HOHO: Acronym for “hop-on hop-off.” (Sometimes spelled HoHo.) Describes a type of sightseeing bus that allows passengers to disembark whenever they reach a stop that interests them, then re-board when it’s convenient. Tickets are valid for a specified period of time, typically 24 hours.
Hop-on hop-off buses are used by tour operators in many cities around the world (and even in the Grand Canyon), but the use of HOHO as a semi-official acronym appears most frequently in connection with the Indian tourist industry.
Above: logo for HOHO Delhi. From the FAQ:
Q : Can you explain me what is “Hop On Hop Off”
A : Hop-On Hop-Off tour, you have the freedom to spend time at each sightseeing. Your ticket will allows you to board any bus.
There are indications that the HOHO acronym is spreading to other parts of the world; see, for example, this query on TripAdvisor about a “HoHo bus” in New York City and this post on The Rome Toolkit, which notes that there are “no less than seven hop on, hop off tour (HOHO) sightseeing buses operating daily in Rome.” The London Toolkit also refers to “two major operators of the standard HOHO buses.”
A la franglais: “L’OpenTour” HOHO bus in Paris.
A British visitor to New York City reported in 2012 that “the HoHo bus” delivered “excellent value for money” and was “a brilliant way to see the city and get your bearings.”
HOHO buses are typically double-decker with open tops and a lowered rear platform for easy boarding and disembarking. One of the newer HOHO buses in London is officially called the New Bus for London (NB4L) and unofficially called the Boris bus, after Boris Johnson, the city’s mayor.
In logistics, RORO (roll-on, roll-off) is the term for the big cargo boats that bring new vehicles across the ocean (eg from Japan to North America). Seems to match with HOHO. There really should be a way to work a Santa Claus reference in there somehow though.
Posted by: DB | May 13, 2013 at 08:38 AM
RORO made the news in Europe with the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster when the ferry of that name sank in Channel killing 188 people. Here is the wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herald_of_Free_Enterprise
The article about RORO (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RORO) also mentions lo-lo (lift on/lift off).
Posted by: Sister_luck | May 13, 2013 at 09:06 AM
My wife and I took that sort of bus tour around Boston about ten years ago. Let's you stop for lunch at a place you may have run across, or spend extra time at one of the attractions, such as Old Ironsides.
Posted by: Dave G | May 13, 2013 at 12:29 PM
Well, you're gonna get some hop-ons, as they say: http://arresteddevelopment.wikia.com/wiki/Stair_car.
Also, nice to see the old "swirly man" element from HoHo Delhi - a staple of 90s logos.
Posted by: Jessica | May 14, 2013 at 05:57 AM