FOSTER COACH SALES, INC. AMBULANCE SALES
New, Demonstrators, Used, and Retired Ambulaces

News article from Firehouse magazine:

“AMBULANCE CHASSIS CRISIS: WAIT TIMES SOAR, COSTS SKYROCKET”

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FOSTER COACH COVID-19 NEWS LETTER

Dear Foster Coach Sales Customers,

As the nation comes together during the coronavirus pandemic, Foster Coach Sales feels the weight of our responsibility as a critical supplier to emergency services, as an employer, and as a part of our local community. Foster Coach Sales service and sales are part of a critical lifeline, one that is particularly strained during this difficult time. We take great pride in what we do to help keep people around the world safe, and in the roles we play to help our local communities continue to prosper... Read More

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2022 LUIS MORRONI QVM EVALUATION RESULTS

In 2022, Luis Morroni from the Ford Motor Company Qualified Vehicle Modifier Program did an onsite evaluation at Foster Coach Sales, Inc. in Sterling, Illinois. Once again, we passed with flying colors! Foster Coach is proud of all of our team that made this happen! We are proud to be one of the few designated QVM remount specialists in the United States to be recognized by the Ford Motor Company to be worthy of their seal of approval and backing.

Thanks to all at Foster Coach Sales, Inc. and Rock River Auto Body, Inc. Be proud of what you do!

___ANNOUNCEMENT___

Foster Coach Sales, Inc. is registered with CAAS as a compliant remounter. Steve Foster served on the committee for the specifications created for a standard that remounters should be held to. This is addition to Foster Coach being accredited from Ford Motor Company as a QVM [Qualified Vehicle Modifier] which exceeds the CAAS specification.

>> View the CAAS GVS Remounter Certification <<

___WHELEN SAFTY RECALL___

Dear Valued Whelen Customer:

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act...

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___SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT___

Foster Coach Sales, Inc. is pleased to have been awarded the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative (SPC) Contract #177 for Type III ambulances manufactured by the Horton Emergency Vehicles Company. This contract offers a choice of either the Ford E-450 (158” WB) or Chevrolet G-4500 (159” WB) Cutaway chassis. Both chassis options are powered by gasoline engines.

Any Illinois tax supported entity is eligible to take advantage of the special pricing and other benefits offered with this contract, as well as the Additional Duty Type I ambulance contract that Foster Coach was awarded earlier this year. The Type I contract includes ambulances on either Ford F-series, International 4300, or Freightliner M2 chassis.

The entire staff at Foster Coach looks forward to expanding the number of Horton Emergency Vehicle options available to the EMS providers in Illinois. As it has for over sixty years, Foster Coach remains committed to offering quality vehicles at a reasonable price, backed by unparalleled service after the sale. We are honored that the SPC has recognized this commitment throughout the past 15-years and has once again placed its confidence in Foster Coach. Please do not hesitate to contact Foster Coach for additional details on the SPC purchasing program.

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ANNOUNCEMENT

Ford Motor Company has announced plans to introduce the 6.8-liter V-10 (GASOLINE) engine into its F-series chassis in conjunction with an Ambulance Prep Package (option 47A).

While Ford has supplied the V-10 engine as its sole offering in the E-450 cutaway ambulance chassis for several years, the manufacturer has responded to the growing number of requests for a similar engine offering in the F-series ambulance chassis.

With the V-10 engine offering, customers considering an F-series based ambulance will now have the ability to choose between a gas or diesel engine offering. It should be noted that the V-10 engine has been utilized in the F-series platform in other applications outside of the ambulance industry for some time now, so this is not completely uncharted waters for Ford.

The introduction of the V-10 engine will help Ford continue its overall chassis dominance in the ambulance industry, while also offering a cost savings to the end-user. Ford has announced that it will offer a single 240-amp alternator with this engine package, however, exact horsepower/torque ratings and overall pricing have not been released.

ACCORDING TO INFORMATION RECENTLY RELEASED BY FORD, THE EARLIEST THIS ENGINE OPTION WOULD BE IN PRODUCTION WOULD BE JANUARY 2019, BUT THIS OPTION COULD BE DELAYED UNTIL MID-YEAR 2019. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS ENGINE OPTION COULD BE RELEASED WITH A 2020 MODEL YEAR CHASSIS. STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS SIGNIFICANT CHANGE WITHIN THE AMBULANCE INDUSTRY

ANNOUNCEMENT

Steve Foster, President of Foster Coach Sales, Inc. has been chosen to serve on the specification committee for CAAS [Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services] to develop a comprehensive ambulance remount specification. Steve was chosen based on his 44-years of experience in the ambulance industry, as well as his dedication to the family-owned business which he runs with his three sons. This new committee includes six [6] Ford QVM [Qualified Vehicle Modifier} certified remounters, six [6] QVM certified manufacturers, six [6] EMS providers, and four [4] technical field advisors. The committee has been organized to protect EMS providers from unsafe remounts and to establish a remount standard that has been remiss for several years.

When a vendor remounts an ambulance, he is classified by the Federal Government and the chassis manufacturer as a “manufacturer”, since the unit is being assembled on an “incomplete chassis”. See attached article from JEMS. Many remounts are being performed each year by vendors, or even providers/operators, without registration with NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] or knowledge of the requirements that a manufacturer must adhere to.

Foster Coach is one of only nine dealers and two manufacturers that Ford has certified to be a qualified manufacturer of remounts. In addition, as of today, Foster Coach is the only remounter to have undergone a certified pull test on their seat belt installation per Change Notice 8 of the Federal KKK-1822F standard. This was an expensive test performed to verify that the design and installation of the 4-point restraints in your remounted ambulance will be crash worthy.

Once again, Foster Coach continues to go above and beyond to insure the safety of our units and the occupants on board, all while providing the value you’ve come to know and expect from the Midwest’s most respected ambulance dealer.

>> Click here for attached EMS "Rethinking Remounts" article <<

64 YEARS OF SOLID GROWTH

Foster Coach Sales, Inc. is celebrating its 64th year of growth and continuous business. From selling funeral coaches and ambulances, to solely offering new, used and remounted ambulances, Foster Coach is proud to be recognized as a leader in the ambulance industry. As I look back, I think of all the people that have played a role in our success over the years. There are three main components that have been key to our continued success...

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FOSTER COACH EXPANDS AGAIN

The new Foster Coach Storage Facility Exterior

The new Foster Coach Storage Facility Interior

HORTON EMERGENCY VEHICLES ANNUAL DEALER MEETING

At the annual Horton dealer meeting, Foster Coach Sales was awarded the Dealer of the Year award for second place for the second year in a row in national sales. In just eight years, Foster Coach has risen to second place in sales for the organization. We would like to thank all of our customers who have helped make this happen! Their support and sales are greatly appreciated!

P.J. Foster won the award for National #1 Sales Leader in 2018 for Horton Emergency Vehicles.

IMPORTANT SERVICE NEWS

COT ANTLER FASTENER SYSTEMS

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FOSTER COACH TEAMS WITH ALCOA TO OFFER ALUMINUM WHEELS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO PROVIDE A “BETTER WAY TO ROLL” AT A COMPETITIVE PRICE

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HORTON ANNOUNCES FOUR-POINT SEAT BELT AND VEST AS STANDARD

REVISIONS AND CHANGES TO THE FEDERAL KKK-1822-F SPECIFICATIONS

Over the past several months, we have kept you informed on the pending changes to the KKK-A-1822F Ambulance Specifications. We expect this newly updated document will be published and effective on July 1, 2015 as Change Notice 8.

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IDPH POSITION ON KKK-A-1822F

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In an effort to better serve our customers, Foster Coach Sales, Inc. is proud to announce that we have added a new product line to our existing offering. In addition to Horton Ambulances, we are now also a dealer for Medix Specialty Vehicles.

This product line will compliment our existing lines and give our customers a wider choice of products with the same great Foster Coach service after the sale.

Medix Specialty Vehicles is located in Elkhart, IN. The Medix product line includes Type I and Type III modular ambulances, and the Sprinter, Chevrolet, and new Ford Transit Type II’s. Many customers are drawn to the value and “functionality” of Medix standard line of products. Having the Medix product line gives us the product diversity we need to provide customers who are looking for a value base product with the inherent quality and support valued by a discerning Foster Coach customer. While not being a total custom manufacturer, Medix does provide a variety of custom interior configurations designed to meet the needs of many in the Fire/EMS industry. Medix offers a great, value based product that is a leader in the private sector and has a growing presence in the municipal, volunteer and hospital based markets. We are proud and excited to be partnered with them.

Please contact us with any questions about Medix via our toll free number at 1-800-369-4215.
We are sure that you will find the Medix product and our service worthy of your business.

>> Click here to visit Medix website <<

FOSTER COACH BECOMES A PARTNER WITH WISCONSIN EMS BUYING GROUP

Foster Coach Sales, Inc. has partnered with WEMSA for discounts to its member for purchases of new Horton Emergency Vehicles. Each service and corporate member of the Wisconsin EMS Association is automatically eligible to purchase a new Horton with a discount from Foster Coach and Horton.

Foster Coach is proud to be able to pass this savings on to numerous departments over the years and our association with WEMSA and their staff has proven to be beneficial to all.

FOSTER COACH SALES, INC. IS NOW AN ASSIGNED CONTRACTOR FOR H-GAC

The Houston-Galveston Area Council has executed a contract with Foster Coach Sales, Inc. as an assigned vendor for Horton Emergency Vehicles, Inc. Should any municipality in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri or Wisconsin want to purchase a Horton Ambulance thru this Purchasing Cooperative, please contact us and we can assist you in purchasing your next ambulance smoothly and effectively with this group buying co-op.

WHY CHOOSE FOSTER COACH SALES, INC. FOR YOUR NEXT REMOUNT?

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