‘True team effort’ from dealer and manufacturer delivers unique 11-wheelchair capability to college
Treloar College, which is located in Alton, has seen an almost two-year procurement process culminate in the delivery of a highly-customised MOBIpeople Explorer-bodied MAN RR8, supplied by BASE Coach Sales.
The Explorer can carry up to 11 wheelchair users. They are boarded via a specially-designed centre double-door that comes equipped with safety barriers at the top of its steps.
Six Unwin floor tracking rails are fitted along with additional rails above the windows. The coach also has 11 fixed seats and 10 removable positions.
“Finalising the specification of the coach and completing the build has been a true team effort between ourselves, Treloar, and MOBIpeople,” says BASE General Manager Nick Dodgson.
“We have accompanied staff from Treloar to the factory in Portugal and it has sent representatives here. The original enquiry was forwarded to us by Stanford Coachworks. We have worked with Stanford before and we are delighted to have done so again,” he adds.
Other bespoke fittings in the Explorer include emergency call buttons in all wheelchair user spaces, headphone sockets for all passengers, Beam wi-fi with eight film channels, a Brigade 360-degree external CCTV system, and multi-colour sensory interior LED lights.
“We believe that the level of customisation required frightened some other suppliers, but our specialty has always been in the less-usual type of coach. We welcome enquiries from operators or charities who may have highly-specialised requirements,” says Mr Dodgson.
The Explorer will be used to take students at Treloar on day trips.
