Karosa B 961 is an articulated urban bus produced by bus manufacturer Karosa from the Czech Republic, in the years of 2002 to 2006. Modernised version, Karosa B 961E, was introduced in the year 2003. In many towns, they replaced Karosa B 741. It was last high-floor bus built in Karosa, before it was renamed to Iveco Czech Republic.
Construction features
Karosa B 961 is a model of the Karosa 900 series. The B 961 is derived from its predecessor the Karosa B 941, and also unified with city bus models such as the B 951 and the B 952. The body was assembled to the skeleton, which has undergone a dip stage, sheets were galvanized and painted and then to have it installed additional components. The body is made of two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint. The body is semi-self-supporting with frame and engine with automatic gearbox is placed in the rear part. The engine drives only the third C axle, meaning that this articulated bus has a pusher configuration. The front, middle and rear axles are solid. All the axles are mounted on air suspension. On the right side are four doors. Inside are used plastic Vogelsitze or Ster seats. The driver's cab is separated from the rest of the vehicle by a glazed partition. In the middle part and in the rear part, is room for a pram or wheelchair. Buses have an enclosed design of the turntable.
Production and operation
Prototype of Karosa B 961 was built in 2000. Later it was given to PragueTransport Company as a help after floods in Prague in 2002. It operates until now with number 6360. It has ZF gearbox and Iveco engine.
Serial production started in the year 2002, when first buses were delivered to first operators in Czech Republic and Slovakia, and continued until 2006. Since 2003 were buses produced only modernised version B 961 E, which had glass glued to skeleton, instead of glass mounted in rubber and better ventilation of the engine compartment. Last B 961 E left the production line in 2006, it was bus which is now operated by Martin Uher in Prague, Czech Republic under the number 1147.
