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Jake
Top Member
USA
3527 Posts |
 Posted - 11/29/2010 : 2:54:10 PM
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Changes in store for school bus inspections
By: Scott Davis
A victim of fiscal belt-tightening, Michigan's program to annually inspect public school buses soon will end, but there remains no final plan on what will take its place.
Officials of the Michigan State Police, which has annually inspected about 17,600 buses, said they hope state lawmakers soon will introduce and pass legislation that formally transfers the responsibility for conducting the annual inspections from state police to local school districts.
Read more:
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20101129/NEWS05/11290320/Changes-in-store-for-public-school-bus-inspections |
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08 Thomas EF
Top Member
533 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2010 : 4:56:58 PM
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Thanks to DMV inspectors, school buses in CT get written up and put out of service for horrible things (many instances of brake lines leaking, for example -- inoperable switches/fans/defrosters are also seen, as well as inoperable roof hatches/emergency exits). If drivers now do not notice and/or mechanics do not deal with these things WITH a third-party authority in the background, what would happen withOUT them? This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!
Of course, individual fleets might take more upon themselves in Michigan than they do here, and maybe they would be extra-sharp without relying on the DMV inspector to notice issues... who knows? |
Edited by - 08 Thomas EF on 11/29/2010 4:58:00 PM |
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mr.thomas
Senior Member
USA
92 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2010 : 5:18:57 PM
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| I hope we keep the state police as our school bus inspectors or adopt a school bus inspection just like the state of north carolina has done it work's well with the program between the state police and the local school districts etc . |
YOUR CHILDS SAFETY IS OUR BUSINESS!!! |
Edited by - mr.thomas on 11/29/2010 5:28:06 PM |
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08 Thomas EF
Top Member
533 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2010 : 2:07:44 PM
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| The problem with that in CT (and I believe it's the same case in MI, but correct me if I'm wrong), it's every town for itself when it comes to busing. My town runs an independent fleet (and contracts servicing to an independent trucking company), but two different towns next door use two different contractors and a few other towns in the area have independent fleets. We never share drivers or buses or mechanics, and we would never work together for inspections. The way I understand it, NC's fleet is more government-controlled, and each county does their own operations and has their own drivers/mechanics, but I could be wrong about that, too. |
Edited by - 08 Thomas EF on 11/30/2010 2:08:06 PM |
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flower route
Active Member
24 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2010 : 3:38:12 PM
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This has been a long time coming. Last year they cut off the money but some where they found some and the inspections continues. This year I think they are gone for good.
This has the down side that has been discussed here but there is an up side to this if it is done right. Our district contracts our repair work to an Independent Contractor who uses our shop to do repairs. He also does work for another district up the road a bit. Because he is paid based on the amout of work he does, I think he does a far better job of inspecting our vehicle on an on going basis rather than the Trooper coming in once a year to check to see if the slack adjustors are tight.
We had a school employee Mechanic who only did what was necessary. Why not, he was peing paid by the hour. He did exactly as the Board instructed him to do, SAVE MONEY. In fact when the contractor took over, the State inspector did a suprise visit and almost RED TAGGED the whole fleet. Because he knew this contract Mechanic was good, he put us on special watch and allowed us to continue running because he knew this guy would take care of business. Four weeks and several thousands of dollars later we were 100% pass and have been ever since.
I was in the Limo business for a number of years. MDOT regulates Limos in Michigan. The way it works there, you must take you Limo to a State licnesed repair facility once a year for inspection. Because these Guys know they have you where the "hair is short" they go over thing with a fine tooth comb because they will not sign off unless you repair what they feel needs to be fixed. I think it is called money motivation? From time to time you might get a visit from an MDOT agent just to check but for the most part Limos are in good repair around Michigan.
This spot inspection program is what MSP has in mind. I am sure the possibility of a SWAT team coming to visit would keep most districts on their toe's. |
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Harrison Fire
Senior Member
United States
175 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2010 : 5:01:04 PM
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I always hung with the inspectors as they did their job. Spend 10 hours mostly listening to of these MSP Inspectors and you will learn many things. Heard this one more than once. Seems that some (several) School districts waited for their Red Tags (out of service) to learn what needed attention. Sounds like their inspections will continue.
HF
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My Fleet? (6) 93/99 IH 3800 Thomas and Blue Bird, Hydraulic Brakes, Manual and Auto Trans, (10) 00/06 FS65 Thomas Air Brake and Auto Trans, (2) 06 C2 Thomas and (2) 09/10 IC CE 300, Plus 3 more from another District |
Edited by - Harrison Fire on 01/20/2011 2:29:39 PM |
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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member
USA
4177 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2010 : 09:08:28 AM
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I think the biggest reason why money was found at the last minute last fiscal year was because school districts are prohibitted by law to operate a bus that has not been inspected. Because the inspections were cut (and they did stop for a time) school districts were on the brink of having to shut down bus service entirely because their fleet was going to expire and they would be violating law to continue operating. In order for the State Police to truly end the service, it needs to be passed into law that inspections are no longer required. But any lawmaker would be foolish to do this...how will you assure me that our local contractor, who already has a dismal 77% pass rating (compared to the state average of 90+%) will continue to maintain their buses?
I'm sure our prison population could stand to lose a few luxuries, let's start there, and get to child safety cuts last. |
Mike's Bus Yard - http://buses.zwebpages.com - Since 1999
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slippert
Top Member
USA
630 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2010 : 09:26:17 AM
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| I agree with HF and feel i have always had a good relationship with the MSP inspectors, would think they would still randomly ck on all schools regardless, but might focus more attention on schools with more prior tags. Working in the trucking service and repair business for 22 yrs myself prior to starting at school district. they have had a federal annual inspection on commercial vehicles for many years and having done a lot of these inspections myself I would not sign an inspection form back then unless the vehicle was with out violations and safe to operate. ` |
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flower route
Active Member
24 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2010 : 4:09:59 PM
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My Supervisor who has been in this business over thirty years, told me that we are good until the end of the school year, meaning June 30, 2011.
Now even if this turns out not to be true, who is going to shut us down? The MSP school bus inspection unit? No wait, they no longer exist. MSP Motor Carrier? I don't think so, they are after the big money in the commercial trucks. Where is the profit in shutting down a school district? The local LEO's? I doubt it, they could not stand the bad press they would recieve when all of theos parents have to drive their children to school.
As far as I can tell, our district is planning on running transportation until some one ciomes with a court order to shut it down which I highly doubt will ever happen. |
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Harrison Fire
Senior Member
United States
175 Posts |
Posted - 12/02/2010 : 7:00:11 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by 08 Thomas EF
The problem with that in CT (and I believe it's the same case in MI, but correct me if I'm wrong), it's every town for itself when it comes to busing. We never share drivers or buses or mechanics, and we would never work together for inspections.
At my 1st Michigan Public School District (560 sq miles, 1600 pupils), I was hired to maintain and repair (by contract for fee) the ISD (special needs serving 4 counties) conventional lift buses located in a neighboring town (20 miles away). Ever see a 16d used to shim a caliper? I did. It was a full time job to get caught up on those buses. Usually one of their drivers brought buses to my shop for our magic and I drove to their yard fixed them on site if they would not run (or had the corpse towed). When the MSP Inspector came for the annual inspection, the ISD buses also got inspected during their visit, at our shop. The public school located in the same town as the ISD had their mechanic quit. I took over mechanical duties there and again it took months to whip them into shape. Did the same for another neighbor till they got a mechanic.
Where I landed after Granholm "Blew me Away" (100 miles, still in Michigan) I still maintain 3 buses for a neighbor. So yes, we do share here. Drivers in a pinch and buses with a mechanic through Mutual Aid in an emergency too.
HF |
Edited by - Harrison Fire on 01/20/2011 2:32:17 PM |
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mr.bluebird
Active Member
United States
44 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2011 : 7:54:07 PM
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| hopefuly our new gov rick snyder will keep the school bus inspections by the state police . |
YOUR CHILDS SAFETY IS OUR BUSINESS!!! |
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MI: Changes in store for school bus inspections
