a lot of Chinese made buses around

colm_mcm

I'm not in the market for a bus, but I have a passing interest in them. From the piddly little ones based on Isuzu small trucks with massive overhangs, to the endless ones based on Mercedes varios, the ones that use bmw 3 series and Peugeot 407 headlights and fiat brava tail lights. The new volvo ones are quite good looking too.

Anyway, I've seen a lot of king long buses around which turn out to be Chinese.
They look really swish, just wondering if the Chinese buses are as dodgy as the cars. Do buses have to have any safety standards?
Maybe its a sign of the times that operators are saving money where possible

-Corkie-

Buses must meet very tough building rules.There was a thread somewhere on it only last week. Operators may well be looking to save cash, Vanhool and Setra are the daddies in buses imo.

Slidey

-Corkie- wrote: »

Buses must meet very tough building rules.There was a thread somewhere on it only last week. Operators may well be looking to save cash, Vanhool and Setra are the daddies in buses imo.

Ha ha ha.

You should see some of the shyte that was churned out in the good times.

Some of the buses that I have tested would scare you when you think of what they are carrying.

-Corkie-

Slidey wrote: »

Ha ha ha.

You should see some of the shyte that was churned out in the good times.

Some of the buses that I have tested would scare you when you think of what they are carrying.

I collected a 82 Merc of Irish ferries last year. Talking about a pile of dung!!! I was nearly choked from fumes by the time I got to Topaz in the Port.. Its still in the same place where I parked it.

Slidey

Also, all buses in the country have to be type approved for seat belt certification. A lot of the floors fail when they first come in due to the large forces that are applied to the seats and belts in this test

Slidey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5m-5JNt9TE

This is the standard that Eurocoach in Donegal were testing to before they went wallop

coolbeans

Off topic I know but I've never seen anyone bar the driver wear a seat belt on a bus. I know there was a typically reactionary FF hoohah over this a few years back after that big crash where lots of kids died but unless people actually use them what's the point?

On topic, I'd say Chinese busses are junk just like many of the cars, bikes and three quarters of almost everything else that comes of The Middle Kingdom. QC is a disaster there.

Slidey

The kids love to twist them, tie knots in them, cover them in tip-ex, shove chewing gum into the buckles. Little bastards.

kirving

If their safety standards are anything like their cars, I'd rather walk.

colm_mcm

They use cummins engines and zf gearboxes so I doubt they're as bad as the cars :-)

Which wouldn't be hard

coolbeans wrote: »

Off topic I know but I've never seen anyone bar the driver wear a seat belt on a bus. I know there was a typically reactionary FF hoohah over this a few years back after that big crash where lots of kids died but unless people actually use them what's the point?

On topic, I'd say Chinese busses are junk just like many of the cars, bikes and three quarters of almost everything else that comes of The Middle Kingdom. QC is a disaster there.

Guy:Incognito

coolbeans wrote: »

Off topic I know but I've never seen anyone bar the driver wear a seat belt on a bus. I know there was a typically reactionary FF hoohah over this a few years back after that big crash where lots of kids died but unless people actually use them what's the point?
.

You cant always force people to protect themsleves. You can give them the tools and let them decide how much they value their lives though. Cant expect anymore than that.

David09

Off topic, but what exactly is the video? Is it like a form of type approval testing in that the first imported of each batch are tested?

Slidey

David09 wrote: »

Off topic, but what exactly is the video? Is it like a form of type approval testing in that the first imported of each batch are tested?

Yeah, they take the front window out of the bus and have a test rig set up. The floor is allowed to buckle so much. Bus is junk when they are finished with it.

Think it simulates a 40mph head on collision

David09

Slidey wrote: »

Think it simulates a 40mph head on collision

An eye opener to what stresses are exerted at such a (relatively) low speed.

Fishtits

colm_mcm wrote: »

They use cummins engines and zf gearboxes so I doubt they're as bad as the cars :-)

Which wouldn't be hard

We're talking about crash worthiness, not drivetrain reliability.

Apples and Oranges...

Slidey

Yep. Imagine how many of them would just get repaired and put back on the road

Pdfile

Slidey wrote: »

Ha ha ha.

You should see some of the shyte that was churned out in the good times.

Some of the buses that I have tested would scare you when you think of what they are carrying.

that would be more the owner/operator then the manufacture i'd of thought.

Slidey

Pdfile wrote: »

that would be more the owner/operator then the manufacture i'd of thought.

Nope.

See an awful lot of the buses doing the small local runs started out as vans and when they had their work done they would be converted by several different companies around Ireland into buses.

I am currently doing Seat Belt Certs for buses and if you saw the way wheelchair tracking on some of them is bolted down you wouldn't believe it :mad:

GTE

colm_mcm wrote: »

I just assumed they were Scanias gone wrong with the headlights. At least its a different company.

Pdfile

Slidey wrote: »

Nope.

See an awful lot of the buses doing the small local runs started out as vans and when they had their work done they would be converted by several different companies around Ireland into buses.

I am currently doing Seat Belt Certs for buses and if you saw the way wheelchair tracking on some of them is bolted down you wouldn't believe it :mad:

Oh i know, alas best ive seen Is in ex commerial jeeps, the seats bolted right to the floor, no rails... That must be Really safe. :rolleyes:

Terrontress

I have noticed a few of those King Long buses myself. I saw one belonging to Eamonn Rooney of Newry on the M1 recently.

As with most buses they have a separate chassis to shell, don't they? Soall the mechanical bits are put together by Scania or Volvo and then King Long build on that?

One of the biggest manufacturers of City buses in the world is Wrights in Ballymena but they don't get involved in the mechanicals.

I agree with the comment about Setra. I think that is Mercedes' premium brand. Aircoach always have an impressive standard of vehicle to the mere traveller, such as myself.