Ford Super Duty F-450 / F-550 Z-Frame™

Axleless® suspensions provide extreme low floors by completely eliminating the rear axles in cab chassis vehicles and trailers. With GVWR ratings maintained, Axleless® introduces a remarkably smooth ride previously unachievable with conventional, straight-axle suspensions. Axleless® is a fully independent suspension system and because it is an air ride system, there is the added bonus of kneeling capabilities which means that an already low floor can be lowered even further when in a parked position.

Z-Frame™ - Shuttle Bus Applications

The Frienldy Bus™ makes public and private transportation easy on everyone. Available in shuttle and paratransit versions, this bus is built on Dallas Smith Corp.’s Axleless® Ford Super Duty F-450/550, low floor, Z-Frame™.

• No steps
• No expensive electric or hydraulic lifts
• No raised floor
• No restricted floor plan
• Requires no commercially licensed driver
• Fully independent rear, air-ride suspension

Built by Supreme Corporation and it’s Startrans Bus devision, The Frienldy Bus™ is equipped with a fully independent rear, air-ride suspension with an 18,000 pound GVW rating. That means no rear axle and it has full time front wheel drive which translates to an extremely low center of gravity and low profile for a smooth, consistent ride for every passenger. This patented technology gives The Friendly bus™ a dramatic low, flat floor that has a step-in hight of only 8 inches. If necessary, a fully mechanical ramp can be deployed for added convenience. To further enhance it’s efficiency, The Friendly Bus™ can be lowered / kneeled by mechanically removing and replacing air from its air-ride suspension system. The Friendly Bus™ has been designed and engineered for muscle as well as safety and convenience. It’s available Ford Triton V10 Gas Engine or Ford Power Stroke V8 Turbo Diesel help to make it friendly but with an attitude.

Available seating configurations for passengers, wheel chairs, luggage or other passenger cargo along with other industry approved interior anchoring systems makes The Friendly Bus™ even friendlier. For those of us that might be physically challenged whether by wheel chair, walking device, or from person assistance, the current methods being used today in getting from one point to another not only create a feeling of loss and mobility but also can make some feel the object of attention, inconvenience or delay. This can apply to the bus operator as well, taking attention away from responsibilities of other passengers or the bus itself. Not so with The Friendly Bus™, the bus that is ADA compliant, the easy way. Everyone has equal access.

Dallas Smith Corp. has invested many years of unrivaled research and engineering towards the development of low floor technology. A direct result of that is a bus designed and built for safety, reliability, endurance and unmatched ease of use. The Frienldy Bus™!

Equal and easy comes standard!

Z-Frame™ - Commercial Cargo Applications

This changes everything! The low floor Boss Van® is manufactured by The Supreme Corporation. It’s built with Dallas-Smith Corp.’s Ford Low-Floor Super Duty F450/F550 Z-Frame™Chassis Cab platform. This offers a number of advantages over a traditional van body that will impact your profitability.

• Step-In Floor Height of 8″
• No Liftgates Required
• Available In 10′ to 18′ Van Lengths
• Axleless® Air Ride Suspension
• Up to 18,000 lbs. GVWR

For starters, the body has 23% more cubic feet of cargo capacity without increasing the overall height of the truck. The extremely low step height is a low 13 and 1/8 inches from the street to the van floor. Not the traditional 40 inches on a standard van body. This means that there’s absolutely no need for an expensive lift gate. Add to this the decreased risk of worker’s compensation or liability claims, and it’s easy to see that the Boss Van® can save you time and money.

Loading and delivery unloading are effortless. A very short and convenient ramp is provided for hand truck applications. Whether it’s sofas, loveseats, or tables and chairs, refrigerators, ranges, televisions or dishwashers…your cycle times will be reduced significantly. Package delivery doesn’t get any better than this! The Boss Van® provides an extremely low step height from the rear with its full width roll up door. As well as from the optional sliding side pocket door… making multi-stop route delivery efficient, safe, and fast. That means more deliveries per day and more profits for your company. The Boss Van® is built on a durable, full time front wheel drive Ford F-450 or F-550 chassis with a Diesel or Gas engine that will power through any load you can give it. And since the low floor chassis uses genuine Ford parts, the chassis remains warranted by Ford.

Housed in black wheel boxes, the Axleless® independent, air-ride suspension provides an improved cushion ride for the vehicle’s driver and cargo. The individual trailing arm suspension encounter road surfaces independently over a Wide-Track™ stance and are supported by air springs. This means improved stability over rough road surfaces or unexpected potholes. The Wide-Track™ road hugging suspension has an extremely low vehicle center of gravity, carrying your load between the rear wheels…providing improved vehicle stability and handling. The Boss Van® is available in the Boss High Cube that yields increased cargo capacity at the same height as a conventional van body or in the Boss Standard Cube, yielding standard van body cargo capacities and a lower profile with less wind drag providing increased fuel economy. Available body lengths are 10’, 12’, 14’, 16’, and 18’ with GVW’s of 14,000 or 18,000 pounds on the single axle chassis and 20,000 pounds on the tandem axle chassis. The Boss Van® is constructed of either FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plywood) for durability and strength or with traditional aluminum sheet in post construction giving you the same range of van bodies you’ve come to expect, but in a lower profile. Numerous options are available including: a curb side or driver’s side sliding pocket door, a translucent roof for a brighter cargo area, LED lights for increased reliability, an inside stowed hand truck ramp, and a varnished hardwood floor. A unique option available on the The Boss Van® is the kneeling option allowing you to lower the floor height to 9” from the standard 13 and 1/8 inch height for even easier loading and unloading. It is easy to see here that the The Boss Van® saves time. Lift gates are awkward and slow compared to an effortless walk in and walk out of The Boss Van®.

Almost three times faster loading cycles, lower floor height, more cargo capacity, decreased delivery cycle time, reduced chances of liability claims, and multiple body and up fit options. You can see what we mean when we say “this changes everything”.

Z-Frame™ - Specialty Vehicle Applications

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