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 District’s hybrid buses parked over green rub rail
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Admin
Administrator

USA
1662 Posts

Posted - 09/19/2012 :  09:18:55 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi everyone,

We thought you might be interested to read this news story about problems Napa Valley USD in California is experiencing over the green rub rails on its hybrid buses.

http://www.schoolbusfleet.com/Channel/Green-School-Bus/News/2012/09/18/District-s-hybrid-buses-parked-over-green-rub-rails.aspx

Sincerely,
Kelly Roher
SBF Managing Editor

Thomasbus24
Administrator

USA
4547 Posts

Posted - 09/19/2012 :  10:34:20 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Proof that for this system, the move to hybrid is more for show and public perception that genuine concern for the environment. If it were the latter of those two, they would have just grabbed some masking tape and black paint.
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member

354 Posts

Posted - 09/20/2012 :  11:08:23 AM  Show Profile  Click to see C.HARDY's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
I agree.

"Hardybusman"
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RichBusman
Advanced Member

453 Posts

Posted - 09/20/2012 :  11:30:07 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Should have requested a waiver before simply ordering the bus with green rubrails. Not surprised the state agency wont cooperate now.

As far as the safety aspect... NY allows any color rubrails. We have buses with yellow, black, green, red, and blue rubrails. No problems as far as I know with distractions.


http://www.schoolbuscentral.com/gallery/archived/feb04/th_3_int_mid90s_ny.htm

http://www.schoolbuscentral.com/gallery/manufacturers/bluebird/freightliner/1_98_ny.htm

http://www.schoolbuscentral.com/gallery/manufacturers/thomas/int/7_92_ny.htm

Edited by - RichBusman on 09/20/2012 11:32:58 AM
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bbarr
Active Member

22 Posts

Posted - 09/20/2012 :  11:51:54 AM  Show Profile  Visit bbarr's Homepage  Reply with Quote
This is the problem with the industry as a whole. Everytime there is a bus in the media it is usually bad, children being left on the bus, accident, etc. This is something positve for the district and a chance to promote yourself and what GOOD things happen and they are not allowed. Does it really matter what color they are, the rubrail provides protection regardless of color. Some states only have yellow, and they have as good a safety record as black.

This industry needs to realize that we do far more good than bad and we should promote those positives whenever we can.
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WayneCustom
Active Member

30 Posts

Posted - 09/22/2012 :  12:15:38 PM  Show Profile  Visit WayneCustom's Homepage  Reply with Quote
They'd really be in trouble in New Jersey whose school bus code specifies black rub rails and black bumpers ONLY. I do remember before the adoption of the current code seeing rub rails that hadn't been painted over (meaning yellow) and white front bumpers...
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FrankP
Senior Member

53 Posts

Posted - 09/23/2012 :  12:54:38 PM  Show Profile  Visit FrankP's Homepage  Reply with Quote
This is complete silliness. It's just another example of hack beaurocrats attempting to justify their no-show, do-nothing jobs.
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Fastback
Top Member

1500 Posts

Posted - 09/24/2012 :  2:41:53 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
You got to draw the line somewhere as far as what a school bus looks like.
It would seem to indicate that the hybrid bus is more for feel good, get a grant, public perception, going green points than about functional efficiency.
I mean why aren't the bumpers and door handles on my Prius green?

Why yes, the ORIGinal CHARGER is a Fastback

Edited by - Fastback on 09/24/2012 2:42:20 PM
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FrankP
Senior Member

53 Posts

Posted - 09/24/2012 :  7:35:21 PM  Show Profile  Visit FrankP's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Point taken, but putting a fleet OUT OF SERVICE because of the COLOR OF THE RUB RAILS???? Why not give the buses a "conditional pass," meaning that they have X amount of time to repaint them or get the regulation changed/obtain a waiver. Doesn't that make more sense than "grounding" a whole fleet because of a strip of color on the sides??? And yes, hybrid buses are more of a feel-good measure anyway! The cost to maintain and repair them, I'm guessing, will greatly outweigh the fuel savings garnered. It's still too early to tell. And don't even get me started on E-85 fuel, and all-electric vehicles! But...this from the state that requires the driver to get out of the bus to cross kids....
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Jake
Top Member

USA
3527 Posts

Posted - 09/24/2012 :  8:42:42 PM  Show Profile  Visit Jake's Homepage  Reply with Quote
If the state has laws saying that the school bus rub-rails have to be a specific color, those laws need to be followed. I'm all for originality, but I don't think school districts need to start putting green all over buses and turn them into advertisements for the hybrid industry.

Also for those who are against this being enforced, they have to draw the line somewhere. School buses are specific colors so that the public can recognize these vehicles as buses transporting school children. When we start to deviate too much from that, that is when problems are going to start. Maybe it was "too much" for the state to pull all the buses out of service, but they should have considered the state requirements for school buses when they ordered them.
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Fastback
Top Member

1500 Posts

Posted - 09/25/2012 :  05:17:54 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Maybe the hybrid buses come with green rub rails and bumpers because they won't run "in the black"

Why yes, the ORIGinal CHARGER is a Fastback
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JustinB
Advanced Member

United States
490 Posts

Posted - 09/25/2012 :  12:49:43 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Its a ploy to enamor tree huggers

I may not know the answer but I can usually find who does.
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Thomasbus24
Administrator

USA
4547 Posts

Posted - 09/26/2012 :  03:32:11 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
At the last two replies...RIGHT ON!!!!

Maybe I'll offer to fly out and fix the problem for the reasonable price of $650 per bus (since obviously sticker shock doesn't effect this outfit). It will take an hour per bus if they want it done right, 20 minutes if they don't mind overspray and runs, about five minutes if they want the ole gasoline and a match remedy.
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