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 School Bus Shop Cuts Downtime With Courtesy Checks
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Admin
Administrator

USA
1662 Posts

Posted - 10/06/2017 :  08:55:17 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
We thought you might be interested in this story on a school district maintenance shop that developed a "courtesy checklist" to catch issues with school buses and correct them quicker, reducing downtime. http://www.schoolbusfleet.com/news/725673/school-bus-maintenance-shop-conducts-courtesy-checks

baptistbusman1
Senior Member

USA
175 Posts

Posted - 10/07/2017 :  05:19:55 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I thought that was just common sense? Every time I drive a bus into the shop, I run all the heaters, check all the dash lights, then head back and hit windows buzzers and roof hatch and look at seats, then walk around with all lights on, then go under the whole bus on my creeper. Takes like 2 or 3 extra minutes. I get a kick out of how huge districts act like they have came up with something that changes the whole game, when 99% of shops have been doing it for years.

We have invented many extras at our shop as well. The "courtesy things to do list" that sits on our desk that we write down stuff that needs done or watched. For example "watch rear brakes bus 2," or "heated mirrors on bus 5 need worked on." We have also came up with keeping our tool boxes organized to the point that all of our ratchets are in one drawer arranged 1/4, 3/8/, 1/2 and so on along with our sockets organized by sizes and for impact and regular use.

Sorry if this has offended anyone, but how about checking out smaller contractors and districts that have good, efficient mechanics who do everything. There are 2 of us for 46 buses and we both drive full time along with keeping an entire fleet running and having a fully stocked, organized shop. Come see us at the small shops sometimes. We may not have time to talk or fill out questionnaires, but we are here scattered all around the country and do a mighty fine job if I do say so.

I was formally Baptistbusman. However, I lost my password, and had not updated my email address.

Here is a link to my old posts. http://www.schoolbusfleet.com/forum/search.asp?mode=DoIt&MEMBER_ID=1846

Edited by - baptistbusman1 on 10/07/2017 07:40:49 AM
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Thomasbus24
Administrator

USA
4544 Posts

Posted - 10/09/2017 :  06:30:46 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by baptistbusman1

I thought that was just common sense?



Sadly, it isn't. Where I started out, that is how it was done. If you had that bus in front of you, check it all, fix what needs fixed, go home and sleep well.

Now that I'm supervising elsewhere, it's an ongoing battle to get the guys to do it. I don't like chasing down a bus in the dark because the wiper arm fell apart (from long-term wear), knowing it was just in the shop 2 days ago for a headlight out. "You were literally 36" away from a defect and didn't catch it."

Just found out the guy resisting it is going to be retiring in December. Good changes are coming!
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bwest
Administrator

United States
3820 Posts

Posted - 10/09/2017 :  06:49:22 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I am a one man show here but I believe that you have to have a vested interest in the work you're doing. I know I don't have all the answers (and my shop is a mess, lol) but I graduated from this school and I want it to succeed! The kids that ride my buses belong to families I went to school with. I could go on and on about my view of this but let's just say that I believe that large operations may not be the best way to do things. I think large schools need to be broken up into small neighborhood schools. Look at most of the inventors, of the 20th century, that changed our lives. Most came from small schools. OK, I'm done. lol

Bryan
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krmvcs
Advanced Member

362 Posts

Posted - 10/09/2017 :  07:49:02 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I had many of the same thoughts. More than half of those items are on a pretrip anyway. Part of what I like about being a one man show is that at the end of the day, im responsible. I tend not to miss that defect 36" away because I dont like getting called after hours.

-Ken-
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valleybusman
Top Member

USA
798 Posts

Posted - 10/09/2017 :  8:48:16 PM  Show Profile  Send valleybusman an AOL message  Reply with Quote
I agree common sense . I think for a multiple employee shop it maybe difficult . Or where there are 50 or more buses .I am a one man shop too so when I bring a bus in for a repair I too look for things that could go wrong . I just sit there in the drivers seat and check all the equipment . Do a walk thru and just make sure drivers as well as me are on top of things . Also every bus is brought in the shop every 1000 miles and given a inspection . Concentration spent on brakes , tires , fluid leaks and suspension .
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torque
Advanced Member

Canada
358 Posts

Posted - 10/10/2017 :  06:09:54 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Common sense to me. Every place I have worked we have done that. We have some units an hour or more away, so they get checked better than the ones that are local or kept in the yard but they are all given at least a quick check over.
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RonF
Top Member

867 Posts

Posted - 10/17/2017 :  05:48:18 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I guess that's what we do in Georgia with a 20 day safety inspection program.

US Army retired CMBT
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td083
Senior Member

195 Posts

Posted - 10/17/2017 :  07:31:37 AM  Show Profile  Visit td083's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Il be honest here and say we have a fleet of 1650 buses and this is not common practice unless the issue is found during the repair , but we are pretty particular when it comes to the pm services writing up the smallest of defects and the drivers act the same on there pre-trips sometimes you would think its there Cadillac that's in the shop , which is good they take pride, we also have a QC department that checks and writes buses that come out of service along with full time roadmen who fix defects so trips to the shop are not needed . The downside to adding this to a huge fleet we have a pretty good crew but as with anything I can imagine some would use it to ride the clock and do nothing but done correctly I could see the benefit .
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CISDbusman
Advanced Member

305 Posts

Posted - 10/20/2017 :  08:15:43 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by bwest

I am a one man show here but I believe that you have to have a vested interest in the work you're doing. I know I don't have all the answers (and my shop is a mess, lol) but I graduated from this school and I want it to succeed! The kids that ride my buses belong to families I went to school with. I could go on and on about my view of this but let's just say that I believe that large operations may not be the best way to do things. I think large schools need to be broken up into small neighborhood schools. Look at most of the inventors, of the 20th century, that changed our lives. Most came from small schools. OK, I'm done. lol



Sounds just like me!!! "Its ok to be little bity!!"
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