In short-range public transportation there are also minibuses with a passenger capacity between 12 and 22 people. Those are prior used for public transportation on extra construed routes (taxi bus, quarter bus). With a lower ridership, these minibuses are passenger-friendly and more comfortable than bigger omnibuses. Also these minibuses are much more environmentally sound as large public service vehicles.
During the past years a trend away from large buses towards minibuses could be observed also in the tourism area. Because of smaller tour groups, many large coaches are not fully stretched anymore, so many travel agencies have a fleet of minibuses in their current car pools. Besides the regular public transportation minibuses are also used for school buses, ambulance service and transport of disabled people as well as in the tourism industry.
Manufacturers more and more upgrade their minibus models and constantly evolve them, to fit them to the needs of passengers and the standards of the different bus companies.
Among others, the following arrangements to increase the quality of minibuses were taken by the manufacturers:
- Assembly and alteration of windows (tinted wondows, optional conversion to double glazing),
- Assembly of lower entrance by an additional footstep or an extendable extra step,
- Alteration of hinged doors to electrically driven and automatically fold-out vehicle doors,
- Assembly of a new vehicle floor with integrated railing system, enabling stepless adjusting of the seats,
- Assembly of air conditioning with central or individual airstream,
- Possibility of requested interior trim or a new interior lighting, and
- Possibility of requested Assembly of multimedia systems, like DVD-player etc., refrigerator or cooling box or even a complete mini-kitchen.
Best known representatives of minibuses among others are:
- Mercedes Sprinter
- Mercedes Vito
- Mercedes Viano
- Ford Transit
- Renault Espace
- VW Crafter
- Opel Vivaro
- Nissan Primastar
- Fiat Ducato
- Peugeot Boxer
- Citroen Jumper