Like any vehicle, buses need to be treated right if you want yours to live a long life. Even pre-owned buses can serve their purpose for years and years so long as you treat it right. But, buses drive differently than just about any other vehicle on the road.
Too often, drivers get behind the wheels of the bus and bring all of their old bad driving habits with them. Not only can this put the safety of all of the bus’s passengers at risk, it can also break down the bus over time and cost you in more ways than one.
School Transportation News recently reported on this issue in the latest edition of their magazine, and they highlight numerous ways bad driving habits can increase the wear, tear and costs of keeping your buses running right.
Bad driving habits can come from just about anywhere. Many drivers bring bad habits with them from their non-professional driving. However, it can be just as easy to develop new bad habits out of simply not understanding parts or proper operation of the vehicle. As Andy McClain told STN, drivers can do damage to their bus by just pushing too hard on the front doors or side mirrors.
In the interview, McClain compared letting rookie drivers behind the wheel to” giving a little kid a new toy”
Of course, educating drivers about the proper usage of the seemingly countless parts of a bus can help cut down on damage made from innocent mistakes like damaged mirrors. On the other hand, driving patterns can be harder to break.
Director of Transportation at Colton Joint USD in California, Rick Feinstein, explains it best when he says, “the big issue, not just for fuel but also for safety, is we don’t want them to drive their bus like they do their personal vehicle, with bad habits like jackrabbits at the light when it turns green.”
Pushing large vehicles like a bus can have consequences much worse than gas mileage. The more the drivers push, the more energy and friction are produced which accelerate wear and tear a surprising amount.
Alan Wilcox, Supervisor of Fleet Maintenance at Denton ISD in Texas sees the difference in driving style anytime he looks over the buses. Wilcox says, “The younger drivers push the buses, and we do see that it puts a lot more wear on buses. Older people put around, and some of their buses go 50,000 to 60,000 miles with very little brake wear. They are braking in 200 feet as opposed to 50 or 60.”
Buses can be the most efficient and useful vehicles for transporting large amounts of people, but you need to know the vehicle in and out before you think about getting behind the wheel. If you treat it right, it will take you everywhere you ever wanted with minimal work. On the other hand, if you push your bus too hard, you may end up having to constantly repair things that are wearing down sooner than they should.
Contact Us
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30AM-4:30PM
Website: https://americanbussales.net/
Phone: 1-866-574-9970
Address: 12802 North 103rd E Ave, Collinsville, OK 74012
