VB-Airsuspension is on your side:
including in an emergency

Published on April 26 2024

(Suspension) solutions for emergency service vehicles
Vehicles such as ambulances, police and fire service vehicles – also known as emergency service vehicles – regularly travel fully laden and are kitted out with high-tech, heavy equipment that is essential for providing professional emergency assistance.

We all know that these vehicles are critical to saving life and limb, and in an emergency they need to get to the patient or (life-threatening) situation as fast as humanly possible. In the case of an ambulance, it needs to reach the patient and convey them to hospital with the least delay possible. Whatever the emergency, travel to and from the location should be as safe and stable as possible. This is only feasible if the driver can rely on the vehicle to perform at its best and be highly manoeuvrable.

VB-Airsuspension: specialists in air suspension
More than 30 years in the automotive industry: VB-Airsuspension. With its head office in the Netherlands and subsidiaries in Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Russia, the US, India, Australia and Turkey, VB-Airsuspension is active all over the world. We are represented in more than 60 countries and have over 355 installation partners and 885+ qualified specialists.

In 2024, VB-Airsuspension is considered a leading innovative company undergoing rapid growth that wants its customers to benefit from premium suspension applications and (air) suspension systems. The organisation is a leading consultancy, developer and supplier of air and other suspension systems for light to medium-heavy commercial vehicles. To provide a better idea of the type of vehicles we mean, we do not supply systems for passenger cars or for trucks, but for everything in between.

Air suspension is the general term used by many people to describe suspension systems that (partially) run on air. VB-Airsuspension (air) suspension systems are used where the vehicle's original suspension is not adequate for the job. The organisation has worked closely with vehicle manufacturers over many years in order to meet the quality requirements set by manufacturers. They set their own quality standards in relation to products, processes and testing that are aligned to the exacting requirements of the automotive industry and, in doing so, contribute to greater comfort, better responsiveness, useful functions and increased safety to help make every day smoother for drivers and passengers.

Used 'unknowingly' throughout the world
As VB-Airsuspension itself is keen to point out: it is almost certain you have already experienced their products without knowing it. How can that be? Their (air) suspension systems are used for many different applications and target groups. These include motorhomes, car transporters, 4x4 vehicles, wheelchair-accessible vehicles and various emergency vehicles, including ambulances. VB-Airsuspension's products are increasingly bringing added value to new markets, too, because the products add 'nice-to-have' features or solve problems for a whole range of applications. This is all part of their mission: “We create the next level in vehicle dynamics”.

More 'about us'

Common (suspension) problems for emergency service vehicles
When travelling in an emergency service vehicle, every pothole and bump in the road can be felt. The vehicle is unstable, it drifts or leans and the access is too high when out on a call – these are some examples of (suspension) problems we regularly hear from drivers. Air suspension systems from VB-Airsuspension solve all these problems, so that drivers – and paramedics, police/fire officers, patient(s) and any other occupants – of emergency service vehicles are no longer troubled by these undesirable driving characteristics.

More common wishes and/or problems

Key functionalities of an air suspension system
What's so good about the features that come with air suspension? The system has a function to lower and kneel emergency service vehicles when stationary to make it easier to enter and exit. The height of the rear of the vehicle can be adjusted automatically. It is even possible to set default heights for loading and unloading, making it easier to load and unload equipment as required. Not only that, but an air suspension system weighs less overall than a tail lift.

The short lowering and raising times of VB-Airsuspension systems give emergency service personnel easier and faster access to the emergency service vehicle when loading and unloading, e.g. firefighting equipment or a stretcher. In this way, air suspension makes the demanding job of emergency service workers that much easier.

The right solution for many 'blue light' vehicles: full air suspension
VB-Airsuspension recommends full air suspension as a solution for the most common (suspension) problems experienced by emergency service vehicles. Full air suspension is an automatic, adjustable solution to a suspension problem where the existing leaf or coil spring suspension is replaced by a full air suspension system. This system includes air springs, shock absorbers, height sensors, a compressor and an electronic control unit.

The air suspension system filters out unevenness in the road surface, improving ride comfort. While driving, the vehicle will constantly remain at the ride height set by VB-Airsuspension during installation. The standard ride height is determined during the development of the air suspension and is fixed.

The ride height is the ideal height for comfort and stability. The driveability and stability of the vehicle are improved, which in turn increases safety. The access/loading platform height can be raised and lowered when the vehicle is at a standstill (in some cases with the handbrake on), allowing for easy vehicle entry/exit and for loading/unloading goods.

Because every second counts
Given all this, a full air suspension system represents a real win-win for emergency service vehicles. Extreme discomfort caused by potholes and bumps in the road become a thing of the past, the vehicle will feel more stable, vehicle drift and leaning is no longer a problem and the entry, loading and unloading height can be varied at any time at the touch of a button. It can also help save time for emergency service workers attending an incident. Get to your destination quickly and safely thanks to high vehicle stability, exceptional ride comfort, useful functions and optimum driveability.

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