Maybe they should refer to this one as mass-ive transportation.
What’s being billed as the world’s longest bus has been revealed in Germany. The AutoTram Extra Grand features three hinged segments, seating for 256 passengers and a length of over 98 feet.
Developed by a consortium of companies led by German research outfit Fraunhofer IVI, the AutoTram will be tested on the streets of the city of Dresden later this year.
With four of the five axles able to steer, the AutoTram reportedly has the same turning radius as a conventional 40-foot bus. The vehicle’s hybrid drivetrain operates similar to the one in a Chevrolet Volt, offering an all-electric range of 5 miles before it needs to switch an internal combustion engine to power it for longer trips.
As its name implies, the AutoTram is being pitched as a more affordable alternative to urban light rail systems and was designed to be incorporated into the type of Bus Rapid Transit systems (think trolleys without tracks) currently employed in several cities around the world.
But while it may be the “longest” bus in the world, the AutoTram isn’t the "largest capacity” bus. That title is currently held by China’s Youngman JNP6250G City New Liner Series, which fits 300 seats into its relatively meager 82-foot length.
In either case, if you can’t get a seat on one of these it may be time to move to the suburbs.