NHSBT's national fleet service manager Larry Bannon says that around 65% of the NHSBT fleet of nearly 500 vehicles are already Fords.
"The Transit is recognised throughout this industry as the perennial best in class, and it is certainly the best vehicle that fits our purpose, with excellent network support and a spare parts supply second to none," comments Bannon.
In addition to emergency service livery and the fitment of special storage equipment, each van has been lined in a waterproof resin to enable power-washing of the interior to prescribed and audited levels.
Bannon says the Ford vans are used in every stage of the blood donation process, from collecting the blood from village halls and schools to transporting donated blood to regional processing sites and then delivering units of blood to hospitals.