Also known in the US as an entertainer coach and in Europe as a nightliner, a sleeper bus is often used to transport bands and their technicians and road crew between cities and shows. Other terms used are band bus, crew bus, entertainer bus, NightRider, sleeper coach, and tour bus.
In Europe, such vehicles are full-sized coaches but are designed internally to carry only between 8 and 18 passengers. There are always full galley facilities, comfortable lounges and bunk beds to allow the passengers to eat, relax and sleep during the journey to the next gig or concert. Such vehicles sometimes have blacked out or mirrored windows, allowing passengers to see out, but preventing fans from peering in. They are well equipped, as the comfort of the passengers is paramount. DVD players, large screen TV, and game systems are now the norm, while some vehicles even have personal DVD players and screens in each bunk.
Well-known bands such as Bon Jovi or U2 may use as many as seven or eight sleeper buses on their tours to accommodate the many road crew members required. However, such bands themselves rarely travel on the bus but usually use air transport or limousines or a luxury splitter tour bus, leaving their crew members to travel by bus. Smaller, less well-known bands will usually travel on the bus along with their tech crew.
Sleeper coaches have come a long way from the old days, when ex-National Express coaches were retired into sleeper coach use. Now, the leading companies are buying new coaches, which, after fitting out, cost over £350,000 (US$535,000), though the rates for these coaches are not much more than conventional coaches.
Some travel companies use them as mobile hotels, taking tourists to locations where there is no hotel or there are long distances overnight.
Public transport
China
A Yutong sleeper bus departing from Liuliqiao Coach Station, Beijing, China in June 2021
In China, sleeper buses are a common means of long-distance transportation. They are slightly more expensive than trains, but also a little faster, and tickets are more readily available. There have been a number of fatal crashes involving these buses in China. Due to increased safety incidents, sleeper buses were banned from registration starting from 2012.
India
In India, these buses are used for inter city travel and are operated by both the government and private bus companies. They are operated between cities which are 6 hours to 10 hours apart by road. The journeys usually start late in the evening or at midnight and are scheduled so that most of the travel is at night. This service is a good alternative to trains, as seats in trains get booked well in advance. Also, these buses are seldom filled beyond capacity.
Sleeper services, open to the general public, are known to have existed in the late 1920s and early 1930s. At least two such services operated, from London to Liverpool (The Albatross Sleeping Car Co.) and London to Manchester/Liverpool, run by a company called Land Liners Ltd. But the vogue passed, until 2011.
On 2 August 2011, the Stagecoach Group announced it was launching a new Sleeper coach service, open to the general public, using 'bendybuses'.[3] The London to Glasgow service was operated under the Megabus brand and offered overnight travel on a budget. Trial journeys started on 5 September 2011.[4] The service officially started on 21 October 2011. The service was axed on 21 May 2017 with the company stating that while "the service was popular, unfortunately, the overall level of demand dropped".[5]
United States
A San Francisco–Los Angeles sleeper bus began operation in July 2017.[6] Operation was paused in January 2019 due to dissatisfaction with the bumpiness of the ride quality,[7] and was relaunched in September 2019 with improved vehicles.[8] In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company switched from providing scheduled bus service to offering private charters.
^"This cushy LA-to-San Francisco bus lets you sleep overnight in a real (narrow) bed", Chicago Tribune, 2017-11-06
^"Cabin Sleep Bus is in Hibernation", StreetsblogSF, 2019-01-17
^"Cabin Revamps Bus Rides From LA To San Francisco", SocalTech, 2019-09-12
External links
"Sleeper Motor Coach Has Two Story Berths", January 1933, Popular Mechanics article and drawing on 1930s era sleeper coaches
Band Bus information website
UK sleeper bus services in the 1920/30s
January 25, 2023
sleeper, sleeper, type, specially, adapted, coach, which, designed, passengers, sleep, hool, sleeper, britain, upstairs, bunks, lounge, area, downstairs, galley, second, lounge, area, ayats, bravo, sleeper, bunks, jumbocruiser, ayats, band, sleeper, coaches, o. A sleeper bus is a type of specially adapted coach which is designed for the passengers to sleep in A Van Hool sleeper bus in Britain Upstairs are 14 bunks and a lounge area downstairs is the galley and a second lounge area Ayats Bravo sleeper in the UK Bunks in a Jumbocruiser Ayats band bus Sleeper coaches are not only used by bands This one was used to shuttle England football fans to and from the 2006 World Cup in Germany Contents 1 Private Charter 2 Public transport 2 1 China 2 2 India 2 3 United Kingdom 2 4 United States 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksPrivate Charter EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed December 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Also known in the US as an entertainer coach and in Europe as a nightliner a sleeper bus is often used to transport bands and their technicians and road crew between cities and shows Other terms used are band bus crew bus entertainer bus NightRider sleeper coach and tour bus In Europe such vehicles are full sized coaches but are designed internally to carry only between 8 and 18 passengers There are always full galley facilities comfortable lounges and bunk beds to allow the passengers to eat relax and sleep during the journey to the next gig or concert Such vehicles sometimes have blacked out or mirrored windows allowing passengers to see out but preventing fans from peering in They are well equipped as the comfort of the passengers is paramount DVD players large screen TV and game systems are now the norm while some vehicles even have personal DVD players and screens in each bunk Well known bands such as Bon Jovi or U2 may use as many as seven or eight sleeper buses on their tours to accommodate the many road crew members required However such bands themselves rarely travel on the bus but usually use air transport or limousines or a luxury splitter tour bus leaving their crew members to travel by bus Smaller less well known bands will usually travel on the bus along with their tech crew Sleeper coaches have come a long way from the old days when ex National Express coaches were retired into sleeper coach use Now the leading companies are buying new coaches which after fitting out cost over 350 000 US 535 000 though the rates for these coaches are not much more than conventional coaches Some travel companies use them as mobile hotels taking tourists to locations where there is no hotel or there are long distances overnight Public transport EditChina Edit A Yutong sleeper bus departing from Liuliqiao Coach Station Beijing China in June 2021 In China sleeper buses are a common means of long distance transportation They are slightly more expensive than trains but also a little faster and tickets are more readily available There have been a number of fatal crashes involving these buses in China Due to increased safety incidents sleeper buses were banned from registration starting from 2012 India Edit In India these buses are used for inter city travel and are operated by both the government and private bus companies They are operated between cities which are 6 hours to 10 hours apart by road The journeys usually start late in the evening or at midnight and are scheduled so that most of the travel is at night This service is a good alternative to trains as seats in trains get booked well in advance Also these buses are seldom filled beyond capacity Several State Transport units such as the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation MSRTC Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation KSRTC and the State Express Transport Corporation SETC also operate sleeper bus services 1 2 United Kingdom Edit Sleeper services open to the general public are known to have existed in the late 1920s and early 1930s At least two such services operated from London to Liverpool The Albatross Sleeping Car Co and London to Manchester Liverpool run by a company called Land Liners Ltd But the vogue passed until 2011 On 2 August 2011 the Stagecoach Group announced it was launching a new Sleeper coach service open to the general public using bendybuses 3 The London to Glasgow service was operated under the Megabus brand and offered overnight travel on a budget Trial journeys started on 5 September 2011 4 The service officially started on 21 October 2011 The service was axed on 21 May 2017 with the company stating that while the service was popular unfortunately the overall level of demand dropped 5 United States Edit A San Francisco Los Angeles sleeper bus began operation in July 2017 6 Operation was paused in January 2019 due to dissatisfaction with the bumpiness of the ride quality 7 and was relaunched in September 2019 with improved vehicles 8 In 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic the company switched from providing scheduled bus service to offering private charters See also Edit Buses portalList of busesReferences Edit Deshmukh Nikhil 2014 09 10 MSRTC suspends sleeper bus service to Bangalore Times of India Kolhapur Retrieved 2015 03 10 KSRTC reduces fares to Bangalore Times of India Mangalore 2013 12 01 Retrieved 2015 03 10 Megabus offering bunk bed buses BBC News 2011 10 20 Retrieved 2021 07 30 Megabus gears up for overnight sleeper service London Guardian News and Media ltd 2011 08 02 Retrieved 2011 08 02 Team routeone 2017 04 11 Megabus Gold dual purpose sleeper day coaches to end routeone Retrieved 2021 07 30 This cushy LA to San Francisco bus lets you sleep overnight in a real narrow bed Chicago Tribune 2017 11 06 Cabin Sleep Bus is in Hibernation StreetsblogSF 2019 01 17 Cabin Revamps Bus Rides From LA To San Francisco SocalTech 2019 09 12External links Edit Sleeper Motor Coach Has Two Story Berths January 1933 Popular Mechanics article and drawing on 1930s era sleeper coaches Band Bus information website UK sleeper bus services in the 1920 30s Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sleeper bus amp oldid 1092147954, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
