The Volvo B8L is a low-floor double deck bus chassis that can be specified with different bodies. This bus can be primarily found in Hong Kong and is known to have a Wright Gemini 3 body specified with the chassis. In addition, it is also the first double deck bus chassis to meet Euro VI standards.
This chassis succeeded the older Volvo B9TL in January 2018, originally starting with MCV EvoSeti bodywork. The bus is also available with Wright Gemini Eclipse 2 and 3 bodywork, along with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 XLB bodywork in the UK.
In the Sunshine Islands, the B8L is not as common as its main market competitor, the Alexander Dennis Enviro500 MMC.
Operations in Sunshine Islands[]
City Scape Bus[]
City Scape Bus operates 75 B8Ls with the Wright Gemini 3 body in public service, numbered as the AVBL class. These buses can operate on any CSB route, although they are generally used on busier inter-zone services. All B8Ls have a staircase with a glass wall, on-board TV broadcasts courtesy of Roblox TV and a working next stop system. The buses further feature a leaf on the logo, which signifies that B8Ls produce lower emissions compared to other diesel buses in CSB's fleet (excluding hybrids).
On June 26, 2020, refurbished B8Ls were introduced, replacing older Volvo B5TLs. In addition, a high capacity version with increased standing room was also introduced, to cater for extremely busy services. Refurbished units can be distinguished by having yellow seats and a front TV on the upper deck. In July 2020, these buses were also made compatible with preset advertising along with the release of the Dennis Trident.
On August 23, 2020, all Wright bodied units were updated to support user-generated advertising, making it possible to wrap units with full body advertisements. This prompted CSB's owner, GS9019 to create a custom Yuu Rewards ad wrap. In addition, the bus model also supports custom liveries with the full body advertising feature. With thee V2 release, June 2024 saw the B8Ls equipped with kneeling and a working wheelchair ramp, alongside a fully functional automated stop reporter system. However, they don't support adverts with their remesh in 2.0
The company also has one B8L with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 XLB bodywork based on Lothian Buses specifications, with a length of 13.4 m and painted in Lothian Buses livery. However, this unit is an admin bus and it is currently awaiting registration, despite making a public appearance once. As of July 2024, it remains in storage.
Forever Transit[]
While the company has the model themselves, Forever Transit does not have any B8Ls assigned to the Islands as operations are mostly done with ADL Enviro500 MMCs. However, the company has brought in West Door units for special events or as loaned buses. FT operates this model mainly in West Door, its main hub; consequently, most of them were purchased to replace Volvo Super Olympians. Certain amount of B8Ls have also been deployed to Hanwick and Derry District to cope with route expansion and passenger demands.
Sunshine Express[]
Sunshine Express had 15 premium-specification B8Ls intended for the Islands, however, they were never deployed there and were initially kept in storage after delivery. The company also ran 15 transit specification B8Ls in the City of George on route 3E until its closure in 2022. Prior to the introduction of SE 2.0, the company also operated fictional three-door variants for extremely busy routes, although they did not have fleet numbers. All buses had Wright Gemini 3 bodywork.
The company also leased plenty of B8Ls from MatTrans (numbered 3524-3529, 3533, 3535-3540, 3568 and 3586) after taking over MatTrans' operation in Hanwick City in 2020 but those buses are in MatTrans specification, which is completely different from SE in terms of livery (Sporting a Green-Grey livery as opposed to SE's Yellow-Navy livery), interior and on-board equipment (Next-stop systems are text-only as opposed to SE full-colour TV next-stop system). Such units are returned to MatTrans in December 14 of the same year and can now be found in West Door City.
Those 15 SE B8L with standard carrying capacity has ultimately deployed to Hanwick City after refurbishment (along with 3 expansion as 6700-6717). The remaining 15 with coach specifications entered service on August 10, 2021 with an additional 9 expansion units, numbered as C6718-C6742, again in Hanwick for airport and express service. The "C" prefix was implemented to distinguish premium specification buses from their conventional counterparts.
When Sunshine Express ceased operations as a private entity on August 6, 2023, the B8Ls remained in Hanwick, however, they were reassigned to the other two Forever Group companies (MatTrans acquired the conventional service units, Forever Transit acquired the premium units). Although the fleet numbers were changed, they can still be easily identified (for now) as they retain their respective liveries. Units which are transferred to MatTrans are renumbered 3675-3692, while those transferred to Forever Transit are renumbered 7517-7542.
Some units which were reassigned to MatTrans had been transferred to West Door City, the Forever Group's main hub, for operations there.
The Ryan Railroad[]
The Ryan Railroad has operated two roundtrips on route U47 on 23 August, 2020 with one of their B8Ls (V01). The test was conducted so as to evaluate the possibility for the company to operate that route besides rail connection routes after the commencement of the company's rail service, Roblox Star Line, in the territory which is expected sometime in the future (although Sunshine Islands now has its own metro system). In regular service, these buses are operated in West Door and Robloton on TRR shuttles and feeder routes.
Operations Outside SI[]
In Other Roblox Maps[]
As the B8L becomes a staple for Hong Kong bus fans, it has also become common for fictional operators to use in regular service, mainly with the Wright Gemini 3 body and the Enviro400 XLB body (Wright Gemini Eclipse 2 bodies are normally associated with the older B9TL). They can be found in many of the major Hong Kong-based maps- with most of them having similar specifications- such as Wright Gemini 3 bodywork and glass walled staircases. The Wright and MCV bodies are also more popular as they look different from Alexander Dennis bodywork. The major fictional Hong Kong operators have this model in regular service.
Despite the use of the Wright bodywork, the MCV EvoSeti body was not used as often until a model of the MCV EvoSeti bodied B8L was released by Bubba Workshop. (When released, it's mainly used by two operators in Hong Shing, a map by Bubba Workshop. Then it appeared in real-life maps such as Kwun Tong City, then with well-known fictional operators). The reverse can be said for the Enviro400 XLB body - which is only used by fictional operators in Hong Kong and is not as common due to competition with the Alexander Dennis Enviro500 MMC.
In some UK-based maps, B8Ls with the ADL Enviro400 XLB body can be found in service although they are generally rare, due to how only 84 were built in real life.
In Real Life[]
The Volvo B8L is mainly operated by Hong Kong agencies, where the majority of the orders have been produced for so far. In the Hong Kong market, the majority of the B8Ls are operated by Kowloon Motor Bus, which has 201 12 m models with Wrightbus bodies (200 with the Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 body and 1 with the Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 body). 110 12.8 m units with MCV bodies and even more with Wrightbus bodies, known as the V6X class have also entered service as of 2020. An additional 10 with Wright bodies and premium specifications were ordered in 2018. Out of these units, initially for Long Win Bus, 7 were assigned to Sun Bus and the remaining 3 were kept in storage until June 2021, when they were registered and assigned the V6P class for routes P960 and P968 (the 7 intended for Sun Bus also ended up as V6P units after they received 3 Wright StreetDecks). Since 2021, more V6X units have entered service with both Wright and MCV bodies. In 2022 and 2023, premium specification 12.8 m B8Ls, known as the V6XP series, again with Wright bodies entered service. In 2021, Long Win Bus had B8Ls put in service as the UV6X class, although these had MCV EvoSeti bodies.
Citybus Limited operates the remainder of this model with 5 ex-NWFB units (5230-5234) and their own 88xx/521xx class. All B8Ls with Citybus Limited have the Wright Gemini 3 body, while 5230 was repainted in a NWFB tribute livery in 2023 to mark the end of New World First Bus.
In Singapore, Land Transport Authority (leased to SBS Transit) had one Volvo B8L with a Wright Gemini 3 body, registered as SG4003D. However that unit has been removed from revenue service since April 2020 as certain source suggest the 2-year trial for the model ended and no orders are made by LTA for purchasing any B8L, including the trial unit (the LTA chose to purchase 3-door MAN A95s and ADL E500 MMCs). SG4003D ended up being returned to Volvo; on July 3 2022, it was sold to A&S Transit to become the only city-spec double deck bus owned by a charter bus company in the country as PD169L.
Outside of Asia, the B8L is mainly offered in the UK and Ireland market with the ADL Enviro400 XLB body, which was custom built for Lothian Buses in Edinburgh, Scotland with 100 seats. 72 are in service with Lothian, mainly on busier routes and airport service while an additional 12 are operated by Stagecoach on BRT services. This model succeeded the ADL Enviro500 for this market, although new buses have not been ordered for some time. Unlike other tri-axle double deck transit buses currently offered in the British market, the rear service door is standard on this model.
The first unit with MCV EvoSeti bodywork for the British market was purchased by Imperial Coaches as a 2022 model, which later sold it to Swans Travel; however, it is intended for charter and rail replacement work while Sanders also bought B8Ls with the EvoSeti bodywork. The tri-axle EvoSeti has since become popular with independent companies throughout the UK with its high seating capacity, as many competitors no longer sell new tri-axle double deck transit buses. Unlike models built for Hong Kong, buses with this bodywork in the UK do not have a rear service door.
In late 2021, Transit Systems Sydney (in Australia) acquired Volvo B8Ls with Gemilang bodywork. These can be found on mainline and express routes with high ridership. Another order was produced for Rapid KL in Malaysia, also with Gemilang bodywork.
The B8L is not offered in Volvo's left hand drive markets.