Click below to view
larger image

Orion Bus Industries is one of the most trusted names in public transit with buses in service in more than 250 North American cities.

To accommodate its handicapped customers, Orion developed a wheelchair ramp to be installed on the front entrance door of a low floor bus that flips up for storage. It includes a bear bearing for the drive unit, two bearings used as pivot points on the ramp and a sleeve bearing in the chain tensioner.

Orion had to consider a number of issues, including the bearings’ exposure to the outside street environment and its resistance to dirt. Orion searched for plastic bearings that were lubrication-free, would lower maintenance costs and that were lower priced than bronze.

Orion found iglide® J, a plain plastic bearing sold by igus® Inc. Iglide J is lubrication-free, cost-efficient and has a high wear resistant – all features that met the needs of Orion’s bus wheelchair ramp.

To learn more about Orion Bus Industries, visit www.orionbus.com.