RE: Superbus Or Ferrari Coach? Reasons To Take The Bus
Tuesday 11th October 2011
This might look like a supercar that's been turned into a stretched limo, but it's actually something called the Superbus, a novel take on mass transit that's being created by the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
Actually sharing more in common with a taxi than a conventional bus, there will be no planned routes for the Superbus; instead, passengers will request their required stops via text or e-mail, while the bus will then use its sat-nav to help calculate the fastest route.
But if that's all a bit sci-fi for you, or you don't want to rub shoulders with 'norms', then how about this Iveco Domino Ferrari Formula 1 driver's coach, used in the Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello era from 2001 to 2005. You can access two separate 'apartments', each with a living room, mini-bar, LCD TV, satellite telephone and internet capabilities. Oh, and a physiotherapy bed and table.
Superbus Or Ferrari Coach? Reasons To Take The Bus
Think buses are rubbish? These two might change your mind...
We've covered this before, and you can read about the ideas behind the 155mph Superbus in more detail in our previous story, but we picked up this video on a recent sojourn through YouTube, and it updates the situation somewhat, so we thought we'd share it with you.
The Superbus will be powered by lithium ion batteries that will allow a claimed range of more than 130 miles, while the figure of a 155mph 'cruising' speed is reached courtesy of electric motors generating 400bhp. A 'boost' function also allows up to 800bhp for one minute.
The coach's current owner also had a few upgrades made, adding a swish home cinema system among other things. And the estimate when it goes under the hammer at RM in Battersea on 26 October? £200,000-£300,000...
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Discussion
Fezzer bus is distinctly bland - Marathon Coach in the US makes proper ones, with slide-out sides for max living space, marble floor etc, etc. But you'd better have some deep pockets as you'll pay £1.5 mill 
http://www.marathoncoach.com/
http://www.marathoncoach.com/
a stupid idea i agree. i read somewhere that it will be run from AUD - DXB on it's own private road lane, but then this article states it has no fixed routes.
155mph down the sheikh zayed road, no f
king thanks! it's bad enough at the 60mph limit. plus there ain't no chance that thing is navigating these streets given the fact we don't have street names and no bugger gives you a gap big enough to pull out in.
155mph down the sheikh zayed road, no f
king thanks! it's bad enough at the 60mph limit. plus there ain't no chance that thing is navigating these streets given the fact we don't have street names and no bugger gives you a gap big enough to pull out in.
Ha ha - it's come true! I've seen this Superbus concept somewhere before!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNixDlRoMvA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNixDlRoMvA
Completely impractical.
and im pretty sure that L-ion batteries are now seen as 'not the way to go' with regards to green transport.
PS: i wonder what 155mph with rear wheel steering is like, sudden i would imagine? unless its computer controlled/dampened
PSS: with advances in technology, you can basically 'do' meetings, interviews and pretty much the office (normal) tasks over an iphone now, let alone a computer - there is just not scope for this to work, well maybe in countries further down the demographic development graph (2nd world graduating to 1st world) - see next point for why this point was superseded
PSSS: the idea has very limited benefits - if say large companies had say several as a fleet - people could be dropped off at significant key points along a designated route and make their own way home. OH WAIT THEY'RE CALLED TRAINS.
The attitude needs to change, rather than people 'invent' things that dont work.
sorry - it just boils my piss when people spend scary sums of money, on an idea which would be ripped to shreds at a secondary school, let alone a business level! god knows how they got sponsorship.
its already been a long day :/
and im pretty sure that L-ion batteries are now seen as 'not the way to go' with regards to green transport.
PS: i wonder what 155mph with rear wheel steering is like, sudden i would imagine? unless its computer controlled/dampened
PSS: with advances in technology, you can basically 'do' meetings, interviews and pretty much the office (normal) tasks over an iphone now, let alone a computer - there is just not scope for this to work, well maybe in countries further down the demographic development graph (2nd world graduating to 1st world) - see next point for why this point was superseded
PSSS: the idea has very limited benefits - if say large companies had say several as a fleet - people could be dropped off at significant key points along a designated route and make their own way home. OH WAIT THEY'RE CALLED TRAINS.
The attitude needs to change, rather than people 'invent' things that dont work.
sorry - it just boils my piss when people spend scary sums of money, on an idea which would be ripped to shreds at a secondary school, let alone a business level! god knows how they got sponsorship.
its already been a long day :/
Edited by johnhenry on Tuesday 11th October 10:07
Why all the negativity?
Consider this, the super bus running along a two lane dual carriageway (calculation based on only using the outer lane for high speed travel the inner lane being used for breakdowns, avoidance of vehicles entering and accelerating and road repairs) with a two second headway would give you a greater capacity that high-speed two. However the cost of building a dual carriage way from London to Birmingham would be around £1.5 billion not £18 billion. The dual carriage way can have steeper hills and tighter corners that the railway, it also needs minimal signaling.
The busses would be capable of running journeys from intermediate points along the road unlike on high-speed two and door to door times would be much quicker. Unlike the rail service the high speed road would be entirely open to competition anyone with a compatible auto driving system could join the road and there would be no timetable.
Consider this, the super bus running along a two lane dual carriageway (calculation based on only using the outer lane for high speed travel the inner lane being used for breakdowns, avoidance of vehicles entering and accelerating and road repairs) with a two second headway would give you a greater capacity that high-speed two. However the cost of building a dual carriage way from London to Birmingham would be around £1.5 billion not £18 billion. The dual carriage way can have steeper hills and tighter corners that the railway, it also needs minimal signaling.
The busses would be capable of running journeys from intermediate points along the road unlike on high-speed two and door to door times would be much quicker. Unlike the rail service the high speed road would be entirely open to competition anyone with a compatible auto driving system could join the road and there would be no timetable.
Nevermind the details of why it wouldn't work - In principal, it makes no sense! You need a certain number of people on board to make running the damn thing financially viable. But how can you get enough people on together, if it doesn't have designated stops at designated times?
It doesn't work using the 'taxi method' of 'pick me up at this location at this time to go to this destination' because once you've picked this person up and you have to get the next passenger - they might be god knows how far away from the original passenger, and their desired destination may be 120 miles in the opposite direction.
Also, its unlikely loads of people in the same area will be wanting to be picked up - because only a minority of people would even be seen in this - every other joe bloggs would get a train, bus or taxi!!
It doesn't work using the 'taxi method' of 'pick me up at this location at this time to go to this destination' because once you've picked this person up and you have to get the next passenger - they might be god knows how far away from the original passenger, and their desired destination may be 120 miles in the opposite direction.
Also, its unlikely loads of people in the same area will be wanting to be picked up - because only a minority of people would even be seen in this - every other joe bloggs would get a train, bus or taxi!!
ktm301p said:
Nevermind the details of why it wouldn't work - In principal, it makes no sense! You need a certain number of people on board to make running the damn thing financially viable. But how can you get enough people on together, if it doesn't have designated stops at designated times?
It doesn't work using the 'taxi method' of 'pick me up at this location, at this time to go to this destination' because once you've picked this person up and you have to get the next passenger - they might be god knows how far away from the original passenger, and their desired destination may be 120 miles in the opposite direction.
Also, its unlikely loads of people in the same area will be wanting to be picked up - because only a minority of people would even be seen in this - every other joe bloggs would get a train, bus or taxi!!
It doesn't work using the 'taxi method' of 'pick me up at this location, at this time to go to this destination' because once you've picked this person up and you have to get the next passenger - they might be god knows how far away from the original passenger, and their desired destination may be 120 miles in the opposite direction.
Also, its unlikely loads of people in the same area will be wanting to be picked up - because only a minority of people would even be seen in this - every other joe bloggs would get a train, bus or taxi!!
if you want nice buses, have a look at, www.beatthestreet.net website.
an austrian company, that provides some of the nicest tour buses for bands and rock n roll crew, we've got 4 with us at the mo on the chili peppers tour.
an austrian company, that provides some of the nicest tour buses for bands and rock n roll crew, we've got 4 with us at the mo on the chili peppers tour.
Edited by chilistrucker on Tuesday 11th October 10:43
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