Greg Gerber posted on December 01, 2008 14:12
MIDDLEBURY, Ind. -- Coachmen Industries and ARBOC Mobility today announced the completion of a full line of low-floor ADA-accessible buses. These buses range from 21 to 28 feet in length, and are available in both gas and diesel engine configurations.
The companies said the product line represents a value breakthrough in low-floor bus technology, providing premium accessibility features at prices significantly below any other low-floor buses available today.
All internal testing and development on the ARBOC bus line has been successfully completed, and a production sample of the bus is in process of completing a rigorous regimen of certification testing at the Altoona Bus Research and Testing Center in Altoona, Pa. "With good weather, all testing and a final report are anticipated before year-end," said Jim Bartel, president of ARBOC Mobility.
The Federal Transit Administration requires testing on all new model buses before they can be purchased with federal funds. ARBOC's bus testing is well under way with the recently completed key structural durability portion of the Bus Testing Program. The remaining procedures to be completed are performance, maintainability, noise, and fuel economy.
ARBOC buses feature a patent-pending low-floor design, allowing an entrance of less than five inches from the curb without even deploying the ramp. Once inside, a truly flat floor (no steps) makes this bus even more wheelchair friendly. Depending on the model, there are up to eight wheelchair positions and capacity for up to 23 people. For increased efficiency, a mild hybrid engine is also available. The hybrid system incorporates an automatic engine start and stop feature that provides 5 to 8 percent fuel savings per year, with a corresponding reduction of greenhouse gasses of about one and a half tons.
The ARBOC bus is the only low floor design that does not require a transfer case to achieve the low floor technology with rear wheel drive. "It is America's best value in low floor technology," said Bartel.
SOURCE: ARBOC Mobility press release