Following a competitive tender process, the council says the chassis that topped the tender was the 5-tonne Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 513 BlueTEC, with Euro 6 engine and seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic transmission.
The latest additions are two long chassis cabs with coach-built T16 minibus bodies, and three extra-long panel vans which have undergone conversion by Treka bus, of Brighouse, West Yorkshire.
Both vehicle types can carry up to 16 passengers on conventional seating or a maximum of six in wheelchairs – Phoenix Blenheim M2 removable seats are fitted to in-floor tracking using NMI seat fixings for maximum layout flexibility.
The vehicles also feature rear-mounted PLS Access Lite passenger lifts and Eberspächer Kiev climate control systems. The converted panel vans have PLS Aqua side-steps, while the coach-built vehicles have been specified with Treka Bus Voiceover Information Systems, which give operational information and warning messages in multiple languages.
“We wanted a durable, low-pollution and ‘future-proof’ vehicle, and the latest, Euro 6-engined Sprinter fitted the bill perfectly,” says Matt Trott, fleet and logistics manager for Thurrock Council.
“These vehicles normally operate in heavy traffic, so the smooth automatic transmission also provides greater comfort for passengers, as well as relieving stress for our drivers.”