Automotive

Torsus 4x4 bus protects off-grid pros with anti-COVID pod seating

Torsus 4x4 bus protects off-grid pros with anti-COVID pod seating
The Praetorian has 13.4 in (340 mm) of ground clearance at the front and rear and approach/departure angles of 32/26 degrees
The Praetorian has 13.4 in (340 mm) of ground clearance at the front and rear and approach/departure angles of 32/26 degrees
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Torsus uses plastic barriers and captain's chairs to create its COVID-19 distancing pods
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Torsus uses plastic barriers and captain's chairs to create its COVID-19 distancing pods
Using the modular floor rail-based seating arrangement, companies can switch between socially distanced and max capacity floor plans as needed
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Using the modular floor rail-based seating arrangement, companies can switch between socially distanced and max capacity floor plans as needed
Torsus uses 3.5-mm plastic to create barriers between seats
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Torsus uses 3.5-mm plastic to create barriers between seats
Single-seat rows will cut personnel-moving efficiency but will help to keep passengers properly distanced
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Single-seat rows will cut personnel-moving efficiency but will help to keep passengers properly distanced
Torsus becomes the latest vehicle manufacturer to rethink its designs in response to the pandemic
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Torsus becomes the latest vehicle manufacturer to rethink its designs in response to the pandemic
With its heavy-duty MAN chassis, 4x4 system, off-road tires and steel-framed composite body, the Praetorian is designed to get crews virtually anywhere work has to get done
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With its heavy-duty MAN chassis, 4x4 system, off-road tires and steel-framed composite body, the Praetorian is designed to get crews virtually anywhere work has to get done
The Torsus Praetorian gets dirty
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The Torsus Praetorian gets dirty
In addition to all-terrain work bus, Torsus advertises many different Praetorian configurations, including an off-road motorhome
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In addition to all-terrain work bus, Torsus advertises many different Praetorian configurations, including an off-road motorhome
The usual Praetorian bus configurations packs the cabin with two-seat rows
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The usual Praetorian bus configurations packs the cabin with two-seat rows
The Praetorian has 13.4 in (340 mm) of ground clearance at the front and rear and approach/departure angles of 32/26 degrees
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The Praetorian has 13.4 in (340 mm) of ground clearance at the front and rear and approach/departure angles of 32/26 degrees
Torsus designed the Praetorian for use cases like mining, forestry, off-grid tourism and more
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Torsus designed the Praetorian for use cases like mining, forestry, off-grid tourism and more
The Praetorian relies on a 6.9-liter diesel engine with up to 290 hp and 848 lb-ft of torque to get where it needs to go
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The Praetorian relies on a 6.9-liter diesel engine with up to 290 hp and 848 lb-ft of torque to get where it needs to go
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When you're working hundreds of miles from the nearest village, deep in rocky nothingness, the last thing you want to deal with is a highly contagious disease — it's been difficult enough in cities and suburbs. Torsus has launched a new solution for keeping remote operations running smoothly in the COVID-19 era. Its Praetorian 4x4 bus is already among the best ways of escaping population densities, and now it aims to help prevent sickness spreading amongst passengers using a modular "Anti-COVID-19" seating package.

Cities, mobility providers, government agencies and vehicle designers the world over are rethinking public transportation in reaction to the pandemic. The old paradigm of packing people inside a train or bus right up to maximum capacity is no longer a viable option, and we're seeing alternative solutions like the pandemic-grade seating of the Arrival bus.

Remote operations far outside cities aren't immune to pandemics, either, and while there might only be a tiny fraction of the number of people involved, they can still end up in very close working quarters, spreading illnesses in a hurry. To compound the issue, they're likely isolated well away from appropriate healthcare infrastructure.

Using the modular floor rail-based seating arrangement, companies can switch between socially distanced and max capacity floor plans as needed
Using the modular floor rail-based seating arrangement, companies can switch between socially distanced and max capacity floor plans as needed

Torsus relies on the modular construction of its Praetorian off-road bus cabin to create an alternative layout designed specifically to meet international social distancing guidelines. Instead of packing 37 seats into two-seat rows on both sides of the aisle plus a five-seat row in back, the Anti-COVID-19 social distancing pack pulls out the rear row and replaces the double-seat side rows with single coach seats. A series of 3.5-mm plastic dividers affixed to the floor rails on each side of the aisle keeps passengers separated into single-seat pods.

Beyond helping to prevent virus spread, the seat shuffling creates comfy VIP-like pods that look much more comfortable for traveling back from a long day of muscle-inflaming fieldwork, especially for those who don't really feel like chatting.

Torsus designed the Praetorian for use cases like mining, forestry, off-grid tourism and more
Torsus designed the Praetorian for use cases like mining, forestry, off-grid tourism and more

Torsus' modular design makes for an effective temporary solution, allowing business operators to add seats back to full 37-passenger capacity after health worries abate. The switchover doesn't require any new drilling or permanent damage. In addition to offering the Anti-COVID-19 package for new orders, Torsus says existing Praetorian buses around the world can be retrofitted.

Source: Torsus

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3 comments
3 comments
wolf0579
Cute. Test it. I'm pretty sure all that paneling won't do squat for an airborne virus drifting randomly through the air.
paul314
Are those pods all separately ventilated? You have outside air available not far away, so they certanily could be.
fen
@wolf0579 - But covid is not airborne, there is a difference between an airborne virus and one you can catch from someone coughing on you.