To that end, they are turning to Northern Ireland-based Wrightbus, a company that specializes in various sizes of bus and traces its roots back to 1930.

The Wrightbus StreetLite Midi got considerable attention at the recent Australian Bus & Coach Show in Sydney, where the company's lightweight Aluminique body structure helped to demonstrate the advantages of smaller, smarter city buses. Wrightbus is partnering with a Melbourne-based dealer to get the Midi on the road.

There are a few practical reasons for making the switch. As is often the case in large cities, traditional "big buses" run half-empty as they ferry passengers around town. That translates into carbon emissions with no payoff, strained revenues from low ridership, and limits on any flexibility to better attract riders.

At the same time, Australian writer Steve Skinner notes, urban environments are getting more crowded. That holds true across the globe, particularly in countries with young populations trekking into their cities. Transport solutions that make it easier to navigate, whether in Sydney or Singapore, offer an advantage.

The Midi is a low-floor compact version that is just 8.8 meters long at its shortest, with four different lengths; the standard (and slim) width measures just under 2.5 meters. The design seeks to maximize the benefits of climate-friendly public transportation service – and make those benefits more attractive to potential users – with a sleek modern line that relies on aluminium to boost returns on sustainability.

Just as lightweighting has become a priority in the consumer automotive market, or in the trucking and rail transport industries, so too have the decreased fuel costs and easier acceleration in bus operations.

Each Midi is built with aluminium frames and quick-release aluminium panels that are designed for safety and easy repair, making the models just over seven tons unladen. The potential for fuel savings is boosted by a Siemens electric hybrid option that can deliver an additional 10 percent in fuel savings when compared with a Mercedes-Benz engine. The new StreetLite engines meet Euro 6 performance standards, and while not speedy from a full stop, the buses reach speeds up to 90 km/h.

The short-length version can carry up to 70 passengers, roughly half seated and half standing, in a more compact space – although in Australia, it is unlikely that officials would approve that maximum on board.

Another feature that makes the most of the StreetLite space is a "demountable skid" that keeps the engine, gearbox, cooling pack, and air filter and exhaust together. The design ideally makes maintenance and repair faster and easier, and therefore less expensive. That feature is consistent with an overall commitment to simplicity that is seen in the one-piece front bumper, with headlamps intentionally positioned outside the compact zone, and the common rear module used across the product line.