Builders gearei to welfare need!
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Noel Miller reviews e market for welfare transp( and spots likely builders from e regio
PUBLIC EXPENDITURE cuts will clearly affect the builders of specialised welfare transport. Yet certainly the demand is still there and may yet increase as municipal, voluntary and health service agencies look for nonpsv welfare buses to fit in with their existing mixed vehicle fleets. Such buses often have to provide special features, such as access for disabled passengers and special methods of cleaning and repair.
There are two ways of going about building such special bodywork: either by custombuilding or by adapting existing commercial bodywork. The most common feature required is a raised roofline, Many small and a few large companies adapt vehicles to the requirements of individual customers. In Scotland, for example, McLays Garage, of Kirkintilloch, builds a small range of metal-framed bus bodies. IVIcLays is a Leyland agent so it specialises in building its buses on suitable LV chassis such as the Terrier.
A new approach to basic welfare type bus bodywork has been adopted by Lex Vehicle (Engineering) Ltd, of Totton. Hampshire, with its Maxeta range of bus bodies. The Maxeta body is a heavy-duty body of all-steel construction with a tubular underframe and pressed-steel sections of floor and cant levels. The framework incorporates an anti-crush roof with heavy duty -roll-bar--type steel structures in the front, rear and body sides as well as the roof.
The roof is panelled by one full-length aluminium alloy sheet secured to both the inner and outer roof framing. All other internal and external panels are of zinc-coated steel sheet, lapped and bedded down on sealing compound and secured to the framework by rivets.
For most customers a resinbonded plywood floor is used. This is covered with hardwearing bonded grp non-slip, surface for safety and ease of maintenance. Maxeta's main passenger door is a simple one-piece folding structure incorporating full-depth windows. Suitable handrails and guard rails are incorporated in the basic design to the customer's need. Ventilation is by four air-flow units with exterior and interior grills. To keep the vehicle warm and quiet, the roof area is insulated.
Seating may be vandal-proof plastic, standard bus seats, wooden Seats or luxury-type seats. Wheelchair lifts, quickrelease seats and wheelchair anchorage fittings, crutch racks and passenger harnesses are among the more usual options. The Maxeta range is available on a variety of everyday chassis which include the Ford R-Series, Bedford Y-Series and SB and VAS, with seating capacities ranging from 28 to 54.
Rootes of Maidstone, like Lex, also offers a wide range of options, mainly on Chrysler commercial chassis. For Rootes has offered convert to the Dodge PB and KC ra as well as large bodies or Commando. Now that thi Walk-Thru is obsolete, the available conversions are o PB range. Passenger versio the new Dodge 50-Series however already been nounced.
The Rootes range consi; vehicles using both stan bodyshells with raised roo give interior heights oi (152cm) or 6ft (183cm) oi PB range or a deluxe ve with a purpose-built ambul body. For the severely disi driver, Rootes can cony, British Leyland Mini estati by fitting a high roof vy allows the vehicle to be d from a wheelchair.
Rootes offer a wide ran specialised equipment for fare application, including Own patented wheelchair chorage clamps and wheel retaining straps. These ca fitted to any vehicle v wheelchair-bound patient to be carried. A varlet retaining harnesses is alsr ered for all welfare applicat Loading wheelchairs is a blern which Rootes can with in different ways. methods of loading are ava for most vehicles — by insti either an underfloor ri which can be extende approximately 10ft and for gradual incline to a rea trance, or an electric hydi lift can be fitted at the ma trance and operated by vehicle's battery.
In Rootes' experience, of operation of the wheel lift more than justifies the cost when compared ramps. There is a choir ramps and hydraulic whee lifts available for fitting t, entrance doors of convem service coaches.
Rootes is also able to various full-size single-di buses or chassis such a, Dodge Commando for wi
and education-type applications. Standard specification on these include features such as a hinged driver's door, single rear-exit door, fully upholstered seats, grp window surrounds and melamine-faced side-panels and vinyl floor coverings.
Reeves-Burgess,of Chesterfield, has in recent years had increasing success with its Reebur range of mini-coach bodies based on Bedford CF and Ford Transit chassis. The Reebur can also be adapted to meet many needs and can have wide rear doors incorporating a tail-lift. The Border Courier in Scotland gives an example of the flexibility of the Reebur range (see page 74 of this issue).
Reeves-Burgess also converts from the Mercedes-Benz Bremen range and Ford Transit for welfare applications. They have also built welfare buses on chassis like the Bedford VAS and Dodge Walk-Thru.
Flexibility
Dormobile, of Folkestone, is a household name in welfare bus conversion. Probably the most common small social service-type bus on the roads at present is the Dormobile Pacemaker, which is based on the Ford Transit chassis. As with other applications, flexibility is the name of the game and the Dormobile conversions are as flexible as any on the market.
Dormobile builds a wide range of psv bodies and motorised caravans, personal and education-type buses on the Bedford CF, Ford Transit and Ford A-Series chassis. Dormobile also builds trailer caravans and emergency-type ambulances.
Another major supplier to the welfare and education markets is Wadham Stringer, of Waterlooville, Hampshire. Wadham Stringer offers a wide range of its Victory type body. Wadham Stringer recently supplied a number of schoolbuses on Bedford VAS chassis to the Inner London Education Authority. Other companies adal vehicles to meet the specific tions on a limited scale to tt individual requirements of loc authorities and area health at horities.
For example Companies Vai and Company of Dorset, wt converted the illustrated hig top Fiat van for the Hava Council, also builds to individu requirements. Community SE vice Equipment on the Fiat i cludes accommodation for fol people on wheelchairs ar seating for seven passengers. folding-type rear-mounted RE cliff tail-lift is also fitted to 0 vehicle.
There are regulations gove ning the use of converte vehicles and they must b observed. If the passengers al carried for hire and reward, PE Construction and Use Reguli lions apply and if they are to b asked to contribute to the vehii les running costs, the Minibt. Act may apply, unless th vehicle is designated an ambt lance.