexander Dennis and Scania, who had a demonstrator on loan to other operators from March 2013.
Stagecoach North East
Stagecoach North East operates both local and regional bus services in County Durham, Northumberland, North Yorkshire and Tyne and Wear, England. It is a subsidiary of the Stagecoach Group, which operates bus, coach, rail and tram services acros ...
purchased 40 Scania K270UBs in 2014.
Production of the Enviro300 ceased in late 2015 with the introduction of a long-wheelbase variant of the new Enviro200 MMC. The final Enviro300s were delivered to Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire in December 2015.
In the UK in 2019, DVSA (Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency) issued an instruction to all operators of the Enviro 300 to carry out additional safety checks of suspension components following several safety concerns raised by DVSA. ADL are expected to implement a number of technical measures and recalls to resolve these issues.