Reading Buses has taken delivery of a Strata low floor bus to operate in the town and serve the local community.

Head of Engineering for Reading Buses, John Bickerton, said:

“We have had a great experience working with Mellor to find a vehicle that suited our needs and those of our passengers. We were after a low floor small bus and it was remarkable to find a manufacturer who ticked all the boxes and provided us with the exact vehicle we wanted.”

Reading Bus had specific requirements for the bus as it will be contracted by Reading Borough Council to operate on routes for the local community. These included several additional features from USB ports in each seat, to numerous destination displays.

John Bickerton added:

“We are impressed with Mellor’s flexibility to make this vehicle as bespoke as possible. The Strata has been a great hit with both our passengers and drivers, the vehicle is particularly quiet, so offers a pleasant journey all round.”

The Strata low floor has recently been awarded a Low Emissions Bus (LEB) certificate in the UK, demonstrating the bus’ green credentials. The accreditation, as described by the UK government, is awarded to vehicles using technology that produces 15 per cent less ‘Well-to-Wheel’ emissions when compared with equivalent Euro V diesel buses.

Stephen Haywood, Area Sales Manager for South of England and Wales for Mellor, said:

“It’s been an exciting process working with Reading Buses and Reading Borough Council to tailor their new vehicle to meet their exact requirements.
“Fuel efficiency and low emissions are important factors for any operator, especially those based in urban environments such as Reading Buses. We are confident that the Strata will be a great addition to their fleet.”

The Mellor Strata is well suited for fare-stage bus work with a wide variety of seating configurations that are suited to the needs of passengers.