First Neat 5,500 Kg Fully Hydraulic expandable slide-out Youth Vehicle for Bar n Bus

Bar ‘n’ Bus is a Christian charity working with young people throughout Essex.

They provide professional, community based youth and community work providing support programmes and services for young people aged 10-19.

Their Work includes:

  • Detached Youth Work – on the street, engaging young people in the places they choose to gather
  • Targeted Youth Work Programmes – e.g. healthy relationships work, complimentary education reducing risk of exclusion, wellbeing programmes
  • In-School Mentoring – trained volunteers providing 1-2-1 to young people during the school day

They work in partnership with local churches, schools, councils and groups to provide professional, community-based youth work, seeking transformation and fullness of life for young people.

They provide programmes for young people in the location of their choosing, rather than bringing them to a venue. A large amount of their work takes place ‘on the street’ with detached youth workers engaging young people in parks, high streets and playgrounds, as well as utilising mobile youth vehicles for outreach sessions.

Neat Vehicles have built this fully hydraulic quick set up 5,500 Kg Mobile Youth Vehicle for Bar n Bus to engage with these young people in these outreach sessions. It is an 8.5 metre long Fiat Ducato with Neat Body and Alko Tandem axle chassis.

Fitted to the chassis is a fully automatic jacking and levelling system and air suspension units to the rear axles. The first one of its kind anywhere, this vehicle expands the whole side out with the touch of a button and has a flush floor throughout by having a hydraulic lifting floor. The windows along the front of the expandable slide-out can also fold back to form an open stage or open room with the drop in handrails across the front keeping the unit health and safety compliant.

The unit has an onboard generator giving 5 kva of power, custom built furniture and cupboards all built in our Nottinghamshire factory. It has heating and air conditioning built in as well as a sink and water system a fridge and built in wifi.

Speed of setup was critical for the team at Bar n Bus so it was vital that it could be deployed quickly wherever it went, this is twice as fast to set up as our normal 5 ton expandable vehicles with the fold out windows.

Another unique feature on this unit is that the centre seat is attached to the hydraulic floor so that it stows in the vertical position with the floor when in transit.