STEVENSVILLE, Md. — A new overview of maintenance facilities in the North American pupil transportation sector shows school districts are increasingly turning to next-generation inground vehicle lifts to expedite safe and reliable servicing and repairs.
Driving the trend are three key factors: safety, efficiency, and cost, according to Stertil-Koni, the recognized leader in the heavy-duty bus lift and truck lift industry and provider of the overview.
As Peter Bowers, Stertil-Koni technical sales support manager noted, “About 75 to 80 percent of maintenance performed on school buses includes work on the steering, tires and brakes. That’s why an axle-engaging lift that enables wheels-free lifting is so important.”
For its part, Stertil-Koni reenvisioned the process when it first introduced nearly seven years ago, an inground, telescopic piston lift, known as the DIAMONDLIFT. With a lifting capacity of up to 35,000 lbs. per piston, and models that are typically ordered in two and three-piston configurations (hence, a lifting capacity of up to 105,000 lbs. in the most popular models), the challenge of lifting standard school buses for servicing is never an issue.
What’s more, DIAMONDLIFT—which is Gold Label-certified by the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI)—features pistons that are electronically synchronized for maximum safety. The equipment uses a mechanical locking system for exceptional protection and requires a mere 4.8 gallons of biodegradable fluid per lifting unit.
DIAMONDLIFT comes in two models, cassette and frame, and it is the frame version that has resonated particularly strongly with the school transportation industry. Here’s why: According to Matthias Lennemann, Stertil-Koni’s sales manager for inground lifts, “In many cases, installing the frame version of the DIAMONDLIFT into an existing concrete pit, or new construction, will deliver substantial time and cost benefits to the customer. What’s more, installation is often easier, because it requires a pit that is less deep than traditional products.”
The lift’s modular frame design also means that it can readily accommodate a variety of different pit sizes. It is also designed with different travel ranges, to work seamlessly with a wide range of vehicle sizes and wheelbases. “That makes the DIAMONDLIFT frame ideally suited for both retrofitting existing facilities and new construction,” Bowers added.
Dr. Jean DellAmore, president of Stertil-Koni, concluded that “In just a few short years, the DIAMONDLIFT has gone to the top of the class in pupil transportation. It has rapidly become the go-to inground lift in the industry. What’s more, DIAMONDLIFT exemplifies our firm commitment at Stertil-Koni to continue innovating with the goal of always providing a safer, more efficient and durable heavy-duty vehicle lifting system.”
About Stertil-Koni
Stertil-Koni is the market leader in heavy-duty vehicle lifts, notably bus lifts and truck lifts. The company serves municipalities, state agencies, school bus fleets, major corporations, the U.S. military and more. Stertil-Koni’s breadth of products meets all ranges of lifting needs, including portable lifts such as Mobile Column Lifts, 2-post, 4-post, inground piston lifts, platform lifts, and its axle-engaging, inground, scissor lift configuration, ECOLIFT. The company’s innovative, inground telescopic piston DIAMONDLIFT is now available with an optional Continuous Recess system, which is ideal for low clearance vehicles. Stertil-Koni USA is headquartered in Stevensville, Md., with production facilities in Europe, The Netherlands and in Streator, Ill.
