An English Bus in New York
When the demand for open-top double-decker bus tours of American cities began to take off during the 1970s and 80s, it was met by older vehicles imported from the UK, a situation that continued until very recently. High-capacity tri-axle double-deckers from Hong Kong were another source of supply - these too were British-built. They all had the disadvantage of being right-hand drive, and the vehicles were also getting long in the tooth.
As the city sightseeing tour bus market became increasingly lucrative and globalised, bus manufacturers began to offer purpose-built vehicles that also featured left-hand drive. Ayats of Spain was one such example. American manufacturers belatedly cottoned on to supplying the city tour market, Gillig adapting its own transit bus design as an open-top double-decker. As a result, the old right-hand drive double-deckers have now vanished from the scene.
There was also consolidation among the tour bus operators, with City Sightseeing and Big Bus Company becoming the major players. The latter stayed loyal to its UK roots by acquiring purpose-built vehicles from AlexanderDennis, though it too has been buying Gillig vehicles of late. To my delight, I was able to capture ADL3, a Big Bus AlexanderDennis Enviro500 in action in Church Street, Lower Manhattan, passing the Oculus by the World Trade Center.
An English Bus in New York
When the demand for open-top double-decker bus tours of American cities began to take off during the 1970s and 80s, it was met by older vehicles imported from the UK, a situation that continued until very recently. High-capacity tri-axle double-deckers from Hong Kong were another source of supply - these too were British-built. They all had the disadvantage of being right-hand drive, and the vehicles were also getting long in the tooth.
As the city sightseeing tour bus market became increasingly lucrative and globalised, bus manufacturers began to offer purpose-built vehicles that also featured left-hand drive. Ayats of Spain was one such example. American manufacturers belatedly cottoned on to supplying the city tour market, Gillig adapting its own transit bus design as an open-top double-decker. As a result, the old right-hand drive double-deckers have now vanished from the scene.
There was also consolidation among the tour bus operators, with City Sightseeing and Big Bus Company becoming the major players. The latter stayed loyal to its UK roots by acquiring purpose-built vehicles from AlexanderDennis, though it too has been buying Gillig vehicles of late. To my delight, I was able to capture ADL3, a Big Bus AlexanderDennis Enviro500 in action in Church Street, Lower Manhattan, passing the Oculus by the World Trade Center.