Operators of small PCVs, particularly those in the accessible sector, will find much to their liking at this year’s CV Show, held at the NEC Birmingham on 24-26 April.
A variety of vehicle manufacturers, bodybuilders and converters will be there, as will suppliers in many other fields that are relevant to the passenger sector.
Vehicle manufacturers exhibiting will include Euromotive, Gowrings Mobility, Iveco, LDV UK and Ireland, MAN, Mellor, O&H, Stamford Coachworks, Treka Bus, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
Of those, a number will be part of the Eberspächer stand. Mellor is yet to reveal exactly which of its vehicles will be present, but Treka Bus plans to show a 22-seat Mercedes-Benz Sprinter conversion for London Hire.
On its own stand, Treka will also display another van conversion, along with a coachbuilt model, again based on the Sprinter.
LDV UK and Ireland will exhibit a 14-seat Mini B minibus, which it says delivers a high level of specification for a very low cost.
Eberspächer will also display a variety of its heating and climate control solutions on its stand. In particular, the diesel-fuelled Airtronic D2 and D4 air heaters have been revised to deliver reduced power consumption and weight, along with an extended service life, and they will be on show.
Webasto will also have a large stand, with seven vehicles present showcasing a variety of its products, while wheelchair restraint specialist Koller will be present to promote its products and training.
Of seat suppliers, Phoenix’s products will be present in a number of vehicles on show, while Cogent will have its own stand.
Lift and access specialist PLS is set to reveal a number of developments that are highly relevant to the accessible sector. Besides an automatic platform extension version of its cassette lift, a new i-Class inboard lift that targets the cost-sensitive market will be on show.
PLS will also display a new Easy Access Lite inboard lift, aimed at heavier duty cycles, and the Doorsafe device has been revamped. Additionally, a new powered fold-over ramp aimed at low-floor vehicles will debut.
Suppliers in many other areas relevant to minibus operation will also be present. They include companies involved in diesel particulate filter cleaning, vehicle washing, tyres, driver licence checking, CCTV surveillance and legal representation.
Last and certainly not least, the growing importance of telematics and driver performance monitoring will be reflected by a host of suppliers in that sector.
Among them are Chevin, Intelligent Telematics, Lytx, and r2c Online, which has done a lot of work relating to the DVSA Earned Recognition scheme.
With all of these and more to see at next month’s CV Show, it is a must-attend event for managers in the accessible minibus industry.
Read a full preview of the 2018 CV Show in the next issue of miniplus, online on Monday 16 April.
