Articles/News - School Bus Maintenance

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Stertil-Koni produces 2,000th heavy-duty lift
June 26, 2012
The company's manufacturing facility in Streator, Ill., Stertil ALM, produces an ST 1082 Mobile Column Lift to reach the milestone. The lift can accommodate up to 18,000 pounds per column.
Rolling pit jack operates on pit floor
June 19, 2012
Stertil-Koni USA’s free-standing rolling pit jack has a capacity of 30,000 pounds, and lifting is done by an air driven, fully hydraulic pump actuated by tandem foot pedals. The company offers two models: The FPJ-150-F is fitted with a fixed vertical piston, and the FPJ-150-U has a vertical piston that moves side to side.
Brake block meets reduced stopping distance requirements
June 14, 2012
Federal Mogul's new Abex commercial vehicle drum brake block includes three application-specific formulations engineered to enhance overall performance. It is manufactured for enhanced resistance to cracking, according to the company.
Brake pads offer stopping power, increased lifespan
June 7, 2012
Bosch's new series of QuietCast medium-duty premium disc brake pads are also designed to give vehicles quiet stops, low dust and great pedal feel, according to the company.
Espar heater controller is programmable
May 31, 2012
Espar's Multi-Max 1000 controller for its E-Guardian Series of bus heaters features a maximum run-time setting so that it will not run continuously when the heater is started manually. A programmable “set and forget” timer enables the heater start/stop sequence to be set in accordance with the fleet schedule.
Rotary inground lift designed to reduce vehicle downtime
May 17, 2012
Rotary Lift’s EFX90 modular inground lift incorporates three heavy-duty scissor sections to lift vehicles weighing up to 90,000 pounds. The lift includes the company’s patented universal style lifting saddle with flip-up adapters to ease set up, and officials say the lift has an infinite adjustment range.
Bus washing made easy
May 17, 2012

Today’s systems include features that enable users to maintain a spotless fleet quickly, all while reducing water and energy consumption.

Details announced on ‘America’s Best’ competition
May 1, 2012
The National Association for Pupil Transportation’s annual America’s Best Technician and America’s Best Inspector contest will be held in September in Rocky Mount, N.C. The event will include a variety of workshops related to components and systems on school buses.
EvacuBlast System cleans diesel particulate filters
April 17, 2012
EnviroMotive touts the unit as a cost effective and thorough way to clean diesel particulate filters on school buses and other vehicles. Company officials say that many operations are sending their filters out to be serviced when "they can very simply do the service themselves."
App aims to streamline bus inspections
April 10, 2012
Indiana troopers have been using paper forms with a checklist during school bus inspections, then manually entering the info into a database — which officials said is cumbersome. A university computer class came up with an idea for an online application that digitizes the process with the use of tablet devices.
IC Bus boosts efficiency at Tulsa plant
March 26, 2012
The manufacturer has been building school buses in the former B-24 bomber plant for 10 years now. Plant Manager Greg Hutchison, an auto industry veteran who came to the facility in September, tells SBF about changes that have increased quality and volume while keeping staffing levels consistent.
Skilled techs keep fleets top-notch
March 6, 2012

Pupil transporters say that technicians should have a desire to learn, and they discuss methods and resources for instruction. They also say that employee communication, a strong preventive maintenance program and performance benchmarking are essential to achieving well-maintained school buses.

Trans/Air releases educational BTU bulletin
February 29, 2012
The climate control manufacturer says its new bulletin helps bus transportation and maintenance personnel evaluate BTU ratings and use performance pull-down criteria as a critical step in specifying bus air-conditioning systems.
After bus fire, N.C. districts check for wiring issues
February 28, 2012
No one was injured in the Feb. 8 school bus fire, in which worn wire coverings were found to be a likely cause. State officials direct school transportation departments to perform special inspections to help prevent any further incidents.
SEFAC pantograph lift saves space, maximizes access
February 21, 2012
The company's new OMER KAR pantograph lift is available in capacities of 55,000 pounds and 77,000 pounds, and in runway lengths up to 36 feet. There are no mechanical crossbeams linking the runways, making it easy for operators to wheel tools, oil drainers or transmission jacks under the vehicle, according to SEFAC.
A/C units boost serviceability
February 16, 2012

Improved service access and convenient size are among key features of the latest air-conditioning systems for school buses.

Rotary mobile lift features operator-friendly design
February 9, 2012
The company's latest addition to its line of mobile column lifts, the RCH4, also features an automatic steering system, which makes it faster and easier to position the columns for service, officials say. Each column is identical and has a rated capacity of 18,000 pounds, for total lifting capacity of up to 144,000 pounds.
Goodyear introduces Dunlop steer tire
February 7, 2012
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s new Dunlop SP348, an all-position steer tire for regional fleet, school bus, and pickup and delivery applications, is available in seven sizes. Features include a deep tread, a rugged casing design and enhanced shoulder rib for improved scrub resistance.
Allison Transmission offers new model for school buses
February 2, 2012
The 1350 model, available in Allison’s Pupil Transport/Shuttle Series and other applications, comes equipped with a park pawl. The company says that this avoids the need for an air brake and enhances ease of use for the driver.
Fleet management visionary Charles Arsenault retires
February 1, 2012
As the founder of maintenance software supplier Arsenault Associates steps down, Jack Boetefuer is named CEO. Arsenault launched the company to serve the fleet maintenance sector in 1979.

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