Non-step bus

[William Sakovich]

The text uses the phrase non-step bus to describe one of the specifications
for buses used on urban transit routes.

Googling on the phrase non-step bus as well as no-step bus brings up an
inordinate number of Japanese sites first. So I went to look at the websites
of bus manufacturers to check out bus specifications.

The ones I looked at didn't even mention having steps. It's been quite some
time since I rode a transit bus in the US, and the ones I did ride still had
steps, so I don't know what's standard any more.

Is the phrase non-step or no-step bus good to go in contemporary English?

TIA

- BS

Ampontan
Japan from the Inside Out
http://ampontan.wordpress.com/

[Alan Siegrist]

William Sakovich writes:

> The text uses the phrase non-step bus to describe one of the
> specifications for buses used on urban transit routes.

I think we call this a "kneeling bus" in English.

Regards,

Alan Siegrist
Orinda, CA, USA

[L Seacord]

I found a transit site glossary that showed these terms. I think the Japanese "non-step buses", at least the one's I've ridden, are "low-floor vehicles".

Low-floor vehicle Refers to a bus that does not have steps. Building a bus floor at one level between the front to rear doors allows passengers to enter and exit more quickly. The addition of steps usually adds boarding and alighting time, especially for passengers with limited mobility.

Kneeling bus Also see Passenger lift Refers to a feature on all buses that lowers the floor to the curb or to near-curb level to make it easier for passengers to board, especially for seniors and persons with disabilities.

http://www.actransit.org/customer/transit_glossary.wu

http://kiaikidoyoga.blogspot.com/

[L Seacord]

PS Over 80,000 hits for "low floor bus".

On 9/17/07, Alan Siegrist <AlanFS...@comcast.net > wrote:

[David J. Littleboy]

From: "William Sakovich" <sako...@gol.com>

>
> The text uses the phrase non-step bus to describe one of the
> specifications
> for buses used on urban transit routes.
>
> Googling on the phrase non-step bus as well as no-step bus brings up an
> inordinate number of Japanese sites first. So I went to look at the
> websites
> of bus manufacturers to check out bus specifications.
>
> The ones I looked at didn't even mention having steps. It's been quite
> some
> time since I rode a transit bus in the US, and the ones I did ride still
> had
> steps, so I don't know what's standard any more.

The non-step busses in Tokyo have a floor level in the interior that's
barely higher than the street level itself. The wheel wells are enormous,
and I'd estimate the floor to be at about 1/4 the total height of the wheel.
They're very easy to get onto and off of.

> Is the phrase non-step or no-step bus good to go in contemporary English?

Probably not...

David J. Littleboy
dav...@gol.com
Tokyo, Japan

[David Bernat]

William Sakovich wrote:

> Is the phrase non-step or no-step bus good to go in contemporary English?

http://www.trimet.org/bus/frequentservice.htm

Air-conditioned, low-floor buses for easy boarding and a comfy ride

For your comfort, all MAX trains and Frequent Service buses are air
conditioned, with low floors for easy curb-level boarding.

[Alan Siegrist]

Well, whether they are kneeling designs or low-floor designs, I think the
point is that they are easily accessible by the elderly or by those in
wheelchairs or motorized scooters or such. You might want to go with
something vague like "accessible bus."

[William Sakovich]

Messrs. Seacord and Bernat, I thank you!

[[The non-step busses in Tokyo have a floor level in the interior that's

barely higher than the street level itself. The wheel wells are enormous,
and I'd estimate the floor to be at about 1/4 the total height of the wheel.

They're very easy to get onto and off of.]]

FWIW, from the document, the Japanese national average for the diffusion of
low-floor buses is 17.69%. Where I live in Kyushu, all the prefectures are
below 10%...

- BS

[Richard Sadowsky]

I believe I once asked on Honyaku about this...
I personally find it difficult to use "non-step bus", but if memory serves
correctly, "non-step" was plastered in huge letters all over the side of at
least one bus I saw in Kobe some time ago as a kind of graphic motif.
It depends on your audience, but I believe the standard English rendering
ON these buses IN Japan is "non-step".
--
Richard Sadowsky
Awaji Island, Japan

[Doreen Simmons]

Another way of saying it is that the step is level with the kerbstone
so you don't have to step up.

Somebody wrote: The non-step buses in Tokyo have a floor level in the

interior that's
> barely higher than the street level itself. The wheel wells are
> enormous,
> and I'd estimate the floor to be at about 1/4 the total height of the
> wheel.
> They're very easy to get onto and off of.
>
>> Is the phrase non-step or no-step bus good to go in contemporary
>> English?

Probably not, but I don't see why not; 'kneeling bus' sounds really
weird.

Doreen Simmons
jz8d...@asahi-net.or.jp

[David J. Littleboy]

From: "Doreen Simmons" <jz8d...@asahi-net.or.jp>

>
> Probably not, but I don't see why not; 'kneeling bus' sounds really
> weird.

It may sound weird, but it's real. It's just a different phenomenon.
Although there may be another word for it (since googits are a bit sparse).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kneeling_bus

[Nora Stevens Heath]

Doreen Simmons wrote:

> Probably not, but I don't see why not; 'kneeling bus' sounds really
> weird.

Maybe so, but that's what they're called, these buses that can
hydraulically "kneel" down to accommodate disabled passengers. I've
seen them in the U.S. and Canada, possibly also in NZ (but don't quote
me on that). Note that what we're calling a "no-step" bus is a
different creature, as has already been discussed.

Nora

--
Nora Stevens Heath <no...@fumizuki.com>
J-E translations: http://www.fumizuki.com/

[Karen Sandness]

If a former resident of Portland, Oregon may chime in, I'd like to put it this way.

All kneeling buses are low-floor buses, but not all low-floor buses are kneeling buses.

Transitly yours,

Karen Sandness

[Alan Siegrist]

Doreen Simmons writes:

> Probably not, but I don't see why not; 'kneeling bus' sounds really
> weird.

Weird or not, that is what they say around here for the type that lower the
body down so that the floor is at curb level to let people get on easily.

Don't blame me; I didn't make it up!

'Non-step bus' sounds weirder to me.

[Alan Siegrist]

Nora Stevens Heath writes:

> > Probably not, but I don't see why not; 'kneeling bus' sounds really
> > weird.
>
> Maybe so, but that's what they're called, these buses that can
> hydraulically "kneel" down to accommodate disabled passengers. I've
> seen them in the U.S. and Canada, possibly also in NZ (but don't quote
> me on that).

They have them in Japan too. I know because I rode one this summer in Japan.
It was one of the "highway buses" and it was not exactly what you would call
a low-floor bus, but it did have a hydraulic kneeling system so that the
first step was not so high and you could get on an off easily even if there
was not a curb around. These buses stop at those "parking areas" on highways
and just park in the parking lots.

> Note that what we're calling a "no-step" bus is a
> different creature, as has already been discussed.

I think there are several designs and the categories seem to overlap.

Sic transit mundi

[Manako Ihaya]

FWIW, here is a photo with links and descriptions of a Non-Step Bus by Maynard, who comments, "No lift. No kneeling. Here "non-step " means low floor—i.e., none of those steps that used to wear me out."

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maynard/21098115/

Manako
--
Manako Ihaya (aka Monica)
ATA-Certified Japanese-English Translator
Lake Forest, California
Phone: 949 (859) 9672/Cell: 949 (636) 1213

On 9/17/07, Alan Siegrist <AlanFS...@comcast.net> wrote:

[Marc Adler]

On 9/17/07, Alan Siegrist <AlanFS...@comcast.net> wrote:

<OT linguistic pedantry>

Sic transit mundi

You're missing a noun in the nominative case, making it "thus passes [...] of the world."

"Sic transit mundus" would make it all good.

(The actual phrase is "Sic transit gloria mundi," in case anyone is curious.)

</OT linguistic pedantry> 

--
Marc Adler
Austin, TX

[Alan Siegrist]

Marc Adler writes:

<OT linguistic pedantry>

 

Sic transit mundi

You're missing a noun in the nominative case, making it "thus passes [...] of the world."

"Sic transit mundus" would make it all good.

(The actual phrase is "Sic transit gloria mundi," in case anyone is curious.)

 

Yes, I had left out poor Gloria. I was vaguely uneasy and thought something was wrong but in the heat of the moment clicked the “Send” button anyway. I figured that someone on the list would call me on it, and lo and behold, Marc bravely steps up to the plate.

 

Thanks,

[Dale Ponte]

On Sep 17, 11:41 am, "Alan Siegrist" <AlanFSiegr...@Comcast.net>
wrote:

>in the heat of the moment clicked the "Send" button anyway.

Ah .. catharsis ..

Dale