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An overview of the StreetCar vehicle

Posted: 23 June 2006 | Mark Nodder, Vice President, Business Development, The Wright Group | No comments yet

With a dedicated production line and initial vehicles nearing completion, StreetCar – The Wright Group’s ground breaking Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) solution – is poised to begin winning the hearts and minds of transport professionals worldwide.

StreetCar now commands a dedicated production line at the Wright Group’s Northern Ireland based headquarters. The seventh line now in operation at the Ballymena production facility – emphasises the commitment by The Wright Group to StreetCar. Eleven StreetCars were built in readiness for the ftr launch in York on 8th May, with all 39 Streetcars for the initial phase of the ftr programme due to be completed by the end of 2006.

With a dedicated production line and initial vehicles nearing completion, StreetCar – The Wright Group’s ground breaking Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) solution – is poised to begin winning the hearts and minds of transport professionals worldwide. StreetCar now commands a dedicated production line at the Wright Group’s Northern Ireland based headquarters. The seventh line now in operation at the Ballymena production facility – emphasises the commitment by The Wright Group to StreetCar. Eleven StreetCars were built in readiness for the ftr launch in York on 8th May, with all 39 Streetcars for the initial phase of the ftr programme due to be completed by the end of 2006.

With a dedicated production line and initial vehicles nearing completion, StreetCar – The Wright Group’s ground breaking Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) solution – is poised to begin winning the hearts and minds of transport professionals worldwide.

StreetCar now commands a dedicated production line at the Wright Group’s Northern Ireland based headquarters. The seventh line now in operation at the Ballymena production facility – emphasises the commitment by The Wright Group to StreetCar. Eleven StreetCars were built in readiness for the ftr launch in York on 8th May, with all 39 Streetcars for the initial phase of the ftr programme due to be completed by the end of 2006.

Originally launched in March 2005 by the Rt Hon Alistair Darling, the Secretary of State for Transport, ftr is a service designed to look like a tram, run on dedicated road space in congested areas, but have the route flexibility of a bus. First Group has committed to an initial batch of 100 StreetCars for their ftr concept and there have already been strong expressions of interest from cities throughout the UK – notably Manchester, Glasgow, Swansea and Worcester.

StreetCar is unique and like any ground breaking product innovation it needs to prove itself in service to gain widespread market acceptance. Operators, passenger transport authorities and local government – not just in the UK but right across Europe and beyond – will no doubt be watching with very close interest how passengers react to StreetCar and how it performs in service.

Given the interest not just from the UK but from cities right around the world, we have made the necessary investment here at Ballymena to ensure we are in a position to capitalise on the undoubted long term potential of StreetCar.

StreetCar is one of the most exciting concepts in urban public transport for a generation, successfully answering all the key questions in the search for an innovative approach to encourage greater use of public transport in urban areas.

Combining the style and technology of the best in light rail vehicle design, with the flexibility and affordability of a city bus, StreetCar creates that illusive ‘wow’ factor which is too often missing on other Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) vehicles.

Volvo has been a key partner in the process, developing bespoke chassis modules and components for StreetCar. Significant investments have been made – most notably in a new cooling pack, improved ride and suspension and a modified turntable – which have all contributed to unparalleled improvements in vehicle performance and have defined StreetCar as a new category of rapid transit vehicle.

The Wright Group has drawn upon all its expertise and experience as Europe’s leading independent bus bodybuilder to ‘redefine the possible’, and develop a stunning new vehicle worthy of any BRT system in the world.

StreetCar provides a unique travelling environment, with an interior layout that matches the promise of the stunning exterior design. It will typically be able carry a maximum of 125 passengers, with the modular approach of the design allowing flexibility for operators to adapt seating layouts.

Two passenger entrances are standard – one behind the front wheels and one located in the rear section. The forward entrance, positioned behind the front axle, facilitates access for all passengers. A ramp for wheelchair users is available at the forward door, with the entrance layout designed so that priority seating and the wheelchair space are immediately accessible. Three and even four door versions are also deliverable.

The fare system requires no driver involvement, greatly reducing dwell time at stops and significantly improving service times along the route. The advanced ticket vending equipment can be customised to manage a variety of fare transactions according to customer choice.

Once onboard, StreetCar passengers have a range of options available to them with both conventional and perimeter seats, as well as a lounge-style area at the rear. A number of perches provide support throughout the length of the vehicle, whilst open standing areas can be utilised by people making short journeys.

Passenger comfort is a priority whatever the length of journey and the interior environment of StreetCar reflects a new approach to urban transport. Tinted double-glazed windows reduce solar gain and a sophisticated climate control system eliminates the need for opening windows. The combination of sealed windows and a modern air-conditioning heating and ventilation system creates a controlled, draught-free environment for both passenger and driver alike.

The extensive use of noise absorption materials throughout the vehicle, combined with high quality seating provides a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. LCD screens provide information to passengers throughout their journey and all the on-board telematics have been carefully developed to ensure that different systems such as CCTV, automatic vehicle location and passenger information can interact seamlessly.

The bright and welcoming interior ambience is enhanced by concealed lighting, backed up by LED spotlights. Functional as well as attractive, the interior of the StreetCar has been designed to ensure regular cleaning can be carried out easily and effectively.

The driver is crucial to the safety and the overall travelling experience of passengers and StreetCar has taken a completely new approach to the needs of drivers. Positioned in a totally-enclosed full-width compartment, the driver is separated from passengers by a full-height partition with tinted glazing. The air-conditioned workstation is as spacious as that on a rail-bound vehicle, with the offset and elevated driving position giving an excellent field of vision.

A steering wheel, adjustable for height and rake, and driver’s seat with an almost infinitely variable range of settings combine to allow optimisation of seating positions. The ergonomically-designed controls make day-to-day operations as easy as possible. The use of modern soft-touch plastics adds to the car-like feel.

The Wright Group took a totally new approach across the entire development process of StreetCar. Much of the design work was done using 3D computer modelling, with the ability to design individual components ready for pre-production.

This has enabled the design team to set a benchmark throughout the vehicle, both in terms of its basic structure and its fixtures and fittings. The quality of the ‘fit and finish’ of components has been raised to a new level, comparable to current best practice in automotive manufacturing.

Thoughtful design and careful engineering of the body structure and drive train ensures that the sense of space throughout the vehicle is maximised for the greatest effect. StreetCar uses an advanced stiffened structure to address Noise, Vibration, Harshness (NVH) and this brings further benefits in creating a high-quality environment for passengers.

Underneath the skin of StreetCar is the Wright Group’s patented Aluminique structure, which combines the strength, durability and practicality that has set the standard in modern bus building technology in the last decade.

A new design of cantt rail extrusion allows the use of deep windows. This adds to the striking exterior appearance of StreetCar, which is further enhanced by the use of specially designed covered wheels. StreetCar also benefits from full compliance with latest European fire standards, thanks to the extensive use of the latest fire retardant materials.

As with all Wright Group products, StreetCar has undergone an extensive programme of testing and proving to ensure that it can stand up to the rigorous daily demands in even the most extreme operating environment or conditions.

Streetcar provides a truly innovative, leading edge Intelligent Transport System (ITS) and Telematics platform, which is integrated into the vehicle as a complete package. Developed as a modular ‘plug and play’ package, the ITS package can be specified as a stand alone system or in combination with other components fitted according to an individual operator’s specification.

This new technology provides greater operational reliability through optimised interaction between the system’s components, something which benefits passengers and operators alike. The core of the ITS platform is an on-bus control unit, which uses a variety of communication tools, including those typically found on modern day networked computers and satellite tracking devices. Supplied as a complete yet scalable platform, the ITS and Telematics have been designed to meet legislation standards, wherever StreetCar may be in service.

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