A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van, but less than the average rail transport. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for charter purposes, or through private ownership. Although the average bus carries between 30 and 100 passengers, some buses have a capacity of up to 300 passengers. The most common type is the single-deck rigid bus, with double-decker and articulated buses carrying larger loads, and midibuses and minibuses carrying smaller loads. Coaches are used for longer-distance services. Many types of buses, such as city transit buses and inter-city coaches, charge a fare. Other types, such as elementary or secondary school buses or shuttle buses within a post-secondary education campus, are free. In many jurisdictions, bus drivers require a special large vehicle licence above and beyond a regular driving licence.
Buses may be used for scheduled bus transport, scheduled coach transport, school transport, private hire, or tourism; promotional buses may be used for political campaigns and others are privately operated for a wide range of purposes, including rock and pop band tour vehicles.
Horse-drawn buses were used from the 1820s, followed by steam buses in the 1830s, and electric trolleybuses in 1882. The first internal combustion engine buses, or motor buses, were used in 1895.[3] Recently, interest has been growing in hybrid electric buses, fuel cell buses, and electric buses, as well as buses powered by compressed natural gas or biodiesel. As of the 2010s, bus manufacturing is increasingly globalised, with the same designs appearing around the world.
Name
The word bus is a shortened form of the Latin adjectival form omnibus ("for all"), the dative plural of omnis/omne ("all"). The theoretical full name is in French voiture omnibus ("vehicle for all"). The name originates from a mass-transport service started in 1823 by a French corn-mill owner named Stanislas Baudry in Richebourg, a suburb of Nantes. A by-product of his mill was hot water, and thus next to it he established a spa business. In order to encourage customers he started a horse-drawn transport service from the city center of Nantes to his establishment. The first vehicles stopped in front of the shop of a hatter named Omnés, which displayed a large sign inscribed "Omnes Omnibus", a pun on his Latin-sounding surname, omnes being the male and female nominative, vocative and accusative form of the Latin adjective omnis/-e ("all"), combined with omnibus, the dative plural form meaning "for all", thus giving his shop the name "Omnés for all", or "everything for everyone".
His transport scheme was a huge success, although not as he had intended as most of his passengers did not visit his spa. He turned the transport service into his principal lucrative business venture and closed the mill and spa. Nantes citizens soon gave the nickname "omnibus" to the vehicle. Having invented the successful concept Baudry moved to Paris and launched the first omnibus service there in April 1828. A similar service was introduced in Manchester in 1824 and in London in 1829.
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- SERVES
- 6
- COOK TIME
- 35 Min
What makes Grandma's Macaroni and Cheese so special? Well, besides the fact that it reminds us of all the love we get from Grandma, it's also full of extra-cheesy yumminess. This homemade macaroni and cheese even has one surprising ingredient that makes it even better!
- 1 (16-ounce) package elbow macaroni
- 2 (10-3/4-ounce) cans condensed Cheddar cheese soup
- 2 cups milk
- 6 cups (1-1/2 pounds) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, reserving 1 cup for topping
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and place back into pot. Stir in remaining ingredients except reserved cheese.
- Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until heated through.
When working for UPS I delivered a package to his Mulholland Drive home. He drove out just as I arrived and waved to me. This was about 1980. His butler and one of his twin sons, Gunnar or Matthew (about 13 at the time)