Nova Bus LFS
Years of manufacture | 1995 to present |
Length | 40 feet, 62 feet |
Width | 102 inches |
Power/Fuel | Diesel, diesel-electric hybrid, or CNG |
The Nova Bus LFS is a North American, low floor transit bus. Introduced in 1994, the design provides a level entry without steps for passengers with limited mobility. The LFS has evolved over four generations and includes articulated, hybrid, natural gas, and electric model derivatives.
Design history
First generation (1995-1999)
As accessibility to the disabled became a priority in the early 1990s, the Association du transport urbain du Québec (ATUQ) formed a committee concerning the design of a low floor bus. A Den Oudsten Bussen Alliance bus was imported to Quebec for evaluation. Nova Bus used the Alliance as a basis for the LFS's design and built two prototypes in 1994. Production began in 1996, with the first buses going to the Société de transport de la communauté urbaine de Montréal.
The LFS stood out in North America with its sloping front and large single-piece windshield, two features that are more commonly found on European buses. Another defining characteristic were the bus's large round headlights. Early LFS buses built up to Laval's unit 9605 (late 1996) had a curved elliptical recess that could function as a fresh air vent. The original Nova Bus logo (simply a "Nova BUS" wordmark in the Memphis typeface that was used until 2002) appeared under the windshield.
To ease maintenance, the LFS used easily replaceable thermoplastic skirt panels along the lower sides of the bus, an area prone to wear. They were almost always grey so they do not have to be painted and Nova only need produce panels in one colour. Disney Transport was the first to request these panels be painted, and other agencies followed as production entered the 2010s.
The LFS was initially available in a full low floor or partial low floor configuration. The first option had a low floor toward the middle of the bus where the aisle would slope up slightly. The seating in the rear half was on elevated platforms. The latter option had a step before the rear wheels up to a high floor section. Because of the intrusion of the rear wheel housings, there usually is a pair of seats facing forward and a pair facing backwards on top of them, a rarity in the North American bus market.
To achieve the full low floor to the rear, the LFS used ZF portal axles and a T-drive powertrain offset to the left of the rear. The engine's cooling system was mounted above the engine. This is a similar configuration to the Orion VI.
The radiator access door on the rear and adjacent window were flush with the body. The rear destination sign was incorporated into the window. The windows along the sides of the bus had squared-off corners and could be specified with either sliding sashes or tip-in transoms. The front and rear doors could be specified in two widths, both of which were wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair. A telescopic or flip-out ramp was available at either door.
Second generation (1999-2009)
In 1999 at the UITP Congress, Nova unveiled the second generation LFS. Improvements included a stainless steel frame, a multiplex electric system, and an electronically controlled engine.[1]
Between 1999 and 2000 there was a gradual shift in the exterior look of the LFS. Starting mid-1999 with the Chicago Transit Authority prototypes, gasket sealed windows with rounded corners replaced the earlier square passenger windows. By 2000, round tail lights (either small or large) became the norm, replacing the square tail lights inherited from the Classic model. Finally, by mid-2000 with the production CTA buses, the rear panel of the bus was simplified with a gasket sealed window and a separate, obtrusive rear destination sign. These changes, intended to reduce the costs of construction of the CTA order, were soon adopted for all production buses.
The fully low floor option was dropped in 2005. All LFS buses since have a high floor section just after the rear doors.
In 2008, the headlight clusters of the LFS were redesigned, moving the lights further to the edges of the bus. The standard halogen headlight or dual projector headlights could be specified. This was likely a response to BC Transit's modifications which had the headlights stacked vertically to address visibility concerns with bike racks. A horizontal decorative slot was also added to the front panel between the headlights. It must however be noted that until April 2009, most Quebec buses were delivered with the old headlight configuration.
Beginning with Coast Mountain Bus Company's first LFS order, an option for a "1/3 2/3" front door configuration was made available. This option is as wide as the wide door option, but the forward leaf would be the size of the narrow door option. The front leaf can be controlled independently.
Third generation (2009-2013)
A new rear design debuted in 2007. The engine is mounted longitudinally at the centre of the rear, as opposed to the offside, with the cooling system mounted high (above the rear window). This rear engine placement became standard in early 2009.
The taillights were stacked vertically in a red bezel stretching from the top to the bottom of the bus. The rear design was slightly altered for production buses with the tail light bezel ending above the reversing light with replaceable corner panels. Customers could also choose alternate colours to red for the area around the tail lights. They could further specify smaller tail lights as seen with Greater Sudbury Transit and Thunder Bay Transit's 2009 orders.
Nova introduced flush mounted windows as an option in early 2009. BC Transit's unit 9370 was shown at the CUTA Trans Expo 2009 in Montreal, Quebec as the first production unit to feature these windows. Two years later, flush-mounted window retrofit kits became available through Prevost Car.
An L-shaped exhaust pipe with Venturi tip was introduced on later EPA 2007-compliant buses. The tip, which had a bulge before it flared out at the end, was designed to mix and cool the hot exhaust gas from the engine with air. EPA 2010-compliant buses received an updated exhaust tip which flares out to the end as well as more gradually in the opposite direction.
The horizontal slot in the front panel of the bus was dropped mid-2010 from Plattsburgh-built buses starting with the first batch of buses for Calgary Transit. Late in 2010 the plain front panel also became standard for buses built in St-Eustache.
Changes were made to the interior as well. Stanchion design became less rigid and curved towards the ceiling instead of being stopped by the horizontal grab rail. New finishes were introduced which included matte grey coated stanchions, black textured walls, and transparent or frosted modesty panels. The seating above the engine (and over the middle wheels and fuel tank on the Artic) is proprietary to Nova. The sitting area is molded thermoplastic, initially in the style of American Seating's 6468, now in the style of their InSight model.
A new interior, designed by Montreal-based firm Alto Design, was introduced at the 2011 APTA EXPO. It features an asymmetrically laid out ceiling with the subtraction of the standard base lights on the driver's side and introduction of a low profile channel that hugs the ceiling and wall above the windows to provide air flow. In addition to the LED cabin lights above the seats, there is an option for LED crossbar lighting above the aisle which can be dimmed. The anchors for the stanchions and grab rails uses a modular molded assembly. The partition behind the driver was made lighter and thinner, yielding more room for the driver and the passenger behind. The front wheel housings now have a stainless steel protective panel on the area most prone to wear. In an effort to ease cleaning, the area where the wall meets the floor is smooth and the anchor points for the seating are covered. A frosted, patterned modesty panel may be specified after the rear door and illuminates when the door opens. At the request of customers, Nova added an option to not have a rear window. To offset for the loss of light, there is an option for transparent emergency hatches. Some of the first customers of the new interior included Saskatoon Transit and Grand River Transit.
Fourth generation (2013 onwards)
At the end of 2012, Nova introduced a new rear design for the LFS. The launch of the new rear is coincident with the introduction of EPA 2013-compliant engines. The LFS Natural Gas was introduced with the new rear design. Niagara Falls Transit and Guelph Transit Commission were among the first to take delivery of standard, diesel-powered LFS buses with the new rear.
The engine door was made larger and more resilient. The radiator compartment was made flush with the body with the access door separated from the grill. Polyolefin is used for the corners and rear light assemblies to make these areas more resilient. The rear of the prototype had individually recessed tail lights in a slightly angled alignment. Production buses have a more vertical alignment and a recessed area that encompasses all of either small or large tail lights.
By late 2014, a new optional LFX-style front fairing was used on buses. With a taller sweep and more developed surface, it better complimented the design of the upper rear. It, along with the revised raised roof line option, better integrated with the rear as well.
- Societe de transport de Montreal 30-141-a.jpg
3rd generation rear used from 2009 to 2013
Specifications
Dimensions | |||
---|---|---|---|
Length: 40' | |||
Width: 102" | |||
Height: 124 in. (new rear), 123 in. (old rear) | |||
Wheelbase: 244" | |||
Engine | Emissions | Availability | |
Cummins C8.3 8.3L, 250 hp | 1995-1998 | ||
Cummins ISC 8.3L, 250 hp | EPA 1998, EPA 2004 | 1998-2004 | |
Cummins ISL 8.9L, 250 or 280 hp | EPA 2004, EPA 2007 | 2004-2010 | |
Cummins ISL9 8.9L, 250 or 280 hp | EPA 2010, EPA 2013 | 2010-present | |
Detroit Diesel Series 40E | 1996-2004 | ||
Transmission | Availability | ||
Allison B400R | 1995-present | ||
Voith D864.5 | 2005-present | ||
ZF 4/5HP500 | 1995-2001 | ||
ZF 5/6HP552C | 2001-2006 | ||
ZF 6HP554C | 2006-2010 | ||
ZF 6AP1400B | 2010-present | ||
Axles | Availability | ||
Front: Meritor FH-946, Rear: Meritor RC-26-720 | Up to 2005 | ||
Front:ZF RL 85, Rear: ZF AV 132 | 1995-present | ||
Brakes | |||
Disk brakes w/ ABS & traction control | |||
Electric system | |||
Volvo Bus Electronic Architecture | |||
HVAC | Availability | ||
Carrier RF-353 | |||
Mobile Climate Control (heater) | 1995-present | ||
Thermo King Athenia | 2010-present | ||
Thermo King LRT | Up to 2010 | ||
Floor | Availability | ||
Plywood subfloor | 1995-2008 | ||
Composite subfloor | 2008-present |
Operators
Canada
- Airdrie Transit - Airdrie, AB
- Autocars des Chutes - QC
- Barrie Transit - Barrie, ON (second hand)
- BC Transit - Province of British Columbia excluding Metro Vancouver, BC
- Belleville Transit - Belleville, ON
- Brampton Transit - Brampton, ON
- Brandon Transit - Brandon, MB
- Brantford Transit - Brantford, ON
- Calgary Transit - Calgary, AB
- Cambridge Transit - Cambridge, ON
- Centre de formation en transport de Charlesbourg (CFTC) - Quebec City, QC (second hand)
- Centre de Formation en Transport Routier (CFTR) - Saint-Jérôme, QC (second hand)
- Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC) - Metro Vancouver, BC
- Codiac Transit - Moncton, NB
- Conseil intermunicipal de transport des Laurentides (SURF) - Laurentides, QC
- Conseil intermunicipal de transport de la Vallée du Richelieu (CITVR) - Richelieu Valley, QC
- Corporation intermunicipale de transport des Forges - Trois-Rivières, QC
- Durham Region Transit (DRT) - Durham Region, ON
- Elliot Lake Transit - Elliot Lake, ON
- Fredericton Transit - Fredericton, NB
- Grand River Transit (GRT) - Waterloo Region, ON
- Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) - Mississauga, ON (second hand)
- Guelph Transit - Guelph, ON
- Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) - Hamilton, ON
- Kings Transit - Annapolis Valley, NS
- Kingston Transit - Kingston, ON
- Lethbridge LA Transit (LA Transit) - Lethbridge, AB
- Halifax Transit - Halifax, NS
- Metrobus - St. John's, NL
- Milton Transit
- MRC Les Moulins - Terrebonne, Mascouche, QC
- Oakville Transit - Oakville, ON
- Oshawa Transit Commission (OTC) - Oshawa, ON
- OC Transpo - Ottawa, ON
- Ottawa Paramedic Service - Ottawa, ON (second hand)
- Peterborough Transit - Peterborough, ON
- Regina Transit - Regina, SK
- Réseau de transport collectif regional de la MRC de L'Assomption (RTCR) - MRC de L'Assomption, QC
- Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC) - Québec City, QC
- Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL) - Longueuil, QC
- Roam - Banff, AB
- Sarnia Transit - Sarnia, ON
- Saskatoon Transit - Saskatoon, SK
- Société de transport de Laval (STL) - Laval, QC
- Société de transport de Lévis - Lévis, QC
- Société de transport de Montréal (STM) - Montréal, QC
- Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) - Gatineau, QC
- Société de transport de Sherbrooke (STS) - Sherbrooke, QC
- Société de transport de Trois-Rivières (STTR) - Trois-Rivières, QC
- Société de transport du Saguenay (STS) - Saguenay, QC
- Société de transport de la Rive-Sud de Montréal (STRSM) - Longueuil, QC
- Stratford Transit - Stratford, ON
- Strathcona County Transit - Sherwood Park, AB
- Sudbury Transit - Sudbury, ON
- Thunder Bay Transit - Thunder Bay, ON
- Timmins Transit - Timmins, ON
- Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) - Toronto, ON
- Transit Windsor - Windsor, ON
- Ville de Granby - Granby, QC (second hand)
- Ville de Mont-Tremblant - Mont-Tremblant, QC
- Ville de Rouyn-Noranda - Rouyn-Noranda, QC
- Ville de Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures - Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, QC
- Ville de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu - Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC
- West Vancouver Municipal Transit (WVMT) - West Vancouver, BC
- Whitby Transit (WT) - Whitby, ON
- Whitehorse Transit - Whitehorse, YK
- York Region Transit
United States
- Autoridad Metropolitana de Autobuses (operated by Coach USA then First Transit) - San Juan, PR
- Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) - Albany, NY
- Capital Metro Transit - Austin, TX (on order)
- Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) - Columbus & Franklin County, OH
- Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) - Charlotte, NC
- Chemung County Transit System - Elmira & Chemung County, NY
- Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) - Chicago, IL
- Clemson Area Transit (CAT) - Clemson, SC
- CrimsonRide (operated by First Transit) - University of Alabama, AL
- Disney Transport - Walt Disney World Resort, FL
- Duke University Transit - Durham, NC
- Escot Bus Lines - Tampa Bay & Orlando, FL (second hand)
- Greater Cleveland RTA - Cleveland, OH
- Hampton Roads Transit - Norfolk/Virginia Beach/Newport News, VA
- Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation - Indianapolis, IN (second hand)
- Kenosha Transit - Kenosha, WI (second hand)
- Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) - Knoxville, TN
- Krapf Bus - West Chester, PA
- Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) - Memphis & Shelby County, TN
- Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) - Houston & Harris County, TX (demos)
- Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) - New York, NY
- New York University (operated by Coach USA) - New York City, NY
- Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA-Metro) - Buffalo, NY
- Ohio State University Campus Area Bus Service (CABS) - Columbus, OH (second hand)
- Orlando All Trans - Orlando, FL (second hand)
- Philadelphia International Airport shuttle (operated by Coach USA then First Transit) - Philadelphia, PA
- Rutgers University (operated by Academy Bus Lines) - Newark, NJ
- Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD Santa Barbara) - Santa Barbara County, CA
- Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) - Philadelphia, PA (on order)
- Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) - Ithaca & Tompkins County, NY
- TheBus - Honolulu, HI
- Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) - Toledo, OH (second hand)
- Transport of Rockland (TOR, operated by Coach USA) - Rockland County, NY
- University of Colorado Buff Bus - Boulder, CO
Demonstrator and engineering units
Below is a list of known demonstrator and engineering buses.
Fleet number | Thumbnail | Year | VIN | Engine | Transmission | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1994 | R3000001 | ||||
2 | 1994 | R3000002 | Cummins C8.3 | ZF HP500 | Demoed with the STCUQ in Oct. 1995[2] | |
3 | 1995 | S3000001 | Possibly demoed with SEPTA as 9901 in Apr. 1996 | |||
4 | 1995 | S3000002 | Cummins C8.3 | Allison B400R | Demoed with the STCUQ in Jan. 1996[2] | |
1996 | 2NVYL82K9T3000021 | Cummins C8.3 | Allison B400R |
| ||
1996 | 2NVYL82P1T3000039 | Sold to Knoxville Area Transit 651 in Dec. 1998 | ||||
999? | 1997 | 2NVYL82KXV3000001 | NYC MTA demo | |||
1001 | 1998 | 2NVYL82P3W3000001 | Detroit Diesel Series 40 | Allison B400R |
| |
995 | 1998 | 2NVYL82P5W3000002 | Detroit Diesel Series 40E |
| ||
1998 | 2NVYL82P1W3000031 | Detroit Diesel Series 40 | Allison B400R | Sold to Ohio State University CABS, became 98542 | ||
1998 | W3000170 | Ortech Corp shaker test bus | ||||
1998 | W3000171 | Volvo Bus test bus | ||||
B7298 | 1998 | 2NVYL82S2W3000172 | Cummins C8.3 | Allison B400R |
| |
1999 | X3000064 | Cummins | Allison | Sold to Ohio State University CABS 99541 | ||
1999 | X3000190 | Cummins ISC | ZF 5HP552C |
| ||
6400 (first) | 1999 | 2NVYL82S4X3000191 | Cummins ISC | ZF 5HP552C |
| |
2000 | Y3000087 |
| ||||
21-201 | 2000 | Y3000300 | Cummins ISC | ZF 5HP552C |
| |
no# | 2001 | 13000234/13000235 | none | none | ||
2003 | 2NVYL82S633000199 | Cummins ISC | ZF 5HP552C | Sold to Belleville Transit in Oct. 2004, became 0458 | ||
2003 | 2NVYL82S933000200 | Cummins ISC | ZF 5HP552C |
| ||
14401 | 2004 | 43000048 | Cummins ISL | ZF 5HP552C |
| |
2004 | 2NVYL82U643000173 | Cummins ISL | ZF 5HP552C | Sold to Brantford Transit 9051 in 2005 | ||
2004 | 2NVYL82U843000174 | Cummins ISL | ZF 5HP552C | Sold to Brantford Transit 9052 in 2005 | ||
179-1 | 2005 | 2NVYL82UX53000033 | Cummins ISL | ZF 5HP552C |
| |
184-1 | 2005 | 53000081 |
| |||
180-1 | 2005 | 2NVYL82U753000118 | Cummins ISL | ZF 5HP552C |
| |
P1002 | 2005 | 53000128 | Cummins ISL | ZF 5HP552C | ||
182-1 | 2005 | 53000157 | Cummins ISL | ZF 5HP552C | ||
L176 | 2006 | 2NVYL82U563000233 | Cummins ISL | Sold to Belleville Transit in May 2007, became 0761 | ||
L280 | 2006 | 73000027 | Cummins ISL | ZF 6HP552C |
| |
254-1 | 2007 | 73000035 | Cummins ISL |
| ||
H1 (L271-1) | 2007 | Cummins ISL |
| |||
255-1 | 2008 | 2NVYL82U983000089 | Cummins ISL |
| ||
2008 | 2NVYL82U783000091 | Cummins ISL | Intended to become a demo, but immediately sold to Belleville Transit in 2008, became 0862 | |||
356-1 | 2008 | 2NVYL82U883000150 | Cummins ISL |
| ||
H3 (L373) | 2008 | 2NVYL82UX83000151 | Cummins ISL | Voith D864.5 |
| |
356-2 | 2008 | Cummins ISL9 | ||||
2008 | 2NVYL82U283000290 | Cummins ISL9 |
| |||
358-1 | 2008 | 2NVYL82U093000001 | Cummins ISL | ZF 6HP554C |
| |
2008 | 93000002 | Cummins ISL | Voith D864.5 |
| ||
456-1 | 2008 | 2NVYL82U893000019 | Cummins ISL | ZF 6HP554C |
| |
432-1 | 2009 | 93000061 | Cummins ISL | ZF 6HP554C | ||
June 2009 | 4RKYL82U194000001 | Cummins ISL | ZF 6HP554C | |||
2009 | 4RKYL82U394000002 | Cummins ISL | ZF 6HP554C | Sold to CrimsonRide, became 7018 or 7019 | ||
2009 | 4RKYL82U594000003 | Cummins ISL | ZF 6HP554C | Sold to CrimsonRide, became 7018 or 7019 | ||
2009 | 2NVYL82U693000309 | Cummins ISL9 | ZF 6HP554C | Sold to Woodstock Transit 10-12 in late 2010 | ||
0055 | 2009 | 93000397 | Cummins ISL | Allison B400R |
| |
30-256U | File:Société de transport de Montréal 30-256U.jpg | 2009 | 93000610 | Cummins ISL9 | ZF 6AP1400B | |
2010 | 4RKYL82U4B4000001 | Cummins ISL9 | Allison B400R |
| ||
June 2010 | 4RKYL82U6B4000002 | Cummins ISL9 | Allison B400R |
| ||
2011 | 4RKYL82U4C4500001 |
| ||||
4691-4692 | 2011 | 4RKYL82U8C4500003 4RKYL82UXC4500004 |
| |||
2012 | 2NVYL82U4D3000706 | Cummins ISL9 | ZF 6AP1400B |
Sold to Belleville Transit Nov. 2012, became 1370 | ||
2013 | 2NVYL82U1D3000906 |
|
Preserved units
Year | Thumbnail | VIN | Original owner | Fleet number | Current owner |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | 2NVYL82K2V3000297 | STCUM/STM | 17-178 | Fondation de l’Héritage du transport du Québec |
References
- ↑ Nova BUS Unveils 2nd Generation of LFS Buses at UITP Congress (Press release). Nova Bus. 26 May 1999. Retrieved on 13 January 2009.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 RTC Quebec List. busfanplace.com. Retrieved on 1 May 2009.
- ↑ Older NovaBus LFS Demo Spotted. cptdb.ca. Retrieved on 05 July 2010.
- ↑ Maintenance Training RTS. chicagobus.org. Retrieved on 05 July 2010.
- ↑ Edmonton Transit System NovaBus LFS Trial. kevinsbusrail.com. Retrieved on 05 July 2010.
- ↑ Brampton new bus order, Not NFI this time..... cptdb.ca. Retrieved on 05 July 2010.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Heath, Dan (17 August 2008). Governor announces Nova Bus plant for Plattsburgh. Press Republican. Retrieved on 05 July 2010.
- ↑ A Nova among Gilligs. bustalk.info. Retrieved on 05 July 2010.
- ↑ Nova Bus' Plattsburgh Plant Officially Open (Press release). Nova Bus 15 June 2009. Retrieved on 05 July 2010.
- ↑ Heath, Dan (13 June 2009). Nova Bus plant in operation. Press Republican. Retrieved on 05 July 2010.
- Nova Bus LFS Product Page
- Nova Bus LFS Spec Sheet
- Personal notes & sightings