Specialist body builder, Able Bus and Coach of Perth, develops off-road and all-wheel buses based on an all-wheel drive Isuzu truck chassis for some of the most arduous bus routes in the world!
PERTH, Australia – Able Bus and Coach, a manufacturer of specialist off-road buses and personnel carriers from Perth in Western Australia, has moved to fully automatic transmissions to facilitate better reliability, off-road traction and drivability.
Able supplies buses to some of Australia’s largest and most prominent mining, construction and tour companies including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Leighton Contractors, MACA, Major Motors, All States Rentals, BGC Contracting, BMA and Australia’s outback tour company, Australian Pacific Touring (APT).
The Able product range is now based on Isuzu chassis with Allison Automatics. It comprises the large FRD 110-260 30-seater, the FTS 139-260 4×4 with seating for 30 to 38 passengers and the big two-wheel drive 46 to 50-seater Isuzu FVD 165-300.
Able was born out of founder Kevin DeBruin’s original adventure tour bus company, which specifically catered for people with disabilities using a 4WD bus. With a need for a more reliable and durable vehicle than that original 4×4 bus, DeBruin decided to build his own durable bus body on an Isuzu FSS 500 4×4 chassis that would be better suited to cope with the tough conditions.
The success of the Isuzu truck-mounted bus did not go unnoticed and earned the attention of other tour companies. This provided not only extra regular charter work but the opportunity to build three similar Isuzu off-road buses for them. Today there are more than 400 Able buses operating in the mining, tourism and community sectors in Australia’s outback.
DeBruin says that while the company used to specify manuals in its off-road buses, today they only specify fully automatics. With many operating with passengers on board and remote locations, he cannot afford to sell unreliable vehicles or components that might fail.
“It’s only automatics for us these days, because the trucks go everywhere and in all conditions from beach driving to corrugated tracks and up the Cape and with the torque multiplication factor of an automatic like the Allison, it means they can traverse country that often stops a manual,” said DeBruin.
“The Allisons, which have a reputation second to none, are also very easy to use in tough conditions, there is no possibility of driver error in areas of low traction and that is important in ensuring the buses not only go into remote territory but come out the other side.
“It was a huge learning curve for me in building the body to fit the truck’s intended purpose and the process taught me the best way to mount the body for the second truck, and it has continued from there,” said DeBruin.
Image – Able Bus has moved to fully automatic specifications using Isuzu chassis and Allison Automatics in its large FRD 110-260 30-seater and the FTS 139-260 4×4 with seating for 30 to 38 passengers as well as the big two wheel drive 46 to 50 seat Isuzu FVD 165-300.
Image – With our buses having to operate in such remote locations with passengers on board we simply cannot afford to sell unreliable vehicles or components that might fail in harsh conditions,” said Kevin DeBruin about why he chose an Allison.
Image – Allison Automatics are the toughest and most reliable heavy truck automatic available and have a reputation second to none and we have never had a problem with an Allison in some of the toughest and most remote areas of outback Australia,” said Kevin DeBruin.
About Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission (NYSE: ALSN) is a leading designer and manufacturer of vehicle propulsion solutions for commercial and defense vehicles, the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions, and a leader in electrified propulsion systems that Improve the Way the World Works. Allison products are used in a wide variety of applications, including on-highway trucks (distribution, refuse, construction, fire and emergency), buses (school, transit and coach), motorhomes, off-highway vehicles and equipment (energy, mining and construction applications) and defense vehicles (tactical wheeled and tracked). Founded in 1915, the company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. With a presence in more than 150 countries, Allison has regional headquarters in the Netherlands, China and Brazil, manufacturing facilities in the USA, Hungary and India, as well as global engineering resources, including electrification engineering centers in Indianapolis, Indiana, Auburn Hills, Michigan and London in the United Kingdom. Allison also has more than 1,400 independent distributor and dealer locations worldwide. For more information, visit allisontransmission.com.