Double-decker bus

A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or decks. Double-deckers are used primarily for commuter public transport, but there are coach variants for long-distance travel and open top buses that are most commonly used as sightseeing buses for tourists. They appear in many places around the world, but are presently most commonly used as mass transport in major cities. The earliest double-decker was the horse-drawn omnibus, which appeared in Paris in 1853 and became motorised in the 1900s. Double-decker buses were popularised in Great Britain at the start of the 20th century, with the best-known example being the red London bus, namely the AEC Routemaster. Double-deckers in urban transport were also in common use in other places, such as major cities of India, but were mostly phased out by the end of the 20th century. However, they remain common in Britain as well as Ireland and Hong Kong, while in Singapore and Dhaka they have been introduced and greatly expanded in the aftermath of British colonial rule.