Double-decker, a Highlight in Beijing Bus & Truck Expo
08 May 2009
Thanks to their higher passenger-carrying capacity compared with the traditional coaches, double-deckers are now leading a new market trend amid China’s somewhat shaky economy.
At the first Beijing International Exhibition on Buses, Trucks and Components (also known as Beijing Bus & Truck Expo) which just closed two weeks ago, double-deckers together with new energy buses & coaches grabbed the most media and public attention.
Yutong ZK6146HSB
At the exhibition, China’s top players in bus & coach building sector, including Suzhou Higer, Zhengzhou Yutong, Xiamen Golden Dragon, Dandong Huanghai, Ankai Bus, Youngman Coach and Zonda, etc. all brought their latest double-deck coach models. Yutong ZK6146HSB and ZK6127HS9, Scania • Higer A98 (KLQ6147S), Ankai HFF6120KZ-1 and HFF61407D-1, Golden Dragon XML6116, Zonda A9L (YCK6140HD) and Huanghai DD6119S01 Sight-seeing coach are among the best eye-catchers.
Scania • Higer A98 (KLQ6147S)
Statistics show that China has 1,800 double-deck coaches traveling between different cities, accounting for over 60% of the total double-decker registration number.
Ankai HFF6120KZ-1
Back in 2004, due to their height and technical problem, double-deck coaches could hardly be accepted by coach operators for intercity passenger transport. However, since the entry of Youngman JNP6137S in the market, the coach type has gained great popularity.
Zonda A9L (YCK6140HD)
Another reason for its increasing presence in the intercity passenger transport sector is the faster and more convenient railway transport has further threatened the traditional passenger transport on the road. According to sources, a double-deck coach usually has 20 to 80 seats. Even though its fuel consumption will increase by 20%, it still can manage to bring handsome economic benefits to coach operators.
Huanghai DD6119S01 Sight-seeing coach
However, some customers are still skeptical about the safety standards of double-deckers and are deterred by their high price, which is usually above RMB 2 million (about USD 293,177) per unit. In addition, some bus builders also voiced their doubts on the bright future of the double-deckers. Xiamen Kinglong, one of the top four players in the industry in China, only had its traditional one-deck buses & coaches on display at Beijing Bus & Truck Expo. A top leader from the company also told the media that it is the company’s belief that some bus builders of the first class only rolled out their double-deckers to enrich their product mix. Whether the double-decker market is large or not is yet to be seen.
Source : english.chinabuses.com
Editor : Mark
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