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Hino Poncho front-engined low-floor minibus

Cacciamali Urby (built on Iveco Daily chassis) operating in Zagreb, Croatia

Toyota Coaster hospital minibus in Hong Kong

A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a seating capacity of between 8 and 30 seats. Larger minibuses may be called midibuses. Minibuses are typically front-engined step-entrance vehicles, although low floor minibuses do exist.

Usage[link]

Minibuses are used for a variety of reasons. In a public transport role, they can be used as fixed route transit buses, airport buses, flexible demand responsive transport vehicles, share taxis or large taxicabs. Accessible minibuses can also be used for paratransit type services, by local authorities, transit operators, hospitals or charities. Private uses of minibuses can include corporate transport, charter buses, tour buses. Schools, sports clubs, community groups and charities may also use minibuses for private transport. Individual owners may use reduced seating minibuses as cheap recreational vehicles.

Types[link]

By size, microbuses are minibuses smaller than 8 metres (26 ft 3 in) long. Midibuses are minibuses bigger than microbuses but smaller than plenibuses (full-size buses).

There are many different types and configurations of minibuses, due to historical and local differences, and usage. Minibus designs can be classified in three main groups, with a general increase in seating capacity with each type:

• Van conversions. Simple, optional extras
• Body builds
• Purpose built

Van conversions[link]

Ford Transit van factory minibus model

The most basic source of minibus is the van conversion, where the minibus is derived by modifying an existing van design. Conversions may be produced completely by the van manufacturer, sold as part of their standard model line-up, or be produced by specialist conversion companies, who source a suitably prepared base model from the van manufacturer for final completion as a minibus.

Van conversions involve adding windows to the bodywork, and seating to the cargo area. Van conversion minibuses outwardly look the same shape as the parent van, and the driver and front passenger cabin remains unchanged, retaining the driver and passenger doors. Access to the former cargo area for passengers is through the standard van side sliding door, or the rear doors. These may be fitted with step equipment to make boarding easier. Optional extras to van converted minibuses can include the addition of a rollsign for transit work, and/or a full-height walk-in door, for passenger access to the former cargo area. For public transport use, this door may be an automatic concertina type. For other uses, this may be a simple plug style coach door. Depending on the relevant legislation, conversions may also involve wheelchair lifts and tachograph equipment. A van conversion with a passenger area in the front and a storage area in the back, behind a fixed bulkhead, is called a splitter bus.

Examples of vans used for these conversion minibuses are:

• Ford Transit
• Mercedes Sprinter
• Toyota Hiace
• Volkswagen Crafter

Examples of Minibus Converters are: Minibus Options

Body builds[link]

A 1986 built 'van derived' Ford Transit minibus with Carlyle bus bodywork

North American School minibus based on a Chevrolet Express van chassis. Body is a Blue Bird Micro Bird

Another method of building a minibus is for a second stage manufacturer to build a specific body for fitting to a semi-completed van or light truck chassis. These allow a higher seating capacity than a simple van conversion. Often, the second stage manufacturer is a bus manufacturer.

In a body-on-chassis minibus, a cabin body is installed on a van or light truck chassis encompassing the drivers area. These designs may retain some outward signs of the original van, such as the hood and grill. Other designs are visually a complete bus design, and it is merely the chassis underneath that is from the van design.

The body-on-chassis approach gives the advantage of higher seating capacity, or more room for passenger comfort, through a larger cabin area. There is also the advantage of being able to have the drivers seat positioned in a small cubicle, next to the main passenger entrance, allowing the driver to collect fares in a transit bus role.

Examples of body built minibuses are:

• Busette (cut away chassis)
• Optare CityPacer (visually complete bus based on a van chassis)
• Plaxton Beaver (built on the Mercedes-Benz T2 and later the Vario chassis)

Examples of vehicles used for this type of minibuse are:

• Ford Transit
• Freight Rover
• Isuzu Elf locally built as the NQR bus

Purpose built[link]

Nissan Civilian purpose built minibus

A next generation approach to the van-derived or cutaway chassis approach, is for manufacturers to produce an integral design, where the whole vehicle is purposely designed and built for use as a minibus. This is usually done by an integral bus manufacturer, although large automotive groups also produce their own models. These designs are often available in long high capacity versions, and may attract different designations, such as midibus, or light bus.

Examples of purpose built minibuses are:

• Hino Liesse
• Isuzu Journey
• MCW Metrorider (also termed a midibus)
• Nissan Diesel RN
• Nissan Civilian
• Mitsubishi Fuso Rosa
• Toyota Coaster

Low floor minibuses[link]

Hino Poncho rear-engined low-floor minibus

Following the invention of low-floor technology, some low-floor purpose built minibuses have been created. Some offer a low floor access through a centre door. Some short versions of low floor midibuses are sometimes also called minibuses.

• Orion Bus Industries "Orion II"
• Mitsubishi Fuso Aero Midi ME
• Optare Solo (termed a midibus)
• Optare Alero
• Hino Poncho (1st generation front-engined, 2nd rear-engined)
• Nissan Diesel RN (some models have a low floor middle entrance)
• Bluebird Tucana (full length low flat floor from Bluebird Vehicles Ltd)
• Bluebird Auriga (tri-axle design)

Driving licence[link]

Some countries may require an additional class of driving licence over a normal private car licence, and some may require a full commercial driver's licence. The need for such a licence may depend on:

• Vehicle weight or size
• Seating capacity
• Driver age
• Intended usage
• Additional training (such as the Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme in the UK)

In the UK the following information regarding Minibus driving licences is important: "The holder of an ordinary car driving licence which was obtained prior to January 1997, once aged 21 years minimum, may drive a Minibus with a capacity of 16 passengers. Where the "ordinary car driving licence" is obtained after December 1996, they will have to take a separate test to drive a vehicle with a capacity of more than 8 passengers. However, there is an exemption for certain volunteer drivers, where the vehicle does not exceed 3500kgs GVW (or 4250kgs GVW if the vehicle is designed to be wheelchair accessible). Driving licence source

Gallery[link]

• 

  Volkswagen Type 2 "microbus"

• 

  Orion Bus Industries "Orion II" minibus

• 

  Van converted minibuses with sliding access doors (russian "GAZel")

• 

  A Ford E450 cutaway chassis design, with more integrated bodywork

• 

  Step equipped van converted minibus

• 

  Van converted minibuses as light transit buses

• 

  Optare Alero integral low floor minibus

• 

  Van conversion minibus with full height entrance door

• 

  Mitsubishi Fuso Aero Midi ME low floor minibus

• 

  Isuzu body built minibus

• 

  Nissan Diesel RN partially low floor light bus

• 

  Vancouver Translink GMC Topkick chassis with a El Dorado Aero Elite body minibus

See also[link]

Buses portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Minibuses

• Public light buses - minibuses in Hong Kong
• Short bus - school buses smaller than full-size buses
• Pesero - minibuses operating as regular buses in Mexico, especially in Mexico City.
• Marshrutka - routed taxicabs operating in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union
• VW Microbus
• List of buses

References[link]

General Trees (born Amos Edwards, Drews Land, Kingston, Jamaica, c.1960)^[1][2][3][4] was one of the most popular jamaican dancehall deejay of the 1980s, best known for his hits in the latter half of the decade.

Biography[link]

General Trees is widely regarded as the best Jamaican speed rapper of his era, the "fast style" of delivery commonly accepted as arriving in Jamaica from the UK, through London-born Phillip Papa Levi.^[5] He first found fame as a sound system star, working on Maurice Johnson's Black Scorpio system, which he had followed since the 1970s, his brother having preceded him as a deejay on the system.^[1][2] His name was given to him by Barry G, who thought he sounded like "a General with three voices in one".^[6] When Johnson opened his own studio, also named Black Scorpio, he began producing recordings, including those by artists that had performed with his sound system, including Trees and Lord Sassafrass.^[1] His debut single, "Mi God Mi King", topped the Jamaican singles chart, and a string of hits followed, including "Heel And Toe", "Monkey And Ape", "Ghost Rider", and "Crucifixion", although his best-remembered song is "Mini Bus", which lamented the demise of the "jolly bus",^[7] and which was awarded the title "Song Of The Year" in 1986 from the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation.^[5] The award raised his profile and he went on to record for a variety of producers in Jamaica. Further hits followed with "Gone A Negril" (#2 in 1986)^[8] and "Calling All Higglers", and he contributed to a "clash" album, Battle Of The Generals, that featured versions of "Lambada" and "Think Twice".^[5] Trees also recorded combination hits including "Coke Pipe" with Fancy Black, and "Nightmare" with Little John. In the early 1990s he again worked with Johnson, who also acted as his manager,^[5] but a falling-out between the two led Trees to work for other producers.^[2] Although he never repeated his earlier popularity, he had some success with "Eye Nah See", "Great Jamaican Jockeys" and "Goodie Goodie".^[5] He was less active during the late 1990s, although he recorded "Lik Him But Nuh Kill Him" for Linval Edwards in 1999.^[2] After that he was largely silent until he reunited again with Johnson in 2005, recording new songs including "Run di Place Again", "Mother of the Land", and "She Says She Loves Me".^[2] A tour of Europe with the Black Scorpio sound system followed in December 2005.^[2] He then began working with the Stur-Gav sound system.^[6]

During breaks in his career, Edwards fell back on his other trade of shoe-making.^[2]

Discography[link]

• Heart, Mind & Soul (1985)
• Ghost Rider (1985) Sunset
• The Younger Horseman (1985) Sunset
• Nuff Respect (1987) Shanachie
• Battle Of The Generals (1987) King Dragon
• A Reggae Calypso Encounter (1987) Rohit
• Ragga Ragga Raggamuffin (1988) JA
• Everything So So (1990) World
• Reggae Calypso Encounter (1990) Rohit (Yellowman & General Trees)

References[link]

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DJ Dan
DJ Dan, 2007
Background information
Birth name	Daniel Wherrett
Origin	Olympia, Washington, United States
Genres	House Funky House Electro House Breaks Techno TechHouse Electronica
Occupations	Producer, DJ
Website	http://www.djdan.com

DJ Dan (born Daniel Wherrett) is an American electronic house music DJ and producer.^[1] Dan previously released works through the Moonshine label.

Wherret grew up in Olympia, Washington. He began hearing electronic dance music at clubs in Seattle and Tacoma where Donald Glaude was playing. Glaude taught him the basics of turntablism before Wherret went to study fashion at FIDM in Los Angeles in 1991. At the time, the nascent rave culture was emerging in Los Angeles. Dan played a few events with Ron D Core and soon became a sought after DJ - the two of them released a series of mixtapes together, including some live mixes. He was voted the #5 DJ in the world by DJ Magazine 's "Top 100" poll for 2006. DJ Dan has performed in music venues throughout North America and Europe as well as music festivals including Starscape, Nocturne, and Ultra. ^[2]

Discography[link]

Singles[link]

• DJ Dan & Hatiras - Baked From Scratch (Blow Media)
• DJ Dan - Bam (InStereo)
• DJ Dan and Grandadbob - Disco Hertz EP (Faith and Hope Recordings)
• DJ Dan - Transformers Cartoon Theme (Hasbro)
• DJ Dan & DJ Sneak - Speaker Hoes (Unreleased)
• DJ Dan & Steve Mac - Da Muzik (Unreleased)
• DJ Dan - Get Up (Kinetic)
• DJ Dan & Bryan Cox - It’s Getting Closer (Ammo)
• DJ Dan & Hatiras - Love For The Weekend (Blow Media)
• DJ Dan Presents Needle Damage – That Zipper Track (Moonshine) - UK #53^[3]
• DJ Dan - Needle Damage Remixes (Audacious)
• DJ Dan - Put That Record Back On (Kinetic)
• DJ Dan - Put That Record Back On (Part 1) (Honchos)
• DJ Dan - Put That Record Back On (Part 2) (Honchos)
• DJ Dan - Rock To The Rhythm (Audacious)
• DJ Dan - That Phone Track (Subliminal)
• DJ Dan & Dano - That Arrival (Red Melon Records)
• DJ Dan - Monkey Business (InStereo)
• DJ Dan - Annihilated (InStereo)
• DJ Dan feat Suzie Del Vecchio - Baila Baila (InStereo)
• DJ Dan – Seduction (InStereo)
• DJ Dan & Donald Glaude - Stick Em (InStereo)
• DJ Dan & Hipp-E - Bangin On Ya System (InStereo)
• DJ Dan – Illectrolingus (InStereo)
• DJ Dan - N20 (InStereo)
• DJ Dan - Chop Shop (InStereo)
• DJ Dan - Further Damage EP (Audacious)
• DJ Dan - Secret Stash EP (InStereo)
• DJ Dan - Bam 2009 (InStereo)
• DJ Dan Presents Future Retro - Evolution 1 (Nettwerk)
• DJ Dan Presents Future Retro - Evolution 2 (Nettwerk)
• DJ Dan Presents Future Retro - Evolution 3 (Nettwerk)
• DJ Dan Presents Future Retro - Fascinated (Nettwerk)
• DJ Dan - In Your Area (Nettwerk)
• DJ Dan & DJ Sneak - Dancefloor Sisters EP (Magnetic/InStereo)
• DJ Dan - Work That Sucka/Whores Play (Rising)
• DJ Dan - Stereo Damage (Hotfingers)
• DJ Dan - Nasty Night Out EP (Guesthouse)

Remixes[link]

• 7 Days In A Bathroom (Neo Recordings)
• A Tribe Called Quest - Public Enemy (DJ Dan Mix) (Jive Electro)
• Atomic Babies - Cetch Da Monkey (DJ Dan Remix) (BML)
• Basco - Everythings Gone To The Beat (Electroliners Remix) (Smile Recordings)
• Blake Lewis - How Many Words (DJ Dan Remix) (BMG)
• Brother Grimm - Radiate (Electroliners Remix) (Smile Recordings)
• Carl Cox - The Future (DJ Dan Mix) (Moonshine)
• Cirrus - Back On A Mission (DJ Dan Remix) (Moonshine)
• Cirrus - Stop and Panic (DJ Dan Mix) (Moonshine)
• Citizen King - Better Days (DJ Dan Remixes) (Warner)
• Delirium (DJ Dan Remix) (Nettwerk)
• Depeche Mode - Precious (DJ Dan Remix) (Sire/Warner)
• Dino Lenny - I Feel Stereo (DJ Dan Mix) (Yoshitoshi)
• Dub Pistols - Unique Freak (DJ Dan Mix) (Unreleased)
• Enrique Iglesias - Do You Know (DJ Dan Mix)
• Ferry Corsten - Body Rock (DJ Dan Remix) (Moonshine)
• Filter - The Best Things (DJ Dan & Terry Mullan Remix) (Reprise)
• Freshmaka - I Am The Freshmaka (DJ Dan Mix) (Moonshine)
• Groove Armada - Chicago (DJ Dan & Terry Mullan Remix) (Jive Electro)
• Happy Rhodes - Roy (DJ Dan Mix) (Iwillgetthis4u)
• Jamie Kennedy & Stu Stone - Circle Circle Dot Dot (DJ Dan Remix) (Warner)
• Jon H & Rakal - Drop Da Beat (DJ Dan Mix) (Red Menace)
• Keoki - Crash (DJ Dan Mix) (Moonshine)
• M5 Feat. Brad Raker - Sanctuary (Electroliners Remix) (Sorted)
• Mephisto Odyssey - Flow (DJ Dan Mix) (Warner)
• New Order - Krafty (DJ Dan Remix) (Warner)
• New Order - Guilt Is A Useless Emotion (DJ Dan Remix) (Warner)
• Olive - I Am Not In Love (DJ Dan Mix) (Warner)
• Orgy - Blue Monday (DJ Dan Mix) (Warner)
• Orgy - Stiches (DJ Dan Mix) (Warner)
• Paradiso Girls - Patron Tequila (DJ Dan's Mix)
• Pussycat Dolls - Don't Cha (DJ Dan's Dub) (Interscope)
• Rob Tissera - Kick Up The Volume (Electroliners Remix) (XL)
• White Knight - New World Order (DJ Dan & Dano Mix) (Smile Recordings)
• Yoko Ono - Give Peace A Chance (DJ Dan Remix) (Twisted)
• Rooster & Peralta - Shake it (DJ Dan Remix) (Funkatronik)
• DJ Kue - The Way (DJ Dan Remix) (InStereo)
• Mike Balance - Loud Enough (DJ Dan Remix) (InStereo)
• Macca – Gangster (DJ Dan Remix) (Invasive Recordings)
• I Don't Care - I Don't Care (DJ Dan Edit) (InStereo)
• Loops of Fury - Flick A Switch (DJ Dan and Mike Balance Remix) (U&A Recordings)
• Lady Gaga - Paparazzi (DJ Dan Remix) (Interscope)
• Janet Jackson - Make Me (DJ Dan Vocal and Peaktime Remixes) (Interscope)
• Space Cowboy feat Cinema Bizarre - We Came 2 Party (DJ Dan Remix) (Interscope)
• P Diddy - Love Come Down (DJ Dan Remix) (Interscope)
• Lady Gaga - Bad Romance (DJ Dan Remix) (Interscope)
• Lady Gaga feat. Beyonce - Telephone (DJ Dan Extended Mix) (Interscope)

Compilations[link]

• Accelerate (Kinkysweet)
• Another Late Night (Moonshine)
• Beats 4 Freaks (Moonshine)
• DJ Dan: In Stereo (Kinetic)
• Funk The System (Moonshine)
• Lift Vol 1 (Thrive)
• Lift Vol 2 (Thrive)
• Loose Caboose (VRG)
• Mixed Live: Ruby Skye San Franicsco (Moonshine)
• Roundtrip (Kinetic)
• URB Mix Vol 2 (Smile Communications)

Studio albums[link]

• Future Retro (Nettwerk, 2010)

See also[link]

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official DJ Dan website
• Official DJ Dan Myspace Page
• Official DJ Dan Facebook Page
• Official InStereo Recordings Myspace Page
• DJ Dan discography at Discogs
• Early 90's DJ Dan Mixtapes