How to Choose the Right Minibus for your Organisation
When buying a new minibus there are numerous things to consider. At Stanford Coachworks we have an experienced team dedicated to helping you design the minibus perfect for your organisation.
Our experienced team are dedicated to helping you choose a minibus for your organisation.
What should you consider?
Establish a purpose for your minibus
What will you be using your minibus for? When establishing a purpose for your minibus you will firstly need to think about whether it needs to be accessible or non-accessible. Think about what features you would need inside of the vehicle that would benefit your organisation, for example: removable seating, wheelchair restraints and clamp boxes, internal or external tail lifts. At Stanfords our conversions are bespoke therefore we can design a minibus built entirely around your specific requirements. Click here to see some of our latest conversions.
We offer a variety of features on our conversions.
Decide on your budget
Setting a budget for your minibus is really important, this will help when designing your minibus and deciding what chassis is best suited to your needs. At SCW we get special terms with many of the major manufacturers so make sure you speak to our team first as they can help you decide on a base vehicle that is right for you.
Your base vehicle
When choosing a base vehicle decide whether you require a manual or automatic gearbox. Think about who will be driving the vehicle and what will best suit them. Some models may take longer to order from the manufacturer so if you are after a vehicle urgently, be sure to speak to our team – we may have a similar chassis in stock.
Determine the capacity of your minibus
Decide how many passengers your vehicle needs to carry. This will also help you when choosing a chassis as you may require a vehicle larger or smaller than you think. Another point to consider is whether your minibus will be carrying passengers using wheelchairs. Seats must be removed to facilitate for wheelchair passengers therefore you may require a larger vehicle. Accessible features such as removable seats, cant rail tracking and side wall tracking may also be something for you to consider.
Who will be driving the minibus?
You will need to ensure that those people driving the minibus have the correct license. To drive a vehicle with more than 8 passengers plus the driver, you must hold a D1 license. Click here to find out more information regarding driving minibuses and the license required.
Arrange a call or visit with the Stanfords Team
To discuss all of the finer details about your new minibus, arrange a call or visit* with a member of the Stanfords team. This way we will be able to discuss all of the perfect options for your minibus in detail. During this time, decisions can be made regarding colour scheme, vehicle layout, comfort features such as lighting and climate control, and signwriting.
Contact us today by calling 01375 676088. Alternatively, you can fill out our online enquiry form here.
*Please note that visits to Stanford Coachworks will be subject to local COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Contact us for further information.