MPG for a bus?

Jonny69 · 3 Dec 2006 at 10:33

Anyone got any fuel economy figures for a bus like a double decker, single decker or those bendy buses in London?

Interested to find out so I can do some back of a fagpacket calculations.

Also what fuel do they use? It doesn't seem to be diesel :confused:

Third Opinion · 3 Dec 2006 at 10:48

I remember reading somewhere that fully laden in an urban area they only achieve about 2-4mpg. Sorry just from memory though I have nothing to back it up so I could be totally wrong it was a while ago.

Stonedofmoo · 3 Dec 2006 at 10:48

I sure hope it is diesel!

Otherwise I dread to think how much petrol CO2 pollution they kick out with that black stuff when they accelerate :eek:

They do sound like diesels

moss · 3 Dec 2006 at 10:50

Im pretty sure buses do run on diesel, not sure if its exactly the same stuff that we get at the forecourt pumps though?
My girlfriends dad is well into buses

The_Dark_Side · 3 Dec 2006 at 10:57

diesel.
i'd guess that with all the stop start driving they do, coupled with a semi-auto/automatic gearbox a double decker will be pulling somewhere around 6-8 MPG fully laden.
better with fewer passengers or on longer routes possibly breaking 10MPG.

Fusion · 3 Dec 2006 at 10:59

They run on regular diesel.

Stonedofmoo · 3 Dec 2006 at 11:04

Apparently a conventional double decker bus uses a 7litre engine according to this article

London Hybrid Bus

That Hybrid bus only uses a 1.9 litre diesel engine. Pretty neat!

The_Dark_Side · 3 Dec 2006 at 11:05

Stonedofmoo said:
Apparently a conventional double decker bus uses a 7litre engine according to this article

London Hybrid Bus

That Hybrid bus only uses a 1.9 litre diesel engine. Pretty neat!

euro 4 too so it'll run as clean as a whistle.

SgtTupac · 3 Dec 2006 at 11:17

Buses we get into work average around 4mpg.

Edit - thats a single decker, 12 litre diesel.

Guigsy · 3 Dec 2006 at 11:17

I've read that you need 6 passengers on a bus in an urban area before it's more economical than those same people make the same journey using an average car. It didn't say whether that was a double-decker or what though.

I think if you speak to a spotter, they'll tell you there are lots of different types of buses that do different yobs so it's hard to generalise and..... yawn.

sir_snookie · 3 Dec 2006 at 11:37

A Volvo B7R engine in a single deck will average 9.5-11.8 mpg under full load

Guigsy · 3 Dec 2006 at 11:42

sir_snookie said:
A Volvo B7R engine in a single deck will average 9.5-11.8 mpg under full load

Remember they don't cruise at 30mph. It's 40 to stop to 40 to stop... I'd expect an average bus to be about half that in a city.

Scania · 3 Dec 2006 at 11:49

Single figure MPG (around town) 10 > 12 MPG on a run, tops.

The_Dark_Side · 3 Dec 2006 at 12:18

SgtTupac said:
Buses we get into work average around 4mpg.

Edit - thats a single decker, 12 litre diesel.

what age vehicles are they typically?
i'd still go with my estimate for anything built in the last 10 years or so.

SgtTupac · 3 Dec 2006 at 12:23

that was a 53 plate bus. Similar for the new ones tbh.

The_Dark_Side · 3 Dec 2006 at 12:32

SgtTupac said:
that was a 53 plate bus. Similar for the new ones tbh.

don't suppose you know what models they are by any chance?

EDIT, VERY random sig by the way, lol.

SgtTupac · 3 Dec 2006 at 12:37

It was a Volvo B12M.

The_Dark_Side · 3 Dec 2006 at 12:42

SgtTupac said:
It was a Volvo B12M.

that's the plant engine isn't it?
i thought the B12M was used more for coaches than for urban buses.

SgtTupac · 3 Dec 2006 at 12:47

Around here B12Ms get used quite a bit. In Cardiff City centre they use B10's They are 10Litre diesel, but probaly average around 8mpg. The way Volvo models work is - B = Bus, 12 = Litre Engine and M is simply thje Model, M replaced the B's IIRC. TGhe 12 litre is used in a wide variety of vehicles, from plants to trucks, however in the bus the engine code is DH12A for example, as the engine is on its side compared to the upright position of the truck and plant vehicles.

The_Dark_Side · 3 Dec 2006 at 12:51

SgtTupac said:
Around here B12Ms get used quite a bit. In Cardiff City centre they use B10's They are 10Litre diesel, but probaly average around 8mpg. The way Volvo models work is - B = Bus, 12 = Litre Engine and M is simply thje Model, M replaced the B's IIRC. TGhe 12 litre is used in a wide variety of vehicles, from plants to trucks, however in the bus the engine code is DH12A for example, as the engine is on its side compared to the upright position of the truck and plant vehicles.

i know the B12M coaches absolutely fly...real rocket-ships.
what kind of bhp output are they when used in buses/coaches?

MPG for a bus?

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