The closing of the school year does not mean you can take a break as the district’s fleet manager. In fact, the summertime maybe your busiest season with getting the school buses back in working order for next year. You can make sure every bus in your fleet is ready for the first day of school by entrusting these preventative maintenance and repair tasks to a skilled bus mechanic.
Tire Rotation and Replacement
The buses in your fleet rack up thousands of miles each school year. All of this travel takes its toll on the buses’ tires, however. By May or June, their tread may be wearing thin.
You cannot send out the buses next year with tires that are worn out and ready to blow. Instead, you may need to have several if not all of the tires on the buses changed out with brand new ones.
A skilled bus repair mechanic can inspect each tire closely for wear and tear. If possible, better tires can be rotated to help them wear better. If needed, the worn-out tires can be taken off and replaced immediately.
Having brand new tires on your buses for the school year can give you the peace of mind you need as a fleet manager. You also avoid having to do this extensive work yourself by taking your buses to an experienced bus mechanic for servicing.
Brake Pad and Shoe Inspection and Replacement
The brakes on your buses also take a beating during the school year. Buses often make repeated stops and starts during the course of a regular route. All of this stopping and going inevitably will take its toll on the brake pads and shoes.
When you hear squealing and grinding as the bus comes to a halt, you know it is time to have the brake pads and possibly the shoes replaced. The bus mechanic can inspect both parts on all of the tires for wearing and thinning. If the pad or shoe is beyond repair, the mechanic can replace either with a brand new part guaranteed to last for hundreds of miles.
You cannot risk the safety of your buses by sending them out with worn-out brake pads and shoes. A thorough bus mechanic can quickly replace them to ensure they are safe on which to drive this school year.
Battery Check
As the fleet manager, you also are responsible for making sure each bus in your fleet has a good battery under its hood. Depending on the bus’s age, its battery may be close to dying. Most bus batteries are only designed to last for five to six years.
You cannot afford to have a single bus not working during the busy school year. You need each bus to be out on its route every day.
By taking your buses to a mechanic who can check each battery, you can ensure that nearly dead ones are replaced. You can also find out how much life is left in the ones that are checked and left in place.
Radiator Flushes
A good bus mechanic can also flush out the radiator on your fleet buses. If the radiator is not flushed out on a regular basis, you can face challenges ranging from overheating to stalling. These mechanical headaches can take a bus out of rotation leaving you shorthanded in picking up and dropping off students.
Rather than handle this complex task on your own, you can hand it off to someone who is trained and certified in bus maintenance and repairs. The bus mechanic can flush out all of the radiators in your fleet buses. Along with making sure they are in good working order, we’ll do this by the start of the school year.
Windows and Doors Repairs
The windows and doors on your buses can take a beating during the school year. The constant opening and closing of these fixtures can wear out springs and levers, rendering them unsafe and useless.
We will prioritize checking these fixtures out and making all necessary repairs to them. They will be ready to use for another school year by the end of summer.