ARBOC Specialty Vehicles Bus featuring Prisma SST Composite Floor Sends Shockwaves Through the Bus Industry at APTA

ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, LLC, a leading innovator in bus design unveiled a new bus at the APTA Expo in New Orleans. Structural Composites teamed with ARBOC Specialty Vehicles and Extreme Design to design and produce a breakthrough in composites for transportation. The same Prisma Single Skin Technology being developed to reduce weight on the Navy's Combatant Craft is being applied to transportation applications to deliver a low cost light weight high performance floor system.

Scott Lewit, president of Structural Composites States "The Prisma SST bus floor was just featured in a new bus at the recent APTA Expo and was a huge success for our customer ARBOC Specialty Vehicles. We are happy to work with world class innovators such as ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, Bel-Aire Luxury Coach and Extreme Design. They have the vision and determination to drive the next generation of innovations into the transportation and RV markets".

National News third quarter newsletter covered the APTA Expo they stated:

"One product that debuted sent shockwaves through the industry. ARBOC, who pioneered the low floor cut away bus market, has created a new rear engine medium duty low floor bus. The Spirit of Liberty made headlines at this show for several reasons. One being, it fits a niche in the market that is currently not being served. The bus is a competitively priced product with superior access for all passengers, especially those with special needs. The second quality that makes this a unique design is the composite floor. ARBOC has engineered a composite floor that has the same characteristics and strengths as a steel floor with substantially less weight. This allows the bus to seat roughly five additional seats than a traditional type bus; for example the 33 bus seats 37 in place of 27+/-. "

Don Roberts, president and CEO of ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, LLC states "New buses are being impacted by a change in the standard passenger weight. We now have to design to a standard passenger that weighs 175 lbs., prior to this the standard weight was 150 lbs. While other bus manufacturers are having to pull seats from their buses to meet the new weight requirements, we have been able to not only keep the same number of seats, but have been able to add additional seats due to the significant weight savings we get from the innovative Prisma single skin floor system. "

Eric Johanson, Extreme Design supported ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, on the bus design, he states "Composite materials for chassis and floor systems are the next frontier for both the transportation and Recreational Vehicle (RV) Industry. The Prisma SST technology is able to provide tough durable structures that are lightweight and cost effective. Weight reduction is the key factor to improving the fuel efficiency of buses and RV's. Prisma SST offers a special combination of lightweight and toughness at a very affordable price".

Structural Composites and the Prisma Single Skin Technology were recently awarded the Congressional Medal of Merit by Congressman Bill Poesy (15th District Florida).