THOMAS BUILT BUSES SETS START OF PRODUCTION ON CNG-FUELED MINOTOUR
added that the producers intend to provide a free copy to every school district in the nation. Christopher Hart, vice chairman of the
National Transportation Safety Board, was on hand during the joint NAPT-NASDPTS general session to discuss last year’s investigations of school bus crashes in Chesterfield, N.J., and in Port Lucie, Fla. Tey are both examples of side-impact crashes that NTSB has said remain to be much-needed improvement areas because compartmentalization fails to adequately protect passengers, unlike rear and frontal crashes. Hart said both crash investigations conclud- ed that lap belts do not prevent injury due to upper body flailing, whereas lap-shoulder belts adequately protect students from being cata- pulted across or into the aisle. Te New Jersey crash resulted in one fatality, when the student was launched from one side of the bus to the other. In Florida, the student who was killed was properly restrained in a lap belt, but the seat pan separated from the frame, resulting in total loss of seat integrity and, thus, of the occupant restraint system. To offset the dangers of side impacts, NTSB wants to see NHTSA rulemaking on passenger protection for sidewalls. Other target areas for safety improvements also continue to be that more states require the use of school buses for any school travel of 10 or more students; that NHTSA require emergency exits are more easily opened and remain open; and that NHTSA and FMCSA mandate event recorders. NAPT later presented an award of appreci-
ation to Hart, who also presented at last year’s Summit in Memphis, Tenn.
8 THE SHOW REPORTER • OCT 18-24, 2013
Top: An angler tries his luck while fishing the Grand River near the site of the annual NASDPTS and NAPT conferences. Right above: NTSB Vice Chairman Christopher Hart presents during Sunday’s joint session.
Tis year’s Summit included a new workshop
format called Headliners & Spinoffs that in- cluded five sessions designed to give attendees access to in-depth information. Te speakers presented their own topic for about 15 minutes, providing an overview, and then separated into different rooms to discuss the topic in more detail for about a half-hour. Tis was in addi- tion to the various one-hour workshop sessions, Professional Development Series (PDS) and Special Needs Transportation (SNT) course offerings, and more. Next years NAPT and NASDPTS confer- ences will be located in Kansas City. l
Thomas Built Buses is brining a new alternative-powered product to market with the pilot production of a CNG-fueled Minotour small school bus. Pilot production is underway with full production start set for early 2014. The new Type A CNG Minotour, which will be converted by IMPCO Automotive, will utilize a GM 6-liter engine on the 4,500 series cutaway chassis. The 30-passenger bus will utilize Type 1 CNG tanks with a 26 gasoline-gallon equivalent fuel capacity. It will be CARB-certified and exceed EPA 2010 emissions requirements. “We debuted our very first compressed natural gas bus over 20 years ago,” said Kelley Platt, president and CEO of Thomas Built. “Since then, we’ve put more than 2,000 CNG buses on the road, and we are proud to add the new CNG-fueled Minotour to our family of alternative- fueled buses.” Thomas’ green vehicle lineup also includes the propane-fueled Minotour and HDX CNG models. A propane-fueled offering of the innovative Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner C2 bus will be available in early 2014.
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