First bus chooses Stertil Koni lifts for new depot

First Bus, the UK's largest bus operator, chose Stertil Koni to provide vehicle lifts for its newest depot in Leicester. The installation involved a mixture of standard four-post lifts and mobile column lifts, all of which assist with maintenance and repair of the 130 buses in the First Bus Leicester fleet.

First Bus chose to install four of Stertil's ST4175 four-post lifts. Designed free of cross beams and with a drive-on height of just 240mm, the ST4175 gives perfect access both to vehicles and the lift itself. Operators can select the ideal width for set-up, depending on the type of vehicles to be serviced. The vehicle lift is entirely electronically controlled and is made even easier and safer for the user by the well-positioned control panel, from where the lifting height can also be programmed.

Complementing the four-post lifts at the Leicester city depot are two sets of Stertil's ST1082F mobile column lifts. The ST1082F lift is rated at 8,200kg which means that each set of four columns offers a total lifting capacity of 32,800kg to ensure the safe handling of all buses in the fleet. Also, if an increased lifting capacity is required, this can be achieved simply by adding extra columns. The lifts' microprocessor controlled lifting system, combined with Stertil Koni's unique hydraulic synchronisation system, ensures extremely smooth lifting and lowering. Operating speeds are also impressive with the lifts reaching the full height of 1850mm in just 89 seconds.

First Bus works closely with the Government and local authorities to develop buses as an integral part of a sustainable transport policy. The company has a 28-day inspection cycle for its fleets and Stertil's vehicle lifts are used to lift buses for repair and general maintenance. Phil Haines, Fleet Engineer at First Bus Midlands, comments on the new installation: "We're very pleased with the way the new lifts are performing. Both types of lift are low-maintenance and offer great flexibility in the way we use them. I'm also impressed by the smoothness and speed of their lifting and lowering."

First Bus is the UK's largest bus operator, with around 9000 buses operating in 40 locations across the country, carrying 2.9 million passengers every day. With one of the youngest fleets in the country, First Bus has invested in over 4000 new buses over the past seven years.

Stertil Koni is at the forefront of hydraulic lifting technology and specialises in the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of hydraulic vehicle lifts. The company uses its own factory-trained engineers and keeps parts in stock for at least 25 years after production. Stertil Koni was the first lifting system manufacturer to be awarded ISO 9001 and is part of the Stertil Group.