having the bus run all night long.” Meanwhile, Russ Noe, fleet mainte-
nance supervisor for Springfield (Ill.) Public Schools, said heaters are “a win-win for us” becaused of reduced labor time in the shop, increased startability of the engine and en- hanced driveability and driver comfort.
COST VERSUS LONG-TERM GAIN Te initial cost may seem high, especial-
ly when buying several buses at one time, but the immediate benefits and long-term gains need to be addressed. Coolant heat- ers that run for approximately one hour and output 45,000 BTUs will use about a third of a gallon of diesel fuel — much less than a cold diesel engine. Te result
❝
required. Heaters save fuel and money in the long run and, most importantly, they reduce emissions.”
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, PROGRAMMABLE TIMERS AND AIR HEATERS Te most common advice given by
manufacturers is for operators to perform regular visual checks of the heater as- sembly including hoses, clamps, electrical wiring and connections. It is also recom- mended during warm seasons to run the heater for 15 minutes at least once a month to allow fresh coolant and fuel to circulate through the system. Most heater models also come equipped with a fault
forced-air heat. Te exhaust
is routed
safely to the outside, and the heaters run on diesel, providing heat for several hours on a gallon of fuel. Tey are operator controlled and can be set to high or low settings depending on the driver’s needs. School buses have much more area to warm up, so most fleet operators choose the coolant heater, which performs two jobs, increasing engine coolant tempera- ture and providing supplemental heat to the bus interior. However, it is possible to improvise an
air heater to accommodate the much larger area of a school bus — and, more importantly, a special needs bus. Ingvar Jacobsen, sales manager at Tereck Diesel
utes. Tis is a huge fuel savings compared to having the bus run all night long.
You can turn on the heater and the bus will start easily within 90 min- ❞
— Jim Shafer, School Bus, Inc., in Sioux Falls, S.D.
is a warm start, less idling time, defrosted windows and a comfortable environment for students. One has to also look at the hourly cost
of fuel consumed by a cold diesel engine compared to the much smaller cool- ant heater. Te unburned diesel, which is evident by white exhaust smoke on a cold start, is not practical in cold weather climates. Diesel engines in general need to be brought up to operating tempera- ture as soon as possible to avoid wasting fuel, causing premature engine wear and harmful emissions. No-idle laws in various states have helped, but school buses are not airtight. Extra measures need to be considered for accelerating diesel engine warm up to reduce exhaust smoke for the students’ health and safety. “A warm engine when the driver goes to
start the bus means less wear on the en- gine and the windows are defrosted faster. Tis means the driver is on the road in a safe, legal and comfortable environment,” said Brian Curliss, product manager for heaters at Teleflex Termal Systems. “Te more a bus idles for heat and driver/ passenger comfort, the more a heater is
code retrieval system or hand-held device that match a corresponding fault code chart and make it easier to troubleshoot. Troubleshooting software and a data link are also available from manufactur- ers, which allows operators to physically plug in to the heater and read data accu- mulated during heater operation. Tis is another area to check periodically to see if there are any uncharacteristic readings. Bus heaters come with a seven-day that enable operators
timer to preset
their engine pre-heater to come on at any time up to 7 days in advance. Tis allows the operator to set the heater one to two hours before departure, cutting down on engine warm-up time. A totally defrosted window is the main goal before the driver can safely start the bus run. Driver vis- ibility and student comfort are two very important factors, especially in colder cli- mates and longer bus routes. “Providing a clear view from frost and
fog increases safety for both the driver and students,” said Baczewski. Air heaters run independently from the
engine cooling system, as they are mount- ed inside the truck cab or bunk, providing
50 School Transportation News Magazine October 2011
Ltd. in Winnipeg, Manitoba has been in- stalling diesel heaters for years and took on the challenge of heating a 66-passen- ger special needs bus. In order to comply with the local Pupil Transportation Board requirement, the heater had to be rated at 13,600 BTUs and be mounted under the bus. Jacobsen then ducted the hot air into
the bus at the very rear to provide heat for passengers and to maintain smooth wheelchair lift operation during winter months. He also said the air heater re- duces engine idle time and decreases engine wear and maintenance. It also provides passenger comfort when the bus is parked during functions or in case of a roadside breakdown. It is clearly evident that bus heaters
can make a difference in overall costs and in the health and safety of the stu- dents. The initial cost of adding a bus heater to a new bus or an existing bus in the fleet is a factor, but the benefits far outweigh the expense. Running warm buses during frigid temperatures with a clear view of the road is one benefit that cannot be ignored. ■
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