Cumfybus
Encyclopedia
Cumfybus Ltd is a bus
operating company based in Southport
in Merseyside
, England
. Its operations were small scale throughout the 1990s, but it has expanded significantly since its incorporation as a limited company in 2002, and as of 2010 has a fleet of nearly 100 buses.
accounts for a majority of the vehicles operated; around 60 are in the fleet. Larger single deckers consist of four Dennis Dart SLF with Caetano bodywork, and eight DAF SB220
with East Lancs Myllennium
bodywork. The Myllenniums were new to London Central
in 1999/2000 and were used used on the Millennium routes M1/M2 to/from the Millennium Dome
in Greenwich before eventually moving on to the 486 route in 2001. Two Leyland Olympian
double deckers are operated, these being usually confined to school and college services in Southport. Small minibuses, mainly Optare Alero
s, make up the remainder of the fleet.
es) funded by the grant. However, ten conventional Solos arrived in early 2010 for the C-series routes in Liverpool, and no electric buses had materialized by late summer 2011.
in several areas, mainly using Optare Alero
s.
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
operating company based in Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
in Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Its operations were small scale throughout the 1990s, but it has expanded significantly since its incorporation as a limited company in 2002, and as of 2010 has a fleet of nearly 100 buses.
Fleet
The Optare SoloOptare Solo
The Optare Solo is a low-floor midibus manufactured by Optare in Leeds, UK since 1997. The name "Solo" is a play on the low-floor status of the bus, the manufacturer believing its vehicle having an entrance that is "so low" from the floor, namely 200 mm with kneeling suspension.The innovative...
accounts for a majority of the vehicles operated; around 60 are in the fleet. Larger single deckers consist of four Dennis Dart SLF with Caetano bodywork, and eight DAF SB220
DAF SB220
The DAF SB220 is a city bus chassis produced by DAF Bus International in the 1980s and 1990s.It has been superseded by the DAF/VDL SB200 and SB250.-United Kingdom :*Optare Delta*Ikarus Citibus...
with East Lancs Myllennium
East Lancs Myllennium
The East Lancs Myllennium is a type of bus body built on MAN, Volvo, DAF/VDL and Alexander Dennis chassis. It was built as a single and double deck body, with double deck bodies having slightly different names .-Single decker:...
bodywork. The Myllenniums were new to London Central
London Central
London Central is one of many operators of London Buses. It was established in late 1988 as one of 12 operating subsidiaries of London Buses Limited , and was privatised to the Go-Ahead Group in September 1994...
in 1999/2000 and were used used on the Millennium routes M1/M2 to/from the Millennium Dome
Millennium Dome
The Millennium Dome, colloquially referred to simply as The Dome or even The O2 Arena, is the original name of a large dome-shaped building, originally used to house the Millennium Experience, a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium...
in Greenwich before eventually moving on to the 486 route in 2001. Two Leyland Olympian
Leyland Olympian
The Leyland Olympian was a double-decker bus built by British Leyland/Leyland Bus in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1993. It was the last Leyland bus model in production before the demise of Leyland Bus.-Construction:...
double deckers are operated, these being usually confined to school and college services in Southport. Small minibuses, mainly Optare Alero
Optare Alero
The Optare Alero was a low-floor integral minibus built by Optare between 2001 and 2008. It was built as an alternative to van-derived buses such as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.Around 300 were built in the first five years of production...
s, make up the remainder of the fleet.
Electric buses
In 2009 it was announced that the Cumfybus fleet would benefit during 2010 from the Green Bus Fund. Eleven all-electric Optare Solo EV were to be introduced on Liverpool city centre services, and two on university services in Ormskirk. This would make Cumfybus the biggest user of battery electric buses (as opposed to hybrid electric busHybrid electric bus
A hybrid electric bus combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. These type of buses normally use a diesel-electric powertrain and are also known as hybrid diesel-electric buses....
es) funded by the grant. However, ten conventional Solos arrived in early 2010 for the C-series routes in Liverpool, and no electric buses had materialized by late summer 2011.
Livery
The standard fleet livery is all-over yellow, with multi-coloured fleet names. Some vehicles carry other liveries, including white, silver, or overall advertisements.Operations
The company operates numerous commercial and tendered local services throughout Merseyside and in parts of Lancashire. School and college services are operated in and around Southport. The company also operates 'Merseylink' accessible dial-a-ride services on behalf of MerseytravelMerseytravel
Merseytravel Merseytravel Merseytravel (MPTE, or Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive, is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for the coordination of public transport in the metropolitan county of Merseyside, England...
in several areas, mainly using Optare Alero
Optare Alero
The Optare Alero was a low-floor integral minibus built by Optare between 2001 and 2008. It was built as an alternative to van-derived buses such as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.Around 300 were built in the first five years of production...
s.