Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) is celebrating a milestone with the roll-out of its 10,000th two-axle, low-floor double deck bus.
The 78-seat executive Enviro400 will join ADL’s demonstration fleet as it continues to promote high specification double decks as an attractive option for premium services.
It comes with leather seats, wood-effect flooring, seat belts, wi-fi, USB ports, smartphone holders, skylight roof panels and next-stop audio visual announcements.
Says ADL CEO Colin Robertson: “This trend is a far cry from two decades ago when buses were fairly down-to-earth, no frills and it is fitting that we celebrate this 10,000 landmark with a double-deck that demonstrates the huge strides we have made in taking product options to a new level.”
The Dennis Trident 2, launched in 1997, along with the Dart SLF (Super Low Floor) single-decker, sparked a revolution in the UK bus industry.
In 2005 ADL moved double-deck technology to a new level launching the Enviro400. It has been the UK’s best-selling bus for more than a decade.
Adds Mr Robertson: “While the Enviro400 was designed as an integral vehicle – and has enjoyed the vast majority of its success as such – we have also bodied it on Volvo and Scania chassis. In addition, although it was mainly intended for the UK market, we have had significant business wins with the Enviro400 in Hong Kong and New York.”
“We have had many landmark moments with the Enviro400, from the launch in 2005 to the facelift in 2009, the major model change (MMC) in 2014 and the introduction of the City version in October 2015.
“We have also seen it lead the way as a fuel-efficient, low emission diesel, as a diesel-electric hybrid and as a gas bus.”
The high specification options of the Enviro400, which have a proven track record of driving patronage growth on scheduled services, have broadened the type’s appeal beyond traditional bus work.
Says Mr Robertson: “There is a trend towards high quality buses that combine capacity and comfort. They raise the bar and are helping operators win business, particularly in terms of private hires, special events, corporate work and even school contracts.”
It is a niche market ADL has created in the past two years with impressive business wins involving companies such as Go Goodwins, Hams Travel, Imperial Coaches, Skills Coaches, Swans Travel, Weavaway, Westway Coaches and Wheelers Travel.
The milestone number of 10,000 two-axle, low floor double deck buses not only includes the current and previous Enviro400 models but also their trendsetting predecessor which brought low floor technology to the mainstream of UK bus operation.
Mr Robertson adds: “This 10,000th low floor double deck bus is a milestone for everyone at ADL. The extraordinary success of our Enviro400 is a reflection of the ingenuity, commitment and dedication of teams drawn from right across our business. No one ‘wins the league’ this consistently without having the right people and the right approach to delight customers.
“The overriding fact is that the success of vehicles like this help us support apprenticeships, career development opportunities, 2,500 jobs across ADL, 1,500 more in our various collaborative ventures, and a further 5,000 in our supply chain network. It also gives us the impetus to stay at the forefront of technology and maintain our world- leading position in the bus and coach manufacturing sector.”
