Patent ID: 7305766

Claim:
A method for assembling a bus comprising the steps of: forming a shell of the bus at a first workstation, the shell having a first side, a second side, a roof, a floor, a first end and a second end located at opposite longitudinal ends of the shell, at least one of the first and second ends being substantially open, and a substantially open passage extending between the first and second ends; moving the shell along a first path extending substantially transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the shell to a second workstation; positioning a pre-assembly station alongside the first path adjacent the second workstation, such that the pre-assembly station is positioned immediately opposite one of the first and second ends of the shell and along the longitudinal axis of the shell when the shell is moved into position adjacent the pre-assembly station; moving the shell along the first path between a plurality of pre-assembly stations; and positioning each of the plurality of pre-assembly stations alongside the first path such that each pre-assembly station is positioned immediately opposite one of the first and seconds ends of the shell and along the longitudinal axis of the shell when the shell is moved into position adjacent the respective pre-assembly station.