Ventura door systems give Oslo access to zero-emission public transport

By the end of 2023, public transport in Oslo will be virtually emission-free. Buses, subways, trams and boats will be powered by electricity. Oslo is set to reach its goal of emission-free public transport five years earlier than planned.

This is a result of the way Ruter, as a public transport authority, has adapted its tenders to facilitate flexibility and innovation in the market. A total of 361 new electric buses from different manufacturers will flow into the zero-emission fleet for Oslo. They are all unique but have one thing in common: they are equipped with Ventura door systems.

Based in the Netherlands, Ventura Systems pride itself of being the leading manufacturer of innovative door systems for urban public transport

Ventura doors for zero emission bus fleet in Oslo

With an average of about 3 million registered boardings in buses every week across the counties of Oslo and Akershus, there is a need for reliable door systems that can handle the passenger flow and can offer accessibility for everyone. To ensure safety, the door systems are equipped with the latest safety features. For example with Ventura’s LED boarding indication system that indicates the boarding status of the door. Together with other features, the Ventura door systems offer a safe and comfortable commute to the people of Oslo, the supplier stresses.

183 articulated Solaris Urbino 18.75 electric buses with Ventura door systems have already entered the streets of Oslo. Solaris has completed the delivery of these buses to Unibuss AS. The zero-emission Urbino buses with an extended length of 18.75 meters, are equipped with an electric Inward Gliding 4th generation door system at the front and electric Plug Sliding 2nd generation door systems over the length of the bus. A total of 732 Ventura door systems have been installed in this project.

Focus on Ventura Plug Sliding door system

Ventura Systems was the first company to develop a Plug Sliding door system for heavy-duty transit buses. With 30 years of field experience from all over the world, the Plug Sliding door system has become the pinnacle of Ventura engineering. This carefully thought-through system is all about improving passenger safety and maximizing uptime.

The outward motion of the Plug Sliding doors creates a completely clear doorway allowing passengers to easily enter and exit the bus simultaneously, improving passenger flow. Unlike inward swinging doors, the Plug Sliding doors don’t take up interior space or prevent passengers from standing in front of the door for a quick exit. This makes the door system ideal for all door boarding which can significantly reduce dwell time.

A unique feature of these door systems is the use of Ventura’s LED passenger communication system. The LED strip integrated into the leading edge is visible on the outside of the door leaf and communicates the operating status of the door. It lights up green when it is safe to enter and (flashes) red when passengers should not enter the doors. This clear communication prevents passenger obstruction and improves safety. This optical communication system also has a daytime and/or nighttime mode to prevent over-illumination.

A fleet of VDL e-buses for Oslo (with Ventura doors)

In 2022, 83 VDL Citeas SLFA-180 Electric and 19 SLF-120 Electric buses were added to the service of Norgesbuss and they will cover approximately 7 millions of clean kilometers every year. With more than 50 bus lines during the day and even 24-hour bus lines, that adds up to a lot of stops every day. To ensure reliability and safe boarding, VDL trusts on Ventura door systems as well.

In the first doorway, the Inward Gliding door “offers proven technology that has a compact design and is low maintenance. The door is sealed with an integral rubber, so no brushes are required. Thanks to the special sealing on the bottom of the door, no water or wind will enter. As a result, the door does not protrude, fits perfectly in the frame and prevents noise. Also, its clever design with an active flap makes that the door leaves stay within the vehicle. That’s why there are no brushes required”, Ventura Systems underlines.

The door can be customized to the preferences of the customer. In the configuration of the doors, with one or two door leaves or with (a)symmetrical door leaves, or in customization of the drive, handrails, glazing or passenger interface options. Every door is tailor made to fit any bus.

Ebusco buses with Ventura doors

By the end of 2023, Nobina will take 22 Ebusco 3.0 12-meter and 54 Ebusco 3.0 18-meter electric buses in their service, bringing the total number of Ebusco buses in the Nobina fleet to 176 buses. The buses will be equipped with 4th generation electric Inward Gliding doors in the front and 2nd generation electric Plug Sliding doors in the other doorways.

The Plug Sliding door in the 3.0 model has a remarkable appearance due to the unique Full Glass design. The new sealing design offers less rubber visibility from the outside of the vehicle without compromising in sealing properties compared to standard Ventura rubber. The Full Glass door goes hand-in-hand with the aesthetic design of the 3.0 model.

“Safety is no issue with the Plug Sliding door – the supplier underlines -. It opens quickly and smoothly with no risk of obstruction. With its sensitive edge it reopens automatically when it encounters an obstruction or detects drag. And when equipped with a passenger detection sensor, it even prevents encounters before they happen. Safety measures are also support by the in-house developed door control unit, which allows to program the door’s behavior according to customers preferences for ultimate customization”.

The Plug Sliding door system is designed to last the life of the bus, providing the lowest life cycle cost and maximum uptime. Both the Inward Gliding and Plug Sliding door have a clever modular design, that allows for a highly customized solution to fit any bus. The door system is available with pneumatic or electric drive in a wide variety of both standard and customizable sizes. Each system is tailor made and can be fully customized.