Vic Police get new high-tech buses

Victorians will soon see a fleet of new IVECO-based alcohol and drug testing (ADT) buses on the road.

Three of the highly customised units are already in service, with a fourth bus scheduled to join the fleet later this month.

The project involved close collaboration between Victoria Police, IVECO Australia, specialist bodybuilder, Brimarco Byron-Wade and industrial design engineers Cobalt Design.

The new booze and drug buses have been built on the locally-manufactured IVECO Metro chassis which provided the flexibility to meet Victoria Police’s build requirements.

The Victorian government has proved its support for the locally-manufactured IVECO vehicles in the past with the purchase of Powerstar and Stralis models.

Among the required modifications were to shorten the Metro’s chassis as well as customising body mounting points to suit the highly customised body.

Power for the bus is provided by the 8.9 litre Cummins ISle5 SCR engine producing 320hp and 1350Nm, while an Allison fully automatic six-speed transmission with torque converter, provides the operators with a more relaxed driving experience.

The shorter chassis (10.5m) gives the bus better manoeuvrability compared to previous ADT buses, making them better suited to a wider range of operating environments, while a more powerful engine results in a faster response and allows the bus to achieve consistent highway speeds.

To provide easier ingress and egress from the buses for both operational staff and the public, the vehicles feature front and rear ECAS (Electronically Controlled Air Suspension) airbag suspension, allowing the body to be lowered to a comfortable step-up height from the ground.

The innovative body allows access to the vehicles from both right and left hand sides, providing greater flexibility and added safety, as access can always be away from the roadside.

Inside the buses, there are two separate interview rooms for police to conduct concurrent interviews, along with segregated crew facilities which include a kitchenette. There’s also a front crew area with comfortable seating during travel that converts to a meals/break area with swivel seats and fold-up table.

On the outside the buses are equipped with a roof-mounted, fold-up, telescopic light tower that illuminates the exterior work environment for safer testing; this lighting is powered by an on-board generator system.

Other features include front and rear slide out storage drawers to house traffic cones, signage and related roadside equipment.

Another safety benefit is a rear-mounted variable message sign, allowing easier communication with road users in relation to warnings, speed limits and directional instructions.

IVECO Australia National Manager of Bus, Steve Heanes, said the Victoria Police ADT bus project was an example of how IVECO was able to partner with customers to deliver a world-class product.

“Having a local manufacturing presence was a crucial factor in IVECO being able to deliver the correct platform for what is an extremely specialised application,” Mr Heanes said.

“The ability to shorten and further modify the chassis in-house, and to provide our local engineering expertise to our project partners, has led to a more efficient and streamlined build process.”

With three ADT buses in service and the fourth not far away, Mr Heanes said that interest in the product from other prospective customers had been strong.

“Response from Victoria Police to the first vehicles has been extremely positive. The project is gaining a lot of attention throughout the industry and we’re now receiving enquires from other Australian law enforcement bodies as well as emergency service organisations,” Mr Heanes said.

“There has even been interest in the vehicles from outside Australia, including from New Zealand and Singapore, so there are potential opportunities for export which is very exciting for our production facility and reinforces the viability of commercial vehicle manufacturing in Victoria,” Mr Heanes added.