The Van Hool A500 is a city bus from the Belgian manufacturer Van Hool and the successor to the A280. Its name comes from the floor height of 500 millimetres, and it was offered with either two or three doors.
Van Hool A500 at a glance
| Maker | Van Hool, Belgium |
|---|---|
| Type | city bus |
| Predecessor | Van Hool A280 |
| Successor | Van Hool A300 |
| Name | from the 500 mm floor height |
| Doors | two or three |
| Built | more than 600 |
| Exported to France | 200 |
| Export to Algeria | for ETUSA, until 2008 |
| Special versions | A500SP, A500PL |
| Belgian operators | national companies and private bus operators |
This article is based on one source, the Dutch Wikipedia article on the A500.
History of the Van Hool A500
The A500 followed the A280 in Van Hool’s city bus range. The “500” in its name refers to the floor height of 500 millimetres, and the bus was available in both two-door and three-door form. More than 600 examples were built, of which 200 were exported to France; with this bus Van Hool took its first steps on the French market. The type continued to be exported to Algeria for the operator ETUSA until 2008.
Two special versions were created for particular customers. For the Brussels operator MIVB several buses already in service were converted for special duties to gain more seating places; this was series 8301 to 8330, given the designation A500SP. In 1993 TEC ordered a number of series for its services, but TEC Liège-Verviers objected and asked for buses without a raised platform. A special step-free batch, series 521 to 561, was developed for them and designated A500PL, for PodestLoos, “platform-free”.
The A500 was used widely in Belgium: both the national transport companies and private bus operators took examples into their fleets. One bus also entered service temporarily with the municipal transport company of Amsterdam, as a trial bus for the replacement of the old buses of the 1960s.
Design and features
- Name from the floor: the A500 designation records its 500 mm floor height.
- Two or three doors: operators could choose the door layout for their routes.
- Export success: 200 of more than 600 buses went to France, Van Hool’s first move into that market.
- Long Algerian service: buses were exported to Algiers for ETUSA until 2008.
- Operator-specific versions: the A500SP for MIVB and the platform-free A500PL for TEC Liège-Verviers.
Van Hool A500 versions
- A500: the standard two- or three-door city bus.
- A500SP: MIVB series 8301–8330, converted for special duties with more seats.
- A500PL: step-free series 521–561 built for TEC Liège-Verviers in 1993.
- Two-door and three-door bodies: both layouts were catalogued.
The A500 was replaced by the Van Hool A300 and belongs to the same A-series as the A600. More buses are in the Van Hool collection.
Video: [Bayonne – Chronoplus] Van Hool A500 (MAN / Voith) n° 413 sur la ligne C
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Van Hool A500, Dutch Wikipedia: production, exports, special versions, operators
