Van Hool A300K

Van Hool A300K
Years of manufacture	2005 to 2009
Length	30 feet
Width	102 inches
Power/Fuel	Diesel, Gasoline-electric hybrid

The Van Hool A300K is a 30 foot transit bus that was available in Canada and the United States. It is similar to the A300 in that the drivetrain is mounted behind the front wheels on the offside, however it has a reduced front overhang and reduced overall length. The "K" stands for "kort" which translates to "short" in English.

The distinctive front hood on the roof houses the engine cooling system. This location helps protect it from dirt, debris, and water. This mounting also allows fast moving air that bounces off the windscreen up under the hood to cool the engine. Because the air generated from the vehicle's motion helps cool the engine, the cooling system can be made smaller and does not have to work as hard.

For buses meeting the EPA 2007 standards, the engine compartment was reconfigured so that the exhaust runs to the roof and is dispersed at the rear. This allows the hot exhaust produced from regeneration of the particulate filter on EPA 2007 engines to be vented away from street level.

A prototype gasoline-electric hybrid version of the A300K for AC Transit was displayed at the 2008 American Public Transportation Association Expo.

Specifications

Demensions
Length 30 ft. 9 in.
Width: 102 in.
Height: 131 in.
Wheelbase: 219 in.
Front overhang: 81 in.
Rear overhang: 69 in.
Turning radius: 34 ft.
Fuel tank capacity: 72 gal.
Engine
Cummins ISB 280 hp
Transmission
Voith D854.5
Axles
Front: Van Hool rigid front axles
Rear: ZF AV 132
Suspension
Air springs and telescopic shock absorbers
Brakes
Four wheel disk brakes
HVAC
Carrier
Electrical
VDO KIBE Multiplex

Operators

United States

• AC Transit - Alameda & Contra Costa Counties, CA
• DC Circulator - Washington, DC

References

• Van Hool A300K Specification Sheet