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Bus9709
Top Member
USA
751 Posts |
 Posted - 04/10/2006 : 12:05:55 PM
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This afternoon, my bus driver couldn't find the keys to the bus. So after awhile of searching, the driver put the keys to our regular bus (I've been riding a spare for about a week) in the ignition. When the key was turned, the engine started. I found this pretty surprising and the only logical answer that I can come up with as to why this happened, is because both buses have the same patteren on the key. Has this ever happened to any of you? And why would one key work for two (or possibly more) buses?
And yes, the key was later found. It was in the door lock.  |
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Cody
Top Member
United States
1630 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 1:04:07 PM
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| Some of your buses must be spec'd with a keyed alike ignition, I thinks it's optional on all buses |
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JC Theriault
Top Member
Canada
1326 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 1:10:44 PM
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I used to find a lot of the S-series Internationals were able to be started by keys belonging to other International units from the same era. These weren't keyed-alike as they were used buses in 3 seperate fleets, bought from several different fleets and bus dealers.
JC |
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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member
USA
4177 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 1:26:30 PM
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| I remember a story that I hear on these forums where a driver lost their keys (or locked them in the Type A Ford bus) and a co-workers Ford van keys were able to open the door! Someone also told me a story regarding the 1980s Plymouth Voyager minivans. In a darker parking lot, someone distractedly go to their car, and drove home. Realizing that she couldn't find anything that she had left in the itnerior, she looked around, and reallized she drove home the wrong car! The 911 operators got a call... "I think I stole a car!" |
Mike's Bus Yard - http://buses.zwebpages.com - Since 1999
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Rich
Top Member
United States
5768 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 2:05:46 PM
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Most Type C and D buses have similar keys. The exception to this rule is the C2, where every key is different.
Up until a certain point, IHC only had 7 keys, and Freightliner only had 12. Recently though, more keys have been added to both manufacturers. |
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Bus9709
Top Member
USA
751 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 3:08:56 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard
...The exception to this rule is the C2, where every key is different...
Well, could a key for a C2, work in a 2002 Thomas Freightliner? (The spare is an '02 Thomas Freight.) Because as I said before, the key that worked in the spare, is actually the key to "the other bus". ("The other bus" is what the driver reffered to it as.) And I believe when she said "the other bus", she was talking about our regular bus which happens to be a C2. But our C2 is in the garage, and the key would have to be turned in to the mechanics.
Gee, I confused myself while trying to explain that! I hope I didn't confuse anyone else!  Oh well, to clear it up, I guess I'd have to ask tommorrow which bus is "the other bus"! |
Edited by - Bus9709 on 04/10/2006 3:21:15 PM |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 4:52:51 PM
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| Here, one key can fit most of our buses. If you have a key to one of the AmTran or IC's you can get into a AmTran, IC, Most Thomases, some Blue Birds, etc. |
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buster133
Top Member
USA
512 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 5:27:09 PM
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| All of the 2000 and up Freightliners that we have in my fleet are all keyed alike. The 99 Freightliners are also all keyed alike, but it's a different key # than the 00+ buses. I'm not sure about our 96-2000 Internationals because some we have had since new and others were bought used from other places, but I have one International key on my ring that works in every INT bus that we have. I have the International key and the two different Freightliner keys on the same ring with my car keys so I can easily go from my car to any bus in the lot and not have to try and find where the keys are on a particular bus. Last week, the trainer and I wanted to try driving one of our brand new 07 Thomas Freightliner FS-65 that was sitting in our bus yard. It was on loan from one of our other divisions that gets all of the brand new buses. We never get brand new buses in my yard, so it was a treat to drive something new. Anyways, who ever parked it there didn't leave the keys, but surprise! the key to my 01 Freightliner, started that 07 right up and away we went. |
[URL=http://s7.photobucket.com/user/buster133/media/6f2e0703-1970-4ac9-bb1f-b6b9d7c12297_zps1741e113.jpg.html] [/URL] |
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Salaskie
Advanced Member
USA
453 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 5:28:58 PM
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A question...why would any driver answer this question???
It's a security issue. |
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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member
USA
4177 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 5:33:31 PM
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| Only one or two drivers answered actually. I suppose this secret isn't very secure as it is. |
Mike's Bus Yard - http://buses.zwebpages.com - Since 1999
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Edited by - Thomas Ford 85-16 on 04/10/2006 5:33:51 PM |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 6:43:05 PM
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| Many drivers and such have often told me that if one wanted to break into a school bus and either vandalize it or steal it, they could very easily. They've said that a school bus could be easier to steal then a car in many instances. Though you could be easily caught, since a school bus is very easy to spot. |
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thomas86_a
Top Member
USA
4413 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 7:41:58 PM
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| Last summer the remote for my Yukon was working on the car parked next to me in a parking lot. I went to unlock the doors so Denise and I could get in and I said to her "that cars doors just unlocked". Once we got in she said "lock their doors back up for them" I said "no thanks, they should have bought domestic". I'm such a pain in the rear! |
If you have an International, you NEED customer service. |
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Thomasfan89
Top Member
USA
1155 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 8:11:32 PM
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quote:
Last summer the remote for my Yukon was working on the car parked next to me in a parking lot. I went to unlock the doors so Denise and I could get in and I said to her "that cars doors just unlocked". Once we got in she said "lock their doors back up for them" I said "no thanks, they should have bought domestic". I'm such a pain in the rear!
That last line cracked me up Bret! Shoulda bought domestic.. Something I woulda said! The remote to our Sable did the same thing once. Only it was the trunk release, release another trunk, and it wasnt to a Ford product either!
Greg |
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Bus9709
Top Member
USA
751 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2006 : 11:24:51 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bus9709
... and the key would have to be turned in to the mechanics....
To clear it up, the the key that worked in the spare was a copy of the orginal key to our regular C2 bus. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2006 : 9:08:25 PM
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"I said "no thanks, they should have bought domestic".
Wow, you mean GMC is using imported remote locking systems? Things are worse than I thought! |
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kd4jfd
Top Member
USA
1168 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2006 : 5:16:56 PM
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| The key to 349 fit a bus that I drove. |
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ooms7j
Senior Member
USA
154 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2006 : 08:49:22 AM
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| our older fords are this way but not our newer FS-65's. |
Emergency situations are my responsibility, Drive Safe, ooms7j
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Tmac0384
Advanced Member
USA
375 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2006 : 12:16:48 PM
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at our lot... our lock box 'cow tag' key will sometimes work in our 90 passenger buses
Rohrer Bus Service has that done to all their Internationals.
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sometimes older is way better than new.
some photos of mine: http://community.webshots.com/user/Bus213
(it's a work in progress... tons of photos to come!) |
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Daddeseis
New Member
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2006 : 4:09:18 PM
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| As far as GM using import components on their remotes, some "import" built in the US (the PC version is "transplant", :) ) might be buying domestic keyless entry equipment from Delphi, Visteon or Code-Alarm. We make some of the best (rolling codes, etc)right here in the USA. Best regards |
Kevin Spencer |
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GMCBlueBird83
Top Member
USA
1478 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2006 : 06:16:01 AM
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I've been in a few Ford buses that didn't even need a key to fire them up. I always thought that was unique.
Once my old '87 Acura Integra's key fit into my friend's '86 Honda Accord but I guess thats not too much of a stretch. |
Edited by - GMCBlueBird83 on 04/18/2006 06:16:37 AM |
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thomas86_a
Top Member
USA
4413 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2006 : 09:35:14 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by IC
"I said "no thanks, they should have bought domestic".
Wow, you mean GMC is using imported remote locking systems? Things are worse than I thought!
It was a joke my friend. The remotes are made by Delphi and probably will be in the years to come. It sounds like they want to make the electronics division part of their core business as they re-organize.
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If you have an International, you NEED customer service. |
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Sam
Advanced Member
United States
390 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2006 : 6:50:47 PM
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| Where I used to work, all similar buses were keyed alike, with a few exceptions. All chevys were the same, all pre-86 Internationals were the same, all post-87 internationals etc. We were issied a key at the beginning of the year, and kept it all year. At the yard where I am now, very FEW of the buses are keyed alike, if any. And we hang up our keys at the end of every shift. |
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keys
