Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. last week launched its S2 cutaway featuring a near-complete shuttle bus cab during BusCon 2010. Built to meet the needs of commercial bus manufacturers desiring an alternative to a traditional truck chassis, the FCCC S2 is FCCC’s first foray into the commercial bus cab cutaway market. Utilizing the technology of the FCCC S2 commercial bus chassis, the S2 cutaway is built upon a shuttle bus chassis rather than a traditional truck chassis.
“FCCC recognized the need for a cab cutaway product that was built upon a bus chassis, so we designed and engineered one to meet our high standards of quality and reliability,” says Jonathan Randall, director of sales and marketing for FCCC. “Because it was built on the S2 chassis, the S2 cutaway chassis has all of the features and benefits for a bus application already incorporated into the vehicle, including excellent maneuverability.”
The FCCC S2 cutaway provides coach designers’ options to craft the coach to fit their customers’ specific business needs, while also satisfying OEMs specific production needs for simplicity and ease of build. Coach manufacturers can add or remove certain cab amenities, including the rear wall, seating, passenger door and roof top door, allowing for a customized product. Manufacturers working with the FCCC S2 cutaway benefit from the all-inclusive chassis design because they only need to address the vehicle’s body, seating and wheelchair capabilities.
Understanding maneuverability is a primary challenge for shuttle bus operators, the FCCC S2 cutaway features a 55-degree wheel cut for maneuvering in and out of tight spaces, making it suitable for airport shuttle, park and ride, assisted living, charter, rental, church and university transportation needs.
The front-engine diesel S2 cutaway features a sloped hood to facilitate easier engine access and visibility, and includes a Freightliner M2 cab bus body. Built on a lightweight aluminum frame to help reduce flex and bowing, minimize coach stress and keep the driver and passengers comfortable, the FCCC S2 cutaway also features a dashboard with steering capabilities.
“FCCC developed the S2 cutaway to provide coach manufacturers with an alternative solution to help make their jobs easier,” Randall says “The FCCC S2 cutaway lets coach manufacturers work with an all-inclusive near-complete shuttle chassis, allowing for a straightforward coach production process.”
The FCCC S2 cutaway is powered by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-compliant 2010 Cummins ISB 6.7-liter engine with up to 260 hp and an Allison automatic six-speed transmission. Cummins 2010 engines use selective catalytic reduction technology.
