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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
FEBRUARY 2015
29
protection. The distinctive shape and im-
posing appearance of the Scania cab is
built around a tough rigid steel cage and
has been built to withstand severe impact.
Also incorporated into the design of the bus
is a ROPS over the cab which meets global
safety standards.
The bus body itself is locally designed and
manufactured comprising a cage design us-
ing six tons of steel in the structure. From
the outset, the construction was monitored
by the University of Pretoria who also con-
ducted the destruction testing. Built to
SANS 1563 specification, the mining bus
also conforms to ISO 3471 and ISO 3449
(FOPS and ROPS). The bus has taken two
years in the development stages before the
final product was released in order to en-
sure conformity with the road ordinance and
stringent mining requirements.
The Scania mining bus has all the right
specifications to enable a safe ride for its 34
occupants as every aspect of any long term
requirement has been built into the design.
From the Opticruise transmission to the 250
mm clearance, every aspect has been me-
ticulously calculated. High mounted brake
boosters prevent damage when negotiating
uneven terrain considering the ability of
the unit to tackle up to 50% inclines. The
25 degree approach angle and the 22 de-
gree departure angle classify this vehicle
as a true off-road machine. The comfort of
the passengers has not been neglected as
noise levels in the bus have been kept down
to 76 db while the securely anchored seats
(SABS spec) have three-point safety belts
as an additional precaution.
On the road the Scania Mining Bus exudes
a comfortable ride with the benefit of built-
in anti-roll stabilizers complimenting the
flexible chassis dynamics and full parabolic
suspension. The ABS braking system has
been supplemented with a retarder, adjust-
ed to be available at operating speeds as
low as 10 kph, adding to the safety features
of the bus.
A communication system has been included
in the design to enable the driver to com-
municate with the passengers at all times
and to also monitor the performance of the
vehicle under all conditions.
Chris Swanepoel, Manager, Mining Division
at Scania, who has been involved with the
development of the bus since the outset
and is well proud of the final product said,
“With the introduction of the Mining Bus,
Scania has increased its ability to provide
extensive solutions to mining operations
with strong performance packages that re-
duce operational risks and contribute to a
low production cost.”
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TRANSPORT