The annual school bus inspection training that goes above and beyond state and federal Department of Transportation requirements brings back OEM training and looks to add post-crash inspection criteria in addition to hands-on detection of defects
Developed by school bus maintenance and inspection expert Marshall Casey for the South Carolina Department of Education, the in-depth training at STN EXPO East starts with classroom instruction on Friday, March 27. The eight-hour training will also include a written exam.
On Saturday, mechanic and technician participants will be transported to a local school district in Charlotte, North Carolina for the hands-on training. The day starts with an overview of high-voltage school bus electrification followed by instruction on finding real defects on real school buses. Class attendees will learn how to avoid costly repairs with early detection, which also leads to less vehicle downtime and a more efficient school bus maintenance schedule in the garage.
OEM training on propane-autogas systems inspections, wheelchair lift inspections, and more will follow the hands-on portion. Blue Bird, IC Bus, RIDE and Thomas Built Buses confirmed their participation.
New this year is a planned Sunday half-day seminar on school bus inspections following a crash to determine cause.
Meanwhile, the inspection training is designed based on best practices from the South Carolina Department of Education, which operates the only state-owned and operated fleet in the country. The department’s maintenance team, which serves as the hands-on inspection and classroom instructors at STN EXPO East, was recognized as one of the nation’s top 10 Garage Stars last August by School Transportation News. Participants of the training will be learning directly from some of these recognized student transportation professionals.
School bus inspection training class size is limited to 50 participants to ensure the instructors will be able to provide a thorough training experience for everyone registered. Separate registration and fee are required to attend.
Save $100 on conference registration by registering before Feb. 14. Find the full conference agenda, list of unique trainings and experiences, exhibitor lists, and hotel information at stnexpo.com/east.
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