Spartan Chassis, Lion Bus Reach Agreement on Type C School Bus Chassis

June 17, 2011
Spartan Chassis, Inc. has executed a supply agreement with Lion Bus Inc. of Saint-Jerome, Canada, in which Spartan will supply conventional front-engine diesel chassis for use on Type C school buses in the United States and Canada.

Spartan Chassis, Inc. has executed a supply agreement with Lion Bus Inc. of Saint-Jerome, Canada, in which Spartan will supply conventional front-engine diesel chassis for use on Type C school buses in the United States and Canada.

“There is significant demand for both durability and lower cost of operation,” said Spartan Motors Vice President Dave Snitgen. “Together with Lion Bus, we have developed an exceptional product which offers considerably improved durability and a lower total cost of ownership, particularly lower maintenance costs."

Each chassis features:

-- 65/66 and 71/72 passenger capacity configurations
-- 2010 EPA-Certified Cummins ISB 6.7L diesel engine with horsepower
offerings of 200, 220 and 250
-- 2500 PTS automatic Allison transmission
-- Up to 31,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight rating
-- 254" or 276" wheelbase
-- Up to 50-degree wheel cut
-- Tilt/telescopic steering column
-- 50,000 psi frame rail strength
-- Five-year chassis and seven-year body warranties
-- Authorized Service Network throughout the U.S. and Canada

The Lion Bus offers a number of product attributes that are unique to
the industry and which school districts and private fleet operators
will find beneficial.

-- Product lifecycle (bus body): 15 years
-- Wider interior: 96-inch body width enables 18-inch aisle width using
seat widths of 39 inches
-- Safety: Three-point safety belts (lap & shoulder) can be installed
without any capacity loss using seat widths of 42 inches
-- Materials: Bus body is made of fiberglass composite material finished
with gelcoat, a high-quality coating with proven anti-corrosion
properties
-- Roof construction: Bus roof is constructed of one piece (no joints) and
is leak-free
-- Body skirts: Formed using TPO, a durable, anti-corrosive material with a
proven track record in commercial applications
-- Door step-well: Manufactured using a durable one-piece polyethylene that
will not corrode
-- Battery tray/box: Constructed of acid-tolerant polyethylene that will
not corrode
-- Driver visibility: Significant improvements (windshield is 20 percent
larger and hood slope is best in class)

Chassis will be manufactured at the Spartan Chassis facility in
Charlotte, Mich., then shipped to the Lion Bus plant near Montreal for
body installation and completion. The buses will be sold directly to
dealers, school districts, and school bus contractors in the U.S. and
Canada.