CHARLOTTE, Michigan, January 24, 2005 — Spartan Chassis, a subsidiary of Spartan Motors, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPAR), today announced an intensified focus on safety in 2005 cabs and chassis at the annual Spartan Chassis Dealer Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The leading manufacturer of custom fire truck chassis and cabs introduced several safety-related technologies that are now available on their cabs and chassis. The technologies include a roll stability control system, a seatbelt sensor system and several other innovations designed to improve vehicle performance, enhance passenger safety and ultimately save lives.
“These new technologies are designed to make fire trucks and firefighters safer, and they specifically address some of the key factors that contribute to vehicle-related firefighter injuries or death,” said Rich Schalter, president of Spartan Chassis. “Of the firefighter deaths last year in vehicle crashes, 73% involved collisions or rollovers and a quarter of the firefighters were not wearing seatbelts.
“As a manufacturer, we are driven to design high performance emergency rescue vehicles, and this also means developing the best technology when it comes to passenger and vehicle safety,” Schalter added. “In fact, Spartan’s new cab designs are among a select few that pass the fire industry’s most stringent static load and crash tests.”
Spartan said it has teamed with automotive engineer and manufacturer Meritor WABCO to bring their advanced Roll Stability Control System to the fire truck market. The computerized system monitors the vehicle’s rollover threshold and automatically activates a device to slow the vehicle when the threshold is exceeded.
Spartan is also introducing a Seatbelt Sensor System that signals the driver and officer if a crewmember does not have their seatbelt buckled when the vehicle starts. This feature – the first of its kind - will assist in the safe travel of rescue workers to and from emergencies and aid in decreasing the number of injuries that occur while the vehicle is in transit.
From the entry-level Big Easy chassis to the Gladiator, Spartan cabs and chassis are engineered with state-of-the-art safety features that allow them to surpass the most stringent emergency vehicle static load and crush tests. Every cab that Spartan builds is constructed with high-quality materials that have been designed and tested to withstand rough conditions, both on and off the road.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the number of firefighters killed in vehicular accidents nationwide increased in 2003 and more died en route to fires than were killed in blazes. In 2003, 33 firefighters died in on-duty crashes, while 29 firefighters died battling fires. The number of vehicle-related deaths was the most in any year since 1977, when the association began tracking the data.
Spartan Chassis is involved with several fire service organizations and safety initiatives. Spartan’s industry involvement enables them to respond to the needs of fire rescue workers by developing innovative technology that improves fire truck safety.
About Spartan Motors
Spartan Motors, Inc. (www.spartanmotors.com) designs, engineers and manufactures custom chassis and vehicles for the recreational vehicle, fire truck, ambulance and emergency-rescue markets. The Company’s brand names – SpartanTM, Crimson FireTM, Crimson Fire AerialsTM, and Road RescueTM – are known in their market niches for quality, value, service and being the first to market with innovative products. The Company employs approximately 900 at facilities in Michigan, Alabama, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and South Dakota. Spartan Motors is publicly traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol SPAR.
CONTACT:
Elena M. Younger, Marketing and Public Relations Associate
Spartan Motors Chassis, Inc.
(517) 543-6400 x111
Reese Adams, Account Representative
Johnson-Rauhoff
(269) 428-9220
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