Dublin Bus VT1
The first of the Dublin Bus VT class enters service
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Sunday the 18th of December 2005 saw another new chapter in the history of Dublin Bus open up with the entering into service of a new type of vehicle. The VT class, commonly referred to as the 'Tri-Axles', was officially introduced on the 1010 departure from Dún Laoghaire on Route 46A.
The bus offers full access for wheelchair users with low floor technology now standard on all new vehicles purchased by Dublin Bus.
The Enviro-500 bodywork by Alexander-Dennis is built around a Volvo B9TL chassis. Vehicle length measures in at just under twelve metres (a little over 39 feet).
A new feature is the provision of a side destination display in the window adjacent to the doorway.
The specifications indicate a Design Gross Vehicle Weight (the bus itself with passengers) of 23.3 tonnes. On its own, the vehicle weighs 14.754 tonnes.
Just a few stops after leaving the terminus, the bus was already filling up with passengers - many probably not aware of the significance of the occasion.
By the time VT1 reached the RTÉ studios most of the seats were already occupied. The bus can take 57 upper-saloon passengers, 35 in the lower saloon (or 34 with one wheelchair user), plus 27 standing, giving a potential capacity of 119 - a great crowd-shifter!
After reaching the terminus at Mountjoy Square, VT1 is prepared with driver Keith Byrne for the return leg to Dún Laoghaire (VT7 followed shortly afterwards as the second such vehicle to enter service).
The initial batch of VTs delivered to Dublin Bus are allocated to the Donnybrook Depot for use mainly on the 46A route, which services the highly successful Stillorgan Road Quality Bus Corridor.
Other features on this event are also available on the Buses In Ireland and IrishBuses.com websites, with additional information and pictures on www.dublinbus.cc