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Heathrow Airport’s largest car rental operator is getting the lowdown on a new fleet of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter courtesy coaches.
National Car Rental’s 10 Sprinters have all been give special low floor conversions by Edinburgh-based Commercial Vehicle Innovation (CVI), UK agent for the Dutch coach conversion specialist VDL Kusters.
Supplied by Heathrow Mercedes-Benz dealer Rygor Commercials, the Sprinters are used to transfer customers from 5am until midnight, 365 days per year, between National’s car hire depot on the airport’s North Perimeter Road, and all four passenger terminals; they will also work at Terminal 5, which is due to open to passengers later this month (March).
The new fleet comprises seven 3.5-tonne Sprinter 311CDIs and a trio of 5.0-tonne 511CDIs, all with Extra-long bodies. The lighter vehicles are capable of carrying eight passengers and their luggage, while their heavier counterparts can seat 12 and also accommodate a wheelchair.
They represent part of an ongoing replacement for National’s previous fleet of Sprinter courtesy coaches. This is the company’s third all-Mercedes line-up, each of the previous fleets having provided five years’ sterling service.
Barry Horseman, National’s Courtesy Coach Service Manager, says: “The vehicles we use on this job have to meet an exacting set of criteria – the main requirement is that they be robust enough to run for 19 hours a day, every day of the year.
“They must also offer a high level of comfort and ease of use. The new Sprinters are fully air-conditioned, while their low floors make boarding and alighting much easier, especially for holidaymakers with heavy suitcases.
“Because the floor is virtually at kerb height they don’t have to climb any steps to board the bus. This also means there’s more headroom, which allows us to fit bigger luggage racks.”
The new Sprinters offer several advantages over their predecessors. The low floor area achieved by the CVI conversion is much larger, the air-conditioning system has been upgraded and, for the first time, they are fitted with fully automatic gearboxes. The 5.0-tonne vehicles with their 12 seats, replacing eight-seaters, will also give National the flexibility to cope with the increase in passenger numbers that will undoubtedly take place over the next five years.
“Our coaches cover an average of 45,000 miles per year but each trip is very short – typically less than a mile,” continues Mr Horseman. “Consequently, there’s a huge amount of stopping and starting, and going up and down through the gears. So automatics are a must, because we’d burn the clutches on manual gearboxes in no time.
“Our previous vehicles were fitted with the ‘Sprintshift’ automated manual transmission but the full auto on the new coaches is a big improvement – it’s easier for the driver to use, gives a smoother, more comfortable ride for our passengers, and should prove more reliable over the long term.”
He adds: “The Sprinter is a tried and tested vehicle. We’ve had solid service from our Mercedes over the last 10 years, and the new vehicles combine that strength with an even more user-friendly design.” |
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