Welcome to my blog. My name is Ken. One day, I was driving home from work when the engine in my car failed. While I waited for the recovery truck to arrive, I realised I didn’t have a clue what went on underneath the bonnet of my car. I signed up for an auto service course at my local community college, so I could gain the skills I needed to properly maintain my car and repair it if something when wrong while I was on the road. I wanted to start a blog to pass on these skills to other people so that they can look after their automobiles.
If you are in charge of managing a small, independent school, then you may also need to oversee some vehicle maintenance. You may have a couple of cars or trucks on site to help with maintenance or employee transportation, but you may also have a bus to help you take students to sporting games or cultural activities off campus. As these vehicles may rack up a large number of kilometres in any given year, how do you make sure that you keep up with maintenance and avoid any costly downtime?
A List
While this type of vehicle is certainly built as a workhorse and is, by definition, over-engineered, you still need to pay careful attention to regular maintenance. You should create a checklist and make sure that you carry out preventative maintenance from time to time, while also checking important components before and after any major trip.
Where to Start
Familiarise yourself with the manufacturer's maintenance schedule, which is always a good place to start, but don't be afraid to initiate more regular checks as well. You may think that this is overkill, but attention to detail here will pay dividends.
Cleanliness and Safety
Your attention should not begin and end with mechanical issues, either, as you do need to make sure that the interior of the bus is kept in very good condition. Obviously, you will be transporting younger people, and they tend to be a little boisterous, so additional cleaning checks should be initiated.
Also, don't forget that safety is paramount and take time to check handrails, especially around the steps leading into the bus. They can endure a lot of strain and can work loose over time due to constant use.
Mechanical Focus
Did you know that many premature engine failures are a result of a cooling system irregularity? Furthermore, many of these breakdowns can be traced to a worn serpentine belt. It is relatively easy to check this by removing the engine cowling, and you should ensure that it is replaced on a frequent basis to be safe. After all, it's much cheaper to do this than to fork out for a complete engine rebuild.
Also, get used to inspecting for any leaks from your air conditioning system or engine coolant. This could form part of your pretrip check.
Expert Help
If you don't have anyone on site to help you with these crucial maintenance tasks, outsource this job to somebody who specialises in bus maintenance and bus repairs.
Share10 September 2018
