Granted, the video shows a Cummins ISX15 engine, Whelan points out that the system works similarly in Cummins ISB and ISC diesels for school buses. He also touches on some frequently asked questions regarding DEF, namely what it is, how much must be used and what happens if you run out.

SCR is going head-to-head with the Navistar MaxxForce EGR diesel engine in meeting EPA regulations. There is going to be a premium for each technology, raising the cost of new school buses by at least $6,000 to $8,000. If you haven't done so already, now's the time to do some home work.

As STN technology contributor Bob Pudlewski has written previously, the decision on which solution is better falls solely on the school bus operator's shoulders determined by how the individual fleet is used.

Last week, we posted an interview with Pudlewski on the increasing importance of oil analysis to determine how your engine is performing, especially when it comes to new SCR and EGR technology that can increase heat and pressures within the engine that has changed how oil can be contaminated.

Fleet managers and technicians might have been hearing a lot lately about the importance of oil analysis in their preventative maintenance programs. But why's this so? We asked technology expert Bob Pudlewski, who is also the chair of NSTA's maintenance and technology committee, to explain it to us.

Let us know if you're using oil analysis by voting in our current Web poll on the home page.

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Today's edition talked of the dedication of the transportation staff, and it featured a photo of a district school bus mechanic Glenn Hess, "one of the many transportation employees dedicated to providing quality service for our school district."

Of course, the blog touched on more than just garage staff to include school bus drivers, routers and, really, anyone involved in the safe transportation each day of the area's school children. But specifically Transportation Director Michael Shield called out his technicians for helping increase the safety of the district's fleet and, hence, the safety of the students.

That's what school transportation services really are all about, safely and efficiently delivering children to their schools in a manner they're ready to learn. Often, the maintenance of school buses is seen simply from the standpoint of ensuring vehicle integrity and safety. But the employees in the school bus bay really are the gatekeepers to education just as much as the drivers.

"Who is Bob the Oil Guy?" the Journal rhetorically asked.

A couple of weeks earlier, Bob Pudlewski, the retired vice president of fleet operations for Laidlaw and First Student and the chair of NSTA's maintenance technology committee, told a room full of school bus contractors that oil analysis is quickly becoming the No. 1 tool that school bus technicians can utilize when gauging fleet performance and service intervals.

In fact he called it the "best preventative maintenance problem solver" that can be employed in garages. It's not only a good investment to regularly test engine oil but it makes perfect sense, he said, especially as later model school buses are becoming more and more reliant increased turbocharging and fuel injection.

Basically, oil analysis, which has been around for nearly 70 years, checks for a certain grouping of metal contaminants. It's a blood test, if you will, for your engine, and you can obtain this from any oil manufacturer.  This can make the expense inconsequential for most fleets to incorporate into their PM, whether they be small or large operators. And it can be much less costly than repairing a big breakdown in the future. Many of the oil companies regularly perform oil analysis for the FedExs and UPSs of the world, and the process is down to a science, meaning it only costs them a handful of dollars to perform the tests.

And that brings us back to our friend "Bob."

BobistheOilGuy.com has been around since May 2002 and has grown its oil forums it 28,000 registered members, the site told me. It's become a consumer advocate of sorts for, as it says, "Anything and everything about motor oil!" In addition to allowing users to ask and answer questions about vehicle oil, the site gives a good primer on oil analysis and offers information on oil viscosity, bearing wear analysis, lubrication design, moly, shearing, grease and air filtration.

The article in Heavy Duty Aftermarket Journal ended its short article on Bob by writing that, if you're selling oil or anything closely related to it, you better get to know the guy. Actually, if you use oil, it might be a good idea to introduce yourself.

It's been a while since we dropped in on the School Bus Mechanic blog produced by John Whelan, a heavy-duty technician with 32 years of of the job experience. One entry links to an animated video the depicts how an internal combustion 4-stroke gasoline engine works and, specifically, its timing.

His most recent entry talks about how the DT466 performs in cold weather, and yes, there's an accompanying video that shows a cold start of a 1989 International 8100 in 10- to 15 degree weather.

Even with his experience, Whelan is continuously on the Web searching for the latest innovative tool that not only helps him perform his job but potentially others as well. And sometimes, the resource is a few years old, but it can still be very relevant in today's age of extending school bus life to save on purchase costs.

How do you use the Internet in your operations?