National Express West Midlands has invested in waterproof mobile lifts for vehicle washing at its West Bromwich depot with assistance from lifting and testing experts Totalkare.
Part of the wider global National Express Group, National Express West Midlands is the largest bus operator in the West Midlands – and one of the biggest in the UK.
With a total fleet of 1,600 vehicles, the leading bus operator takes hundreds of thousands of people to work and school, to appointments and shops, and to see their family and friends every day.
Each and every one of those buses is inspected regularly and prepared for its annual MOT test.
Fully galvanised with sealed bearings
The G8AC wash bay mobile column lift from Totalkare is the UK’s only mobile column lift specifically designed for outdoor use.
Fully galvanised with sealed bearings, it is purpose built to give long-term protection from water ingress, making it ideal for wash bay applications.
With a safe working load capacity of 7,500kg per column, its adjustable forks can accommodate a range of wheel diameters and the columns themselves can be configured in sets of four, six or eight depending on the number of wheel axles in the vehicles being lifted.
Easily manoeuvrable, the G8AC requires no installation or ground preparation work before use, making it a much more flexible and cost effective alternative to a permanent vehicle wash installation.
Servicing customers sooner
National Express West Midlands’ West Bromwich depot had been using a third-party to clean the underside of its vehicles ahead of the test.
However, this recent investment in a set of Totalkare’s purpose-designed wash bay mobile column lifts, housed on-site, has reduced those third-party costs and improved fleet availability, meaning buses are back out on the road serving the region’s customers much sooner.
“Unlike other products on the market which may be supplied with covers, the G8AC is the only genuinely fit-for-purpose solution in the UK for companies seeking a flexible vehicle lifting solution for chassis washing”
Brian Young, National Account Manager, Totalkare
While there is no specific requirement to have the underside of a vehicle washed before its MoT – although MoT rules require the areas to be examined to be ‘clean’ – buses out on the road all day everyday can benefit from an underside clean to ensure examiners can clearly inspect it during the test.
Genuinely fit-for-purpose solution
“We’ve been using Totalkare’s mobile column lifts in our workshops for many years and have always been pleased with the quality of aftersales service provided to us,” commented Tim Parker, Engineering Manager at National Express West Midlands’ West Bromwich depot.
“Once we’d identified the requirement for a set of wash bay-suitable mobile column lifts, talking to Totalkare was the logical decision.”
“It’s great to continue our excellent relationship with National Express West Midlands through the provision of this set of wash bay mobile column lifts,” added Brian Young, National Account Manager at Totalkare.
“Unlike other products on the market which may be supplied with covers, the G8AC is the only genuinely fit-for-purpose solution in the UK for companies seeking a flexible vehicle lifting solution for chassis washing.”
