midibus A midibus is a classification of single-decker minibuses which are generally larger than a traditional minibus but smaller than a full-size single decker and can be anywhere between and long. While used in many parts of the world, the mi ...

Optare Switch Mobility (originally called Optare) is an English bus manufacturer based in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire. It is a subsidiary of Indian company Ashok Leyland. The company would be responsible for the EV operations of the group with ...

Optare Versa The Optare Versa is a low-floor midibus that was manufactured by Optare at its Sherburn-in-Elmet factory. In total 883 were produced between 2007 and 2018.Optare Tempo SR. As at August 2018, over 250 had been built.Optare MetroCity
Bus Lists on the Web

Variants

Diesel

The first prototype was delivered to London United. The MetroCity is available in five lengths, with the V990MC, V1010MC, V1060MC, V1080MC and V1152MC models measuring 9.9m, 10.1m, 10.6m, 10.8m and 11.52m long respectively. The shorter models were designed to replace the

Optare Solo SR The Optare Solo is a low-floor minibus/midibus with one or two doors manufactured by Optare in the United Kingdom since 1998. The Solo name is a play on its low-floor status, the manufacturer marketing its vehicle as having an entrance that is ...

in London, while the longer models were to replace the

Optare Versa The Optare Versa is a low-floor midibus that was manufactured by Optare at its Sherburn-in-Elmet factory. In total 883 were produced between 2007 and 2018.Optare Tempo SR in the London market. Although the Solo SR and Versa remain in production, the Tempo SR has now been entirely discontinued in the UK market with the introduction of the MetroCity due to poor sales.

MetroCity EV

An electric version is available, named the MetroCity EV, using a 150 kW Magtec motor. In London, four entered service with London United in July 2014 on route H98, while nine entered service with

Arriva London Arriva London is a major bus company operating services in Greater London. It is a subsidiary of Arriva UK Bus and operates services under contract to Transport for London. It was formed in 1998 from a fusion of previously separate Arriva s ...

on route 312 in September 2015. Twelve are to enter service in early 2023 with

Tower Transit A tower is a tall structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting structures. Towers are specifica ...

on route 339.

Operators

United Kingdom

Au Morandarte Flickr DSC03434 (14437219963)

London United were the launch customer for the MetroCity, taking delivery of four examples in April 2014. These were followed in May 2014 by twelve for

Quality Line Quality Line was a bus company based in Epsom, England. A subsidiary of the RATP Group, Quality Line operated bus services throughout the South West London and Surrey area, with many under contract to Transport for London. It ceased operations ...

, who was the largest operator of the type in London until their closure in 2021. Two MetroCity EVs were delivered to

Arriva London Arriva London is a major bus company operating services in Greater London. It is a subsidiary of Arriva UK Bus and operates services under contract to Transport for London. It was formed in 1998 from a fusion of previously separate Arriva s ...

in November 2014, followed by a further seven in August 2015. Other large orders have been made by

New Adventure Travel Adventure Travel (stylised as Adventuretravel; formerly NAT Group and New Adventure Travel) is a bus and coach company in South Wales. It is a subsidiary of ComfortDelGro. History Established in 2008 with four buses, Adventure Travel has now g ...

, who received thirty diesel MetroCities, and

West Coast Motors West Coast Motors (legally incorporated as Craig of Campbeltown Limited) is a bus, coach and ferry operator, based in Campbeltown, Scotland. The company also operates under the name ''Borders Buses'' and ''Glasgow Citybus''. History The foundi ...

, who purchased eleven between 2016 and 2017.

New Zealand

In September 2017,

Tranzit Group The Tranzit Group is a company that operates buses in New Zealand. It was founded by Albert Snelgrove as Grey Bus Service in 1924. It became Blue Bus Service (with a livery change) in the early 1950s and then Tranzit Coachlines in 1985. It has ...

ordered 114 for use in

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

.Optare wins £21m order to supply 114 buses to New Zealand operator
''

Yorkshire Evening Post The ''Yorkshire Evening Post'' is a daily evening publication (delivered to newsagents every morning) published by Yorkshire Post Newspapers in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The paper provides a regional slant on the day's news, and traditio ...

'' 21 September 2017

References

External links

{{Optare timeline Electric buses Low-floor buses Midibuses MetroCity Vehicles introduced in 2013