WARRENVILLE, Ill. — What do a transportation director and maintenance manager have in common? They both have experienced the difference IC Bus makes in helping them ensure their buses are fully operational and ready to safely roll on the first day of the school year. During the summer, transportation facilities generally have two months to get their buses ready for the upcoming school year. Here’s what we learned from two professionals whose jobs demand the maintenance of a school bus fleet that is ready to hit the road when the first day of school arrives.
First, we spoke with Ken Maclean, the transportation supervisor of Golden Hills School Division No. 75 in Alberta, Canada. Division No. 75 operates 87 buses, which transport around 3,400 kids every day to and from school. Maclean explained that readying his fleet for the start of school falls into three categories: compliance, maintenance and cold weather preparation.
With regards to compliance, Maclean oversees a process that ensures each bus in his fleet is up to speed by, first, applying for any necessary updates in insurance and operating permits. Next, fire extinguishers are recertified, hydro tested and affirmed to be up to code. First aid kits are also refilled and checked to ensure that they meet all safety standards, and finally each bus is given a pre-trip inspection.
In terms of maintenance, Maclean’s team goes over each bus and starts by affirming the integrity of the brakes, tires and windows. Next, any necessary repairs are made to the seats, all engine fluids are analyzed and all other specialty equipment, such as ADA lifts, are tested and validated. All of these items are also maintained throughout the year.
The third area of focus for Division No. 75 is cold weather preparation. Alberta’s winters are legendary for their intensity, so Maclean’s crew checks their fleet’s oil pan heaters, block heaters and antifreeze to make sure they’re ready for the cold that closely follows the start of the school year. They also check all vehicle tires and windows.
One other way Maclean prepares for the first day of school is by giving their bus drivers updated school registration lists so they can double-check their specific bus routes.
Maclean credits IC Bus with helping him stay ahead of the game. “I’ve been working for the school division for 20 years and in our area IC Bus has a far superior dealer and parts network to any I’ve ever experienced,” Maclean said. The dealer and parts network has helped Maclean’s Division No. 75 avoid unnecessary downtime, time and time again.
We also spoke with Don Ross, director of vehicle maintenance of Manatee County, FL, and an 11-year veteran of the industry. The Manatee County School District operates 210 buses (all of which are rear engine and conventional buses) and transports approximately 14,000 students each school day. The school district also operates the first two hybrid school buses ever produced by IC Bus.
Ross summed up his district’s approach to being prepared for the start of school: “Each summer we conduct ‘drivability’ tests where Florida state-certified inspectors conduct a thorough physical driving test. Our goal is to make sure the bus is ready for the kids from day one.”
Another very important part of the preparation of the school district’s fleet is the thorough testing of the air conditioning unit on each of their buses. As other warm weather districts can attest, air conditioners are vital to safely transporting kids to school, especially when school starts in the midst of hot and humid days at the end of summer.
Overall, the school district’s buses are on the road for a total of 3.4 million miles per year, so Ross emphasized that as hard as they work preparing for the school year, they also remain vigilant throughout the school year. “Every 25 days,” Ross clarified, “our buses are brought in to be inspected in order to prevent any time-consuming maintenance and to keep buses on the road.”
Furthermore, Ross elaborated that the key to successfully maintaining the district’s fleet and ensuring the buses are ready to roll at the start of school is their relationship with IC Bus. “Without our IC Bus dealer we wouldn’t be able to make all of our repairs in the short time period we have,” Ross said. He added, “One of the main reasons we purchase IC Bus™ brand buses is because they give you the complete package and a one-stop-shop solution. We rely heavily on the support of IC Bus parts and service, and this decreases our cost of operation considerably. There’s no comparison between IC Bus and the parts networks of other manufacturers.”
