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Articles by Brad Barker
Lidar Brings Monticello into Focus
Today, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello ranks as one of the most important historical sites in the United States. Two centuries ago, Monticello was a 5,000-acre plantation that was home not just to Jefferson, but also to hundreds of enslaved people and their families, producing tobacco and later wheat for sale on Atlantic markets.
8 Keys to Getting Your Buses Prepared for Winter
File photo courtesy Biloxi (Miss.) Public Schools This blog post was initially published on Sept. 4, 2019. Winter is coming again. So how do we prepare? This depends greatly on your geographical location. Those of you who operate in dry areas may put less emphasis on preparation for this season. For those of you who operate in a wet or cold climate, some checklist items that come to mind may be tires and wiper blades.
For Accurate School Bus Maintenance Diagnoses, Steer Clear of Assumptions
For technicians to make a quick and accurate diagnosis of a mechanical, electrical, or electronic problem, I find it best to first have an understanding of the system involved. Always ask yourself this question before making repairs: Is the component in question really malfunctioning, or is the apparent failure caused by some other problem in the affected system? In other words, a component failing to operate as designed does not necessarily mean the component is faulty.
Reflecting on the Past and Giving Thanks
File photo courtesy Sunrise Transportation This season I am mindful of the past, which includes my mechanical career, and of those individuals — many long gone — who have been of great influence in my life. Besides a few specific people in history, there are a few in my life to whom I really owe thanks. When I started at my first real job, there were three longtime employees who were all highly skilled mechanics in their day. One had machine shop experience.
8 Keys to Getting Your Buses Prepared for Winter
File photo courtesy Biloxi (Miss.) Public Schools Winter is coming again. So how do we prepare? This depends greatly on your geographical location. Those of you who operate in dry areas may put less emphasis on preparation for this season. For those of you who operate in a wet or cold climate, some checklist items that come to mind may be tires and wiper blades. Regardless of your location, it is important to perform periodic seasonal maintenance.
Another Benefit of Brake Interlock Systems
File photo courtesy IC Bus. I recently attended a training session sponsored by a local SWAT team that demonstrated the process of defusing a hostage situation on a school bus. The SWAT team leaders explained that what we were going to experience would be the last effort to resolve the issue and that prior to this, other means of defusing the situation would have taken place first.
Preventive Maintenance: Easier Than Performing Corrective Maintenance
File photo courtesy Barb Kracheck Where should you draw the line on how much to repair? In the case of an aged fleet, you may be struggling to keep buses road-worthy. Many shops are performing what I call “the corrective maintenance program,” meaning, if it isn’t broken, why spend time on it? They refuse to perform sufficient preventive maintenance (PM) to improve overall reliability.
Good Maintenance Requires Your Personal Best
Summer is upon us. This is the season, in which for some, things are less stressful, while for others there may be no change at all. Regardless of your situation, I recommend not letting your guard down concerning bus — or personal — maintenance. Doing so may cause problems once the coming school year gets rolling. If you work for a small fleet (20 buses or less), now is the time to perform all your annual service work, if it’s not already done.
Mechanic or Technician: Which are You?
File photo courtesy Thomas McMahon So, you are a school bus mechanic. Now what? Is this going to be your career? Do you want to become more than just a mechanic? Wouldn’t you rather be able to say “I am a certified Master School Bus Technician?” Instantly, your persona changes in that statement, and you are now a professional in your position. What is the cost of becoming a technician?
Streamlining the Maintenance Process in 6 Steps
File photo courtesy John Horton It seems to me with the ever increasing system complexity designed into school bus construction, the maintenance process becomes equally complex. Gone are the days of basic routine maintenance. Today, routine service can include inspection, diagnosing, and adjustment of complex electronic systems before the job is complete. Even with the additional time and the skills and knowledge required to perform these tasks, it is not impossible to streamline the process.
Preventive Maintenance Checklists: Key to Thorough School Bus Repairs
Performing inspections of each item in a preventive maintenance (PM) checklist is more than just looking at components. I always tell people to pay attention to the little things, the little problems, making repairs to the smallest of defects.In doing so, the larger potential problems will be repaired and never develop into real problems. Many technicians find this hard to do.
How to Cut Repair Costs with Proper Electrical Diagnosis
Photo by John Horton Basic electrical theory, which many of us learned early on in our mechanical education, is important for proper electrical diagnostics of school buses. This, in conjunction with the use of a dependable digital volt ohm meter (DVOM), will help us handle electrical problems easily. Failure to follow simple routines can result in more work than is necessary and can create additional and unnecessary problems. One problem is the replacement of good parts.
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