Scale Explorer

Vehicles

How big is a city bus?

City bus · New Flyer Xcelsior 40-foot transit bus

Length over bumpers
12.5 m 41 ft
Roof height
3.2–3.38 m 10.5–11.1 ft range
Width
2.59 m 8 ft 6 in
Curb weight
12.59–15.33 t 27,750–33,805 lb range
Show
Human, Ostrich, Great white shark, City bus drawn to the same scaleHuman: height 1.61–1.75 m. Ostrich: height (adult male) 2.1–2.7 m. Great white shark: length (average adult) 3.4–4.9 m. City bus: length over bumpers 12.5 m.Human: 1.61–1.75 mOstrich: 2.1–2.7 mGreat white shark: 3.4–4.9 mCity bus: 12.5 mCity bus12.5 mOstrich2.1–2.7 mHuman1.61–1.75 mGreat white shark3.4–4.9 m
Everything is drawn to the same scale, standing on the same ground line. Silhouettes are simplified outlines scaled to the measured dimension. A faded outline shows the top of a size range.

Compare City bus with something else →

Dimensions

MeasurementMetricImperialNotesSource
Length over bumpers 12.5 m 41 ft 40-foot Xcelsior, 41 ft 0 in over bumpers; 40 ft 2 in (12.24 m) over the body [1] [2]
Roof height 3.2–3.38 m 10.5–11.1 ft 10 ft 6 in over the A/C (diesel) to 11 ft 1 in over roof enclosures or charging rails (CNG, electric). Range: varies [1]
Width 2.59 m 8 ft 6 in Body width (2.6 m) [1] [2]
Curb weight 12.59–15.33 t 27,750–33,805 lb Approximate empty weight of the 40-foot bus, from diesel (27,750 lb) to battery-electric (33,805 lb); varies with options. Range: varies [1]

About the city bus

New Flyer's Xcelsior low-floor transit bus is built in 35, 40 and 60 ft sizes, and the 40-foot version measures 41 ft 0 in (12.50 m) over the bumpers and 102 in (2.6 m) wide, with a roof height of 10 ft 6 in to 11 ft 1 in depending on the powertrain. It seats up to 40 passengers with room for up to 44 more standing.

  • The 40-foot Xcelsior seats up to 40 passengers and carries up to 44 standees. [2]
  • The bus comes in diesel, hybrid, CNG and battery-electric versions; the curb weight of the 40-foot model ranges from about 27,750 lb (diesel) to 33,805 lb (electric). [1]
  • The wheelbase is 283.75 in (7.2 m), and interior height is 95 in (2.4 m) mid-coach. [1]
  • New Flyer says it has delivered over 6,400 clean diesel buses in North America since 2010. [2]

How many fit?

  • ≈ 7.4 × Human · height lined up end to end match the City bus · length over bumpers
  • ≈ 140–200 × Human · body mass on the scales weigh as much as City bus · curb weight
  • ≈ 2.5 × Car · length lined up end to end match the City bus · length over bumpers
  • ≈ 7.6–9.3 × Car · curb weight on the scales weigh as much as City bus · curb weight

Counts divide one sourced figure by another. "End to end" uses each object's main measurement; weight and volume rows appear only when both figures are sourced.

How it compares

  • 7.4× A city bus is about 7.4 times as long as an average adult is tall. See side by side
  • 2.5× A city bus is about 2.5 times as long as a mid-size car. See side by side
  • 1× A city bus is about as long as a 40 ft shipping container. See side by side
  • 1× A city bus is about as long as a Brachiosaurus is tall. See side by side
  • 1/1.9 A tennis court is about 1.9 times as long as a city bus. See side by side
  • 1/3.2 A Boeing 737 is about 3.2 times as long as a city bus. See side by side

Factors compare the length over bumpers of a city bus with each object’s own main measurement (height for a human). Where a size varies, the factor is given as a range.

Notes on these figures

  • A '40-foot' bus is a nominal size class; the example here is 41 ft 0 in over bumpers and 40 ft 2 in over the body. Other makers' 40-foot buses differ slightly.
  • Weights are New Flyer's approximate curb weights and vary with customer options.

Sources

  1. New Flyer of America, Xcelsior brochure (2020). Accessed 25 September 2026.
  2. New Flyer of America, Xcelsior Clean Diesel brochure. Accessed 25 September 2026.

Related objects