Scottish Ambulance Service is adding 150 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters to its fleet, meaning that more than half of the fleet is now Sprinters.
The vehicles, which are being supplied by Caledonian Truck & Van, are all 5.0-tonne Sprinter 519 CDIs with 190hp six-cylinder engines.
The overwhelming majority are front-line accident and emergency ambulances. Most are now in service, with the last few due to start work in the coming weeks.
Also hitting the road are seven primary and secondary response units, four of them all-wheel drive variants with extra ground clearance, and three specialist vehicles for dealing with contamination incidents.
Completing the order, the authority will shortly take delivery of three paediatric ambulances, commissioned specifically for carrying injured and ill children.
Trevor Spowart, Scottish Ambulance’s general manager fleet services, said: “The Sprinter is the only vehicle that meets all of our exacting requirements for performance, reliability and payload capacity, while we also benefit from Caledonian Truck & Van’s strong after sales support. Our ambulances average 1,000 miles per month and no other vehicle stands up as well to such a tough working life.”
He continued: “The weight of their fully equipped box bodies means the emergency response ambulances are already heavy, even before you factor in a patient and crew. This, coupled with the need to make rapid progress during ‘blue light’ incidents, means a powerful engine is essential. The Sprinter’s smooth V6 is very capable and offers all the performance we need, while also being impressively economical.”
Like all Mercedes-Benz vans, Scottish Ambulance Service’s Sprinters are back by three-year, unlimited mileage manufacturer’s warranties.
“This cover is another important attribute, as it underpins our intensive use requirements,” added Spowart.
Iain Morris - 12/10/2017 14:53
Excellent Investment in our Emergency Services great result.