Second KFS Freedom Minibus for West Midlands Special Needs Transport

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Second KFS Freedom Minibus for West Midlands Special Needs Transport

20-Oct-2011

West Midlands Special Needs Transport (WMSNT) has taken delivery of their second KFS low floor coach built Freedom minibus following the enormous success of the first.

WMSNT took delivery of their first Freedom minibus 2 years ago having been successful in winning additional school contract work from Birmingham City Council. Having run coach built low floor minibuses on school contracts for a number of years the organisation wanted to retain the obvious advantages of the low floor concept due to the large number of wheelchair passengers being carried but needed a vehicle which offered a better whole life cost profile.

The Freedom Low Floor Minibus with its ramped access, high payload, and fully tracked floor offered the capacity and flexibility which WMSNT were looking for.

Fast forward two years and the first vehicle having proved an enormous success, not only on school contract work but core Dial and Ride work also, there was no hesitation to purchase a second unit as a front line vehicle.

The new minibus differs very little to the original supplied as there was nothing the drivers or passengers could see needed changing. The Freedom has a ramp combined with lowering air suspension for rear access and a manual side door for ambulant passengers. The comfortmatic gearbox option was retained as was the fully tracked floor and Eberspacher heating. The vehicle was certified with 15 seats but supplied with only 4 due to the need to carry 5-6 wheelchairs.

Paul Elverson (Fleet Manager for WMSNT) commented “We have historically seen significantly higher pence for mile costs on our low floor vehicle fleet when compared to our traditional van conversion minibuses, but in the 2 years we have been running the Freedom from KFS that cost has reduced dramatically which is a combination of improved MPG and far better reliability”.

Paul Elverson (Fleet Manager for West Midlands Special Needs Transport) holding the keys for the new Freedom Low Floor Minibus