XRD & XRF Testing
OMNIBUS has been in the business of bus manufacture, servicing, repairs and upgrades for over 60 years.
While its core business focused on large-scale bus building and bus fleet maintenance, the imports of fully assembled busses from overseas has forced the company to innovate and show a robustness in the face of a changing market.
The company found its niche custom building fully customised, highly sought-after 4WD busses for tourism operators and mining contractors – an area that has proved difficult for mass producers to crack.
Following a fatal accident in Central Queensland, the safety recommendations around 4WD busses were changed.
These included stronger seatbelt use and monitoring, revised design and construction of roads, adequate roll-over protection, vehicle stability, driver competence and authorisation, suitability of speed limits and speed monitoring, and a preference for all-in-one (driver/passenger layout) transporters in favour of the pod/ module bus where possible.
Omnibus has taken a practical approach to the design and modification of the chassis into seamless bus bodies – either in integrated body or pod style – and all are all manufactured in Australia to federal Australian design regulations.
For the all-in-one design, the Hino 817 300 4WD was chosen for a number of reasons: firstly, it was tried and tested in the Australian outback for many years prior to commercial release, and it is also backed by an Australia-wide Hino distributor network, and is the only 4WD truck in its class to feature Vehicle Stability Control (VSC).
Modifying the truck, Omnibus kept the driveline (engine, gearbox, transfer case, differential, axle, steering, front windscreen, wipers, mirrors and doors) all original, as fitted by Hino.
The company then structurally mated the cab to the body, and manufactured maintenance hatches between the driver and front passenger seats.
With the functional side taken care of, Omnibus then installed a comfortable, and seamless interior trim that matches any factory specs, and it fixed a powerful Thermoking X-500 roof-mounted air-con that makes the cabin as comfortable as the seats.
The Omnibus 4x4 bus range can be configured to meet client specifications and expectations to fit up to 32 seats, the Hino 817 300 4x4 in particular seating capacity starts at 16 seats or at 20 seats still giving more leg room for longer journeys and mining operations.