OneBus, a not-for-profit company that is wholly-owned by the Focus Learning Trust, has placed a £12m order with converter EVM and Northside Truck and Van for almost 300 12-seat plus driver minibuses based on the medium wheelbase Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314CDi.
As revealed in the current issue of routeone’s sister title miniplus, EVM is undertaking the conversion work at its Kilbeggan plant and the finished vehicles – with high-back leather seats, a luggage pen and overhead racks – weigh just 2,500kg.
They can be driven by holders of a category B licence and EVM will make the Trend available to buyers in general. It expects the model to be particularly appealing for school and taxi work.
“In a change from the previous configuration, the new model has EVM’s three-stage front entry, allowing the access and egress of students to be fully monitored by the driver, increasing security,” says EVM Sales and Marketing Manager Peter Flynn.
EVM adds that it faced “several challenges” with the order, including the logistics of handling such a high number of vehicles and accommodating the increased weight of the Sprinter at Euro 6.
Besides the basics, the converter is adding a roof-mounted heating and air-conditioning unit. The base vehicles are delivered with the 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic gearbox, and the completed minibuses will be used on home-to-school transport and other duties at a network of 28 independent schools around the UK.
More information on the EVM Trend is in the current issue of miniplus. Visit www.miniplus.co.uk
