Lightweight condenser has low-profile design
American Cooling Technology’s CR-4 roof-mounted condenser was among the company’s new products. The unit has a BTU rating of 165,000/hr., and it is available with 12- or 24-volt motors and a single or dual circuit brush guard. The condenser’s advanced features include a lightweight aluminum frame, an integral drier and receiver, o-ring connections for enhanced leak protection and high-capacity 12-inch fans.The condenser is 130 pounds with a height of 9.8 inches.

American Cooling Technology Inc.

Activity seat provides extensive passenger support
Freedman Seating Co.’s Family 3PT School Bus Activity Seat is a quasi-static three-point seat that is FMVSS 222 and FMVSS 210 compliant, and comes in 32- or 35-inch widths. It features a molded polyurethane seat and back cushion that provides lumbar support, while a contoured headrest cradles the head. Flexo-lator seat springs help to preserve the life of the seat.

Freedman Seating Co.

Camera system shows detailed data on stop-arm violations
Fortress Systems International introduced the Stop Arm Camera solution, which provides users with the ability to simultaneously view up to four internal and up to four external cameras with a selected audio channel, as well as a GPS map with the vehicle location and sensor data.

The system will show users a detailed video of the stop-arm activation and an identifiable image of the motorist passing the bus. It will capture the license plate of the vehicle, distinguish the make, model and color of the vehicle, and provide the time and date for watermarked footage.

Fortress Systems International

LPG option for GM cutaways
General Motors (GM) will offer a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) option for the 2012 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana cutaway 4500 vans, which are used in Type A school bus applications. Production is to begin in the first quarter of 2012.

GM said its manufacturing process enables customers to spend less time converting vehicles by using a one-stop-shop approach that delivers a chassis with a complete LPG fuel system, which can then be upfitted to meet customer requirements.

GM selected Knapheide Manufacturing Co. to install the LPG system into the 159-inch wheelbase 4500 cutaway van. CleanFUEL USA serves as the tier-2 supplier for the 35 gallon useable fuel capacity LPG system. The cutaway vans come equipped with GM’s Vortec 6.0L engine.

General Motors

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I-Skin seat foam offers high durability
The I-Skin integrally bonded polyurethane school bus seat foam — now six years in the making by Heavy Duty Bus Parts Inc. — is in the final stages of development and will be brought to market exclusively through the C.E. White Co.

The I-Skin foam is designed to replace traditional vinyl-over-foam applications. Company officials said that a unique manufacturing process produces a seat foam with a soft and energy-absorbent cushion and a dense, highly durable outer skin.

According to Brandon Billingsley, CEO of HDBP, the I-Skin foam offers greater protection against vandalism and fire. He said that it maintains its integrally bonded skin and inner foam structure, which can be made in various shapes and contours as a result of  being molded as a single part in an aluminum tool.

The C.E. White Co.
Heavy Duty Bus Parts Inc.

New DVRs increase record time
Radio Engineering Industries (REI) has introduced a new product line, the HD Series DVR.The HD400 and HD800 DVRs integrate convenient SD card and USB ports, providing the ability to update the hardware operating system using the USB drive. The DVRs incorporate H.264 advanced video compression, allowing increased record time, ultimately storing more video, audio and vehicle data.

REI simultaneously released a new version of its BUSWATCH viewing software (pictured) that is more user-friendly and packed with features. Enhancements include integrated Google mapping, increased recording/storage space, multiple live views, AVL packages and variable quality settings.

Radio Engineering Industries

Solution displays bus location and arrival time
At Tyler Technologies’ booth, company officials discussed My Stop, a new solution that enables parents and students to see from a Smartphone or a similar mobile device where their bus is and what time it will arrive at their stop. My Stop graphically displays the vehicle’s location on a map, as well as the estimated time of arrival.

The vehicle’s location is updated every five seconds, and the arrival time is recalculated to accommodate delays. Users can toggle between the Bing aerial map and road map, or set the map display to “automatic” and allow My Stop to choose which map is best suited depending on the level of zoom.

Tyler Technologies Inc.

Seon launches updated fleet management system
Seon Design’s vMax Live Plus fleet management system enables users to manage their fleets with maps, live data and reports. With the mapping software, managers can track the precise location and movement of a single bus or the entire fleet. Live status is available, which provides real-time fleet or vehicle position updates and incident reports. Through the historical data, users can view the activity of each bus in detail, including routes, stops and stop-arm signal deployment.

vMax Live Plus also features live reporting on DVR health status, images of the inside of buses in real time, and information on driver behavior, such as their speed, stops, braking and idling activity. Finally, the system can provide performance analysis reports on vehicle condition, driver activity, regulatory information and funding.

Seon Design Inc.