丹尼士長矛 Dennis Lance (九巴KMB)
編號 Class：AN
單層巴士對於香港的巴士營運商來說是一個複雜的課題，在客量低路線上使用單層巴士，可以控制成本及把有限資源調撥到其他更有需要路線；在路程短而客量又多的路線，由於乘客都不願意到上層尋找座位，所以這些路線安排單層巴士行走，尤其大型單層巴士，可以加快乘客上落速度，從而令行車時間得以縮短令班次可以更為頻密。可惜，現實是面對車隊限額，巴士公司不得不引進大容量雙層巴士，令到單層巴士發展受到局限，而在地區議會及乘客角度，他們要求是班次密而且可以有位可坐的巴士服務，這對發展單層巴士服務受到極大限制。
丹尼士在一九九二年向九巴提供二十四架長矛單層巴士底盤，是繼一九八五年同廠的大型單層空調巴士獵鷹後，第二款大型單層巴士打進本地巿場。對比獵鷹，長矛提供一個更加低矮的登車地台，只設一個梯級，而當丹尼士發展首款大型單層低地台巴士時候，亦是以長矛作為發展基礎。同時，長矛的底盤設計亦給予了工程師靈感，去設計出車廠第一款三軸低地台雙層巴士─三叉戟。當年九巴希望把這些大型單層巴士，投放於彌敦道穿梭路線，運作模式就像地下鐵路一樣，加強巴士運作效率，提供班次頻密，車程快捷的服務。另一方面，十二架長矛則被安排投放到機場路線，接替前輩獵鷹為到港旅客提供服務。可惜，就如前述，區議會反對部份路線由雙層巴士換成單層巴士行走，乘客亦不願由以往一程巴士到達目的地變成要轉車，加上由於彌敦道走廊路線客量實在太高，單層巴士在繁忙時間便顯得力有不逮，故此有關計劃最終未有實行。
全數二十四架長矛均配上亞歷山大的PS型車身，空調系統跟同門飛鏢一樣由德國超卓提供，除了一架機場版樣板車 (AN11/FP6762) 是於英國亞歷山大廠房完成車身裝嵌，其餘二十三架都是九巴於屯門裝嵌廠完成車身裝配工作。首十二架(AN1-10，12及13)全數配用雙門巴士版車身，提供四十五人座位及三十三人企位，而前門更打破傳統是一道寬闊的前門，配合低矮地台，雖然仍有一級梯級，但對於加快乘客上落時間及速度有顯著幫助。另外十一架新車 (AN14-24) 則如樣板車一樣配用單門客車版車身，合共可運載六十五名乘客，並裝上行李架及高背絲絨坐位，用作擴充及更新機場巴士車隊。首批新車於一九九三年五月至七月陸續領牌後，巴士版新車迅即被安排接替當年向雅高租用的日野巴士行走30X及238X路線，至於單門版機場巴士則被安排行走啟德機場路線，直到啟德機場於一九九八年七月五日關閉為止。就在長矛巴士投入服務不久，空調巴士日漸受到巿民歡迎，而為了滿足需求，九巴集中資源引進更多雙層空調巴士，未有再購入任何大型單層巴士，直到二零零九年引進瑞典Scania產品為止。
在往後時間，因應客量增加，雙門版長矛先後從30X及238X抽調出來，當中兩架長矛改為行走隧道路線110，少部份則於稍後時間被安排行走203E，以及其後的224M。而更多的長矛更於一九九八年陸續被調往新界北區，行走78K，273，273A及278K等等的短途接駁線，這亦是長矛被認為最適合服務的路線。至於單門版的長矛，在啟德機場於一九九八年關閉後，當中十架 (AN14，15及17-24) 於同年九月開始陸續被轉往子公司龍運巴士，編號為901-910(初期編號為LW136-145)，行走客量低的機場接駁路線，但縱然全數長矛都是行走機場接駁路線，原先的行李架卻被拆除，而且未有裝回座位，更令人不明所以是有關位置嚴禁擺放行李。到了二零零三年，908(FU5072)再度被轉售回九巴，並重用本身的車隊編號AN23。
丹尼士長矛自二零一零年五月開始陸續退役，在退役前主要行走北區區內鐵路接駁路線。而為紀念這款曾服務本港兩機場的車型，九巴於二零一零年六月向傳媒召開記者招待會，宣佈到了同年十月所有長矛巴士便會從車隊中退下。在九巴再次大量引進大型單層巴士時，這批九巴中大型單層巴士先驅，仍然充分發揮出它們應有的功能，直到二零一零年十月當最後兩架長矛 (AN7及12)告別載客車隊，其所扮演角色便由全新大型低地台巴士取代。退役後的長矛除了 AN8(FP4583) 及 AN23(FU5072) 獲私人保留外，其餘大部份成員都被送往廢車場拆毀。
It was a complicated issue for the using of full-size single decker in Hong Kong. Bus operators tend to deploy single decker buses on low demand routes to maintain a low operating cost and maximize the use of limited resources. In addition, full-size single decker suitable for some short-distanced but frequent loading with large passengers flows as they were not willing to the upper-deck and hence, the frequency and the journey time can be benefited. However, as restriction on the number of fleet imposed by the Transport Department, together with the objection from local authority and passengers, the development of the use of full-size single decker was limited.
After the commissioned of the Dennis Falcon in 1985, Dennis supplied KMB with 24 Dennis Lance in 1992 and to be the second full-size single decker in Hong Kong. Dennis Lance offered commuters a relatively low one-step entrance compared with Falcon. In fact, the first full-size super low floor bus model offered by Dennis was developed from Lance and then further into the first 3-axles super low floor double decker Trident. KMB planned to provide a frequent and rapid service alongside Nathan Road with full-size single decker. This plan soon were turned down by different District Council as they required KMB allocated double decker on those trunk routes. To go one step further, the full-size single decker cannot suit the heavy demand of the route serving along the Nathan Road Corridor.
All Dennis Lances were bodied by Walter Alexander with it PS-type bodywork and the air-conditioning unit was same as the Dart supplied by Sutrak from Germany. Except the demonstrator (AN11/FP6762) received it PS-type bodywork at Falkirk in Scotland, all Dennis Lance were completed their bodyworks locally. The first 12 (AN1 - 10, 12 and 13) were fitted with dual-door bodyworks with 45 seatings plus 33 standees (seating configurations for the single doorway version was 41 seatings and 24 standees). The wide entrance was first chosen on Dennis Lance to facilitate the flow of passengers. Airport coach configuration was chosen on the remaining Lances with single doorway for expanding and upgraded the fleet of Kai Tak Airport routes. They were received their registration between May and Jul., 1993. Bus version Lance were deployed on 30X and 238X replacing Hino coaches hired from Argos Bus while the Lance coach were allocated on Kai Tak Airport route taking the place of Falcon until the closure of Kai Tak Airport on 5 Jul., 1998. Air-conditioned bus services were widely accepted by the public and KMB introduced double decker air-con buses to meet the demand and the development of full-size single decker was suspended until 2009 when KMB introduced full-size single decker again.
As passengers growth, KMB started to withdraw Dennis Lance from 30X and 238X. Two of them were then deployed on cross-harbour route 110 while some found their new home in 203E and 224M. Since 1998, Dennis Lance started to work on Northern New Territories routes like 78K, 273, 273A and 278K. For those withdrawn from Airbus service, 10 of them (AN14, 15 and 17 - 24) were transferred to Long Wing Bus (901-910, previously LWB136-145), the subsidiary company of KMB Group, for the use on the low demand airport shuttle routes. The original luggage rack for the airport route was removed and a "no luggage" notice was stuck instead of any seats fitted onto the original position. In 2003, 908 (FU5072) was transferred back to KMB and it original KMB fleet no. AN23 was used again.
Lance started to withdraw from the fleet since May, 2010 and before their withdrawal, they were mainly deployed on feeder service linked with railway station in Northern New Territories. To commemorate Dennis Lance serving Kai Tak and Chek Lap Kok Airport (The Hong Kong International Airport), KMB held a press conference and told the public all Dennis Lance would be retired in Oct., 2010. The role that Dennis Lance played in the fleet was then replaced by the newer full-sized super low floor single decker after the retirement of the last two samples (AN7 and 12). Most of the Lance was sent to scrapped yard except AN8 (FP4583) and AN23 (FU5072) were under preserved.
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN1 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FP2584 |
| 路線 Route：78K |
拍攝地點 Location：上水巴士總站 Sheung Shui Bus Terminus |
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| AN1車廂內部，The compartment of AN1 |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN2 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FP3934 |
| 路線 Route：273 |
拍攝地點 Location：華明巴士總站 Wah Ming Bus Terminus |
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| 路線 Route：273A |
拍攝地點 Location：華明巴士總站 Wah Ming Bus Terminus |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN3 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FP2756 |
| 路線 Route：273 |
拍攝地點 Location：華明巴士總站 Wah Ming Bus Terminus |
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| 路線 Route：278K |
拍攝地點 Location：粉嶺 粉嶺車站路 Fanling Station Road, Fanling |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN4 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FP2943 |
| 路線 Route：273A |
拍攝地點 Location：上水 彩園路 Choi Yuen Road, Sheung Shui |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN5 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FP4320 |
| 路線 Route：14C |
拍攝地點 Location：觀塘(裕民坊)巴士總站 Kwun Tong (Yue Man Square) Bus Terminus |
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| 路線 Route：224M |
| 拍攝地點 Location：九龍灣 宏光道, Wang Kwong Road, Kowloon Bay |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN6 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FP2738 |
| 路線 Route：78K |
| 拍攝地點 Location：上水 彩園路 Choi Yuen Road, Sheung Shui |
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| 路線 Route：78K |
| 拍攝地點 Location：上水 新運路 San Wan Road, Sheung Shui |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN7 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FP3732 |
| 路線 Route：N270 |
| 拍攝地點 Location：上水巴士總站 Sheung Shui Bus Terminus |
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| 路線 Route：路線訓練 Route Training |
| 拍攝地點 Location：九龍灣 觀塘道 Kwun Tong Road, Kowloon Bay |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN8 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FP4583 |
| 路線 Route：28A |
| 拍攝地點 Location：觀塘碼頭巴士總站Kwun Tong Ferry Bus Terminus |
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| 路線 Route：28A |
| 拍攝地點 Location：觀塘碼頭巴士總站Kwun Tong Ferry Bus Terminus |
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| 路線 Route：224M |
| 拍攝地點 Location：九龍灣 宏照道 Wang Chiu Road, Kowloon Bay |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN9 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FP5902 |
| 路線 Route：273 |
| 拍攝地點 Location：華明巴士總站 Wah Ming Bus Terminus |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN10 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FP5327 |
| 路線 Route：273 |
| 拍攝地點 Location：粉嶺 百和路 Pak Wo Road, Fanling |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN11 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FP6762 |
| 路線 Route：224M |
| 拍攝地點 Location：德福花園巴士總站 Telford Gardens Bus Terminus |
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| 路線 Route：路線訓練 Route Training |
| 拍攝地點 Location：沙田 大埔公路 Tai Po Road,Sha Tin |
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| 路線 Route：路線訓練 Route Training |
| 拍攝地點 Location：金鐘 金鐘道 Queensway, Admiralty |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN12 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FR667 |
| 路線 Route：18 |
| 拍攝地點 Location：大角咀 櫻桃街 Cherry Street, Tai Kok Tsui |
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| 路線 Route：78K |
| 拍攝地點 Location：上水 彩園路 Choi Yuen Road, Sheung Shui |
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| 路線 Route：110 |
| 拍攝地點 Location：佐敦道碼頭巴士總站 Jordan Road Ferry Bus Terminus |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN13 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FR755 |
| 路線 Route：78K |
| 拍攝地點 Location：粉嶺 聯安街 Luen On Street, Fanling |
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| 路線 Route：273 |
| 拍攝地點 Location：華明巴士總站 Wah Ming Bus Terminus |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN16 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FS6896 |
| 路線 Route：224M |
| 拍攝地點 Location：九龍灣 德福花園 Telford Gardens, Kowloon Bay |
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| 路線 Route：278K |
| 拍攝地點 Location：粉嶺 聯安街 Luen On Street, Fanling |
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| 路線 Route：296M |
| 拍攝地點 Location：康盛花園巴士總站 Hong Shing Garden Bus Terminus |
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| AN16車廂內部 |
| The interior of AN16 |
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| 車隊編號 Fleet No.：AN23 |
| 車牌 Registration No.：FU5072 |
| 路線 Route：273B |
| 拍攝地點 Location：上水 新運路 San Wan Road, Sheung Shui |
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| 路線 Route：278K |
| 拍攝地點 Location：粉嶺 聯安街 Luen On Street, Fanling |
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