Roy McCarthy Coaches set to pioneer introduction of short wheelbase Plaxton Panther
Just weeks after taking delivery of a 12.2m Plaxton Leopard, the first of its type, Andy McCarthy has placed an order for what will again be an industry first.
This time around Macclesfield-based Roy McCarthy Coaches, will pioneer the introduction of a 12.2m short wheelbase Plaxton Panther, which will go into service in the spring of next year.
Andy, who is Managing Director of the Cheshire operator, commented: “The performance of the new Leopard was so good that we simply sat down with Plaxton and said we believe there is a market opportunity for a similar-sized, short Panther. They did their homework and came back with a positive response.
“Like us, many independent operators do a lot of business in rural areas, and in association with school contracts. We often find ourselves trying to turn vehicles in tight, restricted areas, so an improved turning circle is a big bonus. Our 12.2m Leopard has been brilliant in such circumstances and I’m sure the Panther will be the same.
“As I’ve said before, there is the added bonus that new drivers are more comfortable with shorter vehicles, which makes the learning curve a lot easier before they progress to full-length vehicles.”
Andy added: “I can’t praise Plaxton enough. They sat down, listened and acknowledged that there is an opportunity to create a new, niche sector. I’m sure they will be proved absolutely right. There are many long-established, family-run companies like our own and, after all, we wouldn’t be in business for 45 years without knowing what we are talking about.”
The new McCarthy Panther will based on a Euro 6 Volvo B8R chassis, with ZF automatic transmission. The 49-seater will include a centre sunken WC, a fridge, a boiler and a radio PA system.
Commenting on the background to the pending introduction of the 12.2m Panther, Simon Wood, Regional Sales Manager at Plaxton, said: “Andy McCarthy has said it all really. He knows what he is talking about and when we researched the opportunity with other operators, we came to the conclusion that there may well be a very strong, niche sector for this type of coach.
“As Andy indicated, there are a huge amount of small operators providing services of one form or another in very rural areas. The feedback is that they would welcome a short version of the proven Panther, which will sit comfortably alongside our recently introduced 12.2m Leopard.”
Simon added: “At the end of the day it is our job to listen to the wants and needs of our customers and that is exactly what we have done. There has already been a very positive response in the market place, which I am sure will grow even more as the word spreads.”
