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Nova Bus LFS

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The Nova Bus LFS is a North American transit bus based on the design of the Alliance, a European bus from Den Oudsten Bussen. In 1993, an Alliance bus was imported for evaluation, and in 1994, two prototypes of the LFS were built. The LFS stands out due to its sloping front and large single-piece windscreen, two features that are more commonly found on European busses rather than North American buses.


In 1999 at the UITP Congress, Nova unveiled the second generation LFS. Improvements included a stainless steel frame, a multiplex electric system, and an electronically controlled engine.[1] Some identify a second generation LFS by its rounded windows.


The LFS's monocoque frame was originally of steel, but beginning with the second generation, stainless steel was used. The structure is clad with fibreglass panels adhered to the frame. Easily replaceable themoplastic skirt panels are added along the lower sides of the bus to ease maintenance as this area is prone to wear. They are almost always grey to speed replacement as they do not have to be painted and Nova only need produce panels in one colour. Some agencies however request the skirt panels be painted such as Disney Transport of Orlando, Florida or the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York, New York.


The LFS was available with a full low floor or partial low floor with a step before the rear wheels up to a high floor section. The full low floor option had a low floor toward the middle of the bus where the aisle would remain low, but the seating area would be on elevated platforms. In 2005 the partial low floor configuration became standard. Because of the intrusion of the rear wheel wells, the seating arrangement on top of them has a pair of seats facing forwards and a pair facing backwards, a rarity in the North American bus market.


The engine of the LFS was originally mounted longitudinally on the left side of the rear with the cooling system mounted above. Starting in late 2008 Nova began producing some LFS buses with the engine mounted longitudinally at the centre of the rear with the cooling system mounted high (above rear window). The centre rear engine placement became the standard in early 2009.


On May 13, 2009 Nova announced that they are ready to meet the upcoming EPA 2010 emissions regulations. Beginning 2010, all LFS models will be designed to meet these new standards. Nova stated they anticipated that they will begin delivery of 2010-compliant buses to their Canadian clients by the end of 2009.[2] The first LFS buses meeting the EPA 2010 standards built for clients began production in late May 2010.


Nova Bus LFS
Nova Bus LFS
The Nova bus LFS used being used by Metro Transit

Manufacturer

Nova Bus

Production

1995-Present

Chassis Manufacturer

Nova Bus

Class

Transit Bus

Engines

Engines'

  • Cummins ISL9 EPA 2010, 8.9L, 250 or 280 hp (2010-present)
  • Cummins ISL EPA 2007, 8.9L, 250 or 280 hp (2007-2010)
  • Cummins C8.3 8.3L (1995-1998)
  • Cummins ISC EPA 1998, 8.3L (1998-2002)
  • Cummins ISC EPA 2004, 8.3L (2002-2004)
  • Cummins ISL EPA 2004, 8.9L, 250 or 280 hp (2004-2007)
  • Detroit Diesel Series 40 (no longer offered)

Related

Nova Bus LFS Artic





























Design History[]

First generation (1994-1999)[]

The early LFS units up to ST Laval 9605 (late 1996) had a curved oval 'lip' under the windscreen including the NovaBUS logo. The rear top equipment access door and rear window were originally flush with the body with the rear destination incorporated into the window. The side passenger windows had square corners.



Second generation (1999-2009)[]

Between 1999 and 2000 there was a gradual shift in the exterior look of the LFS. Starting mid-1999 with the Chicago Transit Authority prototypes, gasket sealed windows with rounded corners replaced the earlier square passenger windows. By 2000, round tail lights (either small or large) became the norm, replacing the square tail lights inherited from the Classic model. Finally, by mid-2000 with the production CTA buses, the rear panel of the bus was simplified with a gasket sealed window and a separate, obtrusive rear destination sign. These changes intended to reduce the costs of construction of the CTA order were soon adopted for all production buses.

In 2007, Nova Bus redesigned the headlight clusters of the LFS, moving the lights further to the edges of the bus. The standard halogen headlight or dual projector headlights could be specified. This was likely a response to BC Transit's modifications which had the headlights stacked vertically to address visibility concerns with bike racks. A horizontal decorative slot was also added to the front panel between the headlights. It must however be noted that until April 2009, most Quebec buses were delivered with the old headlight configuration.

The LFS is available with wide or narrow front or rear doors. Beginning with Coast Mountain Bus Company's first LFS order, and option for a 1/3 2/3 front door configuration was made available. This option is as wide as the wide door option, but the forward leaf would be the size of the narrow door option and the other leaf would be the size of the remainder. The front leaf can be controlled independently.

Early LFS buses had a simple exhaust pipe that stuck straight up and was cut off at a diagonal. This design would carry through to early EPA 2007-compliant buses. These buses also received a grid of vents on the rear access panel next to the rear window to deal with the heat of the particulate filter.



Third generation (2009-present)[]

With the new engine placement, introduced in 2007 and made standard in early 2009, the rear of the LFS was restyled. The taillights are stacked vertically in a red background moulding stretching from the top to the bottom of the bus. Later background colour options would be available such as black or white. Early 2009 saw the introduction of flush glazing as an option (first production model debuted at the CUTA Trans Expo 2009 in Montreal, QC on BC Transit 9370), and the rear design was slightly altered with replaceable corner panels and the tail light moulding ending above the reversing light. The 2007 headlight configuration became standard on all buses. Greater Sudbury Transit and Thunder Bay Transit's 2009 orders were the first to have the brake lights and rear turn signals the same size as the reversing light as an option.

When the new rear design debuted in 2007, the exhaust pipe curved away at the tip from the radiator and intercooler package. Later EPA 2007-compliant buses built that year went straight up then curved back at a 90 degree angle and received a Venturi exhaust tip. The tip, which had a bulge after the curve and flared out at the end, was designed to mix and cool the hot exhaust gas from the 2007-compliant engine with air. EPA 2010-compliant buses received an updated exhaust tip which flares out to the front after the curve with a gap and flares out to the rear like the previous tip, but to a shorter distance.

The horizontal slot in the front panel of the bus was dropped mid-2010 from Plattsburgh-built buses starting with the first batch of buses for Calgary Transit. Late in 2010 the plain front panel also became standard for buses built in St-Eustache.


Variants[]

'Nova Bus LFS Artic

The Nova Bus LFS Artic is an articulated version of the Nova Bus LFS made for high ridership routes or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems. There were a few prototypes built before it's formal unveiling at the 2007 CUTA TransExpo.

The first prototype was built using the front section of a first generation LFS and the rear portion of a second generation LFS. A second, more refined prototype was built in 2005. Both prototypes had the same left side engine placement as the 40 foot LFS, however the production models have the new rear center engine placement.

Nova Bus LFS Artic
Nova Bus LFS Artic
A Nova Bus LFS Artic being used by Metro Transit

Manufacturer

Nova Bus

Production

2007-present

Chassis Manufacturer

Nova Bus

Class

Transit Bus

Engines

Diesel

Cummins ISL9 EPA 2010, 8.9L, 330 hp (2010-present) Cummins ISL EPA 2007, 8.9L, 330 hp (2007-2010)

Related

Nova Bus LFS


































Users[]

Nova Bus LFS

Canada Canada Flag[]


United States US Flag


'Nova Bus LFS Artic'

Canada Canada Flag[]


United States US Flag[]

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