Dorset County Council has taken delivery of 31 new Mellor Orion buses in just 18 months.

The Orions have been specifically configured to provide optimum functionality and comfort for passengers on the Council’s accessible transport route, and all feature wheelchair access with low floors, power doors and seat belts. The bus has the capacity to carry up to 16 passengers at a time, which is ideal for local services such as those provided by the Council, including residential care homes and school routes.

Peter Colvin, Fleet Operations Manager at Dorset County Council, said:

“We specified the Orion with its ultra low-floor to offer our passengers the comfort and accessibility they require.

“We currently operate a fleet of 96 vehicles, 31 of which are Mellor and we have been pleased with the reliability and flexibility of the bus to meet the needs of the Council’s various transport routes.

“Our services are extremely important to many local residents, some of which are less mobile or live in more remote rural areas.”

Each vehicle in the range has been designed to be robust, meeting the requirements of dial-a-ride or community transport bus operators across the UK. The exceptional fuel economy makes the Orion the logical choice for cost conscious operators.

The vehicle features a number of practical elements to enhance passenger comfort and safety including, rapid slide electric door, front ramp with centre handle, two metre long fold out ramp to the rear, and reverse camera with dash mounted monitor.

The Mellor Orion. The vehicles have been specifically configured to provide optimum functionality and comfort for passengers.