---
title: "City bus vs fire truck — size, weight and speed compared"
description: "Fire truck is somewhat greater than city bus on weight — about 1.4×. Compared on 5 measured properties, with the full range and a source for each."
url: https://atoneplace.net/vs/city-bus-vs-fire-truck/
site: "At One Place"
---

# City bus vs Fire truck

**City bus vs fire truck: Fire truck is larger on weight**

Fire truck is somewhat greater than city bus on weight — about 1.4×.

A city bus and a fire truck can be compared on 5 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

## Side by side

*Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.*

|  | City bus | Fire truck |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weight | 11,000–20,000 kg | 14,000–36,000 kg |
| Height | 300–340 cm | 300–370 cm |
| Length | 900–1,875 cm | 800–1,400 cm |
| Width | 250–260 cm | 240–260 cm |
| Typical cost | 450,000–1,300,000 $ | 500,000–2,200,000 $ |

## What the numbers say

- Fire truck is somewhat greater than city bus on weight — about 1.4×.
- City bus and fire truck are near enough identical on height.
- City bus is somewhat greater than fire truck on length — about 1.3×.
- City bus and fire truck are near enough identical on width.
- Fire truck is 1.5× city bus on typical cost.

*Weight compared.*

- Fire truck: 14,000–36,000 kg
- City bus: 11,000–20,000 kg

## City bus

A low-floor bus built for urban stop-start service, typically 12 metres long.

## Fire truck

A firefighting vehicle carrying a pump, hose and water, or an aerial ladder or platform.

> This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

## Common questions

### Which is bigger, city bus or fire truck?

Fire truck is somewhat greater than city bus on weight — about 1.4×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

### How do city buses and fire trucks compare on height?

City bus: 300–340 cm. Fire truck: 300–370 cm. City bus and fire truck are near enough identical on height.

### How do city buses and fire trucks compare on length?

City bus: 900–1,875 cm. Fire truck: 800–1,400 cm. City bus is somewhat greater than fire truck on length — about 1.3×.

## Related pages

- [Fire truck vs semi truck](https://atoneplace.net/vs/fire-truck-vs-semi-truck/)
- [City bus vs semi truck](https://atoneplace.net/vs/city-bus-vs-semi-truck/)
- [City bus vs school bus](https://atoneplace.net/vs/city-bus-vs-school-bus/)
- [Fire truck vs garbage truck](https://atoneplace.net/vs/fire-truck-vs-garbage-truck/)
- [Concrete mixer truck vs fire truck](https://atoneplace.net/vs/concrete-mixer-truck-vs-fire-truck/)
- [Fire truck vs school bus](https://atoneplace.net/vs/fire-truck-vs-school-bus/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)