Neoplan conversation

[Oonrahnjay]

https://us.megabus.com/image-gallery.aspx

Daily run 

      Yeah, those Van Hools look pretty good.   I call them "sesquideckers" since a lot of the rear of the lower deck is taken up with storage, utility compartments, engine room, etc. but -- if one were making a bus conversion with one -- it's likely that some of that could be opened out and used for living area or used like bays are on conventional single-decker buses.

[Iceni John]

      Yeah, those Van Hools look pretty good.   I call them "sesquideckers" since a lot of the rear of the lower deck is taken up with storage, utility compartments, engine room, etc. but -- if one were making a bus conversion with one -- it's likely that some of that could be opened out and used for living area or used like bays are on conventional single-decker buses.

Nice looking bus, but probably not comfortable for long trips with the amount of seats crammed into it.   (For comparison, ETN in Mexico runs similar-size double-deck MAN/Irizar buses with only 25 seats!)   I do like the skylight roof, but wouldn't it make it hot inside?

John

[Oonrahnjay]

... I do like the skylight roof, but wouldn't it make it hot inside?

John 

    Probably, but since these buses are modern, they probably have an excellent air conditioning system (on the other hand, one of the things that I find supremely uncomfortable in truly hot climates is sitting with air conditioning blowing on me while the sun is beating down on my head).
    My concern is that a private owner/bus conversion sees a different environment than a highway coach.  A bus that runs the interstates doesn't have to worry about tree limbs, low-hanging wires, etc.  Sure, most side roads have a enough clearance for a tractor-trailer to run down but all it takes is one obstacle to take out an expensive overhead skylight.  $$Ouch!!$$
    That (and concern about water leaks) is why my bus has a smooth, unpunctured, and strong plain roof.

[Jeremy]

A bus that runs the interstates doesn't have to worry about tree limbs, low-hanging wires, etc.  Sure, most side roads have a enough clearance for a tractor-trailer to run down but all it takes is one obstacle to take out an expensive overhead skylight.  $$Ouch!!$$
    That (and concern about water leaks) is why my bus has a smooth, unpunctured, and strong plain roof.

Lots of double-deckers here have branch guards like this to protect the upper windscreen from any naughty overhanging tree limbs. You could build equivalent ones to protect stuff mounted on the roof too



Jeremy