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4 <br />REGULAR MEETING <br />APRIL 14, 1980 <br />and Hawk, the lowest Horton bidder, is the new dealer in Indiana <br />for Horton. Butler Coach's bid, representing Horton, is their <br />last bid in Indiana. <br />Considering the known durability, the benefits of standardiza- <br />tion, and parts inter - changeability, the Fire Department <br />feels that the $4,424.50 difference between the low Horton <br />bid and the low Wheel Coach bid, prorated over the ten year <br />life of the module, is worthwhile. <br />As always, I will be available to answer any questions or <br />provide additional information. <br />RECAP OF MARCH 1980 MODULAR AMBULANCE BIDS <br />- We currently own two 1976 Hortons. <br />- Service experience has been excellent. Virtually no <br />repairs have been necessary to the boxes during the <br />last four years despite the fact that each unit has <br />made over 10,000 runs during that period. <br />- We recently rechassied one of the Hortons. While cosmetic <br />work (paint & cleaning) was done and a portion of the <br />flooring was replaced, no work needed to be done to the <br />box. No evidence of corrosion was discovered. <br />- Comparisons of the Horton & Wheelcoach structures shows <br />that the quality of construction of the Horton is superior. <br />- All other bidders cabinetry is standard for all models. <br />We cannot specify the placement cabinetry in this design. <br />Horton cabinetry is modular in design and may be designed <br />and installed in any manner we specify. This allows us <br />to maintain standardization within our ambulance fleet. <br />- The GVW of the Wheelcoach is 10,000 lbs. Our experience <br />has shown this to be insufficient. The Horton GVW is <br />10,500 lbs. We feel that this is an important difference <br />relating directly to the durability and ultimately, the <br />life of the chassis. <br />- The rub rails on the Wheelcoach are supported by the <br />aluminum skin of the body rather than structural <br />framing members as are the rub rails on the Horton. <br />This means that the Wheelcoach rub rails would simply <br />curl under in the event they were needed for their <br />intended purpose of protecting the integrity of the <br />ambulance body. <br />- Horton is located in Columbus, Ohio as opposed to Florida, <br />Texas or Alabama. Repair parts, if needed, should be <br />more readily available. <br />- No crash tests have been done on the Wheelhorse ambulance. <br />Extensive crash testing of the Horton has been conducted <br />and the results of these tests shows the Horton to main- <br />tain it's structural integrity despite head -on crashes <br />resulting in total destruction of the cab. <br />- It is our opinion that the Horton is a superior piece of <br />equipment and our experience indicates that it is well <br />worth the $4,425.00 difference in price. We therefore <br />recommend purchase of the Horton Ambulance from Hawk. <br />The Chief further stated that Butler Coach has been the Horton dealer <br />in Indiana and has relinquished its Horton franchise to Hawk Equip- <br />ment. He indicated that Wheelcoach has been examined as best as <br />possible by the department, but, because the vehicle is manufactured <br />