INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS: SPECIAL REPORT
two popular courses for school bus techni- cians: a basic, one-day NGV technician and fleet operation safety course that’s good for techs relatively new to natural gas and un- derstand the difference between natural and liquefied gases, and a two-day CNG fuel system inspection class. Tis second course is popular because of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s requirement for the CNG cylinders to be
inspected every 36,000 miles or 36 months, or if a natural gas vehicle is involved in certain accidents or a fire. Last October, the NGV launched natural
gas vehicle maintenance and diagnostics training for heavy-duty vehicles, and a light-duty vehicle version course last month. Tomason said the heavy-duty course was very popular as it was held six different times with full classes. Tough the training
centers around mainly truck fleets, she said the training and knowledge crosses over to other fleet types, so it benefits school bus technicians. Te group also offers training on fueling stations as well as preventive maintenance, among others. Since 2004, Tomason said NVG has
conducted training for more than 60 school districts across the country, and the majority of the school districts that attend NGV’s public training are based in California. Te National Alternative Fuels Training
Consortium, meanwhile, develops training for trainers and technicians on various alternative fuels. “We not only develop the courses, but offer them both here and through member schools, and contract training,” said Mike Smyth, NAFTC’s as- sistant director of curriculum development and training.
Number of alternative-fuel school buses in fleet by type
Propane: 30% Natural gas: 26% Hybrid electric: 24% Biofuel: 31% Other/Don’t have any: 69%
Out of 140 responses in STN’s 2013 Fleet Operations Survey
Te group currently offers more than 25
different workshops that cover propane, natural gas, electric drives, biodiesel and hydrogen systems. Participants are techni- cians with some in-service skills seeking to expand their knowledge base. Smyth noted the Consortium just com- pleted a five-day course that covers electric systems, which was more for light-duty vehicles, but a technology that has entered the school bus market with Trans Tech Bus’ all-electric SSTe Type A bus, which recently received approval for use in California. Brian Barrington, national sales manager
for Trans Tech, said initial training by the company and Motiv, the electric operating system supplier, will be provided to customers and dealers upon taking delivery of the SSTe. “Training will cover standard mainte- nance of the electrical system — really anything involved with the bus,” he said. “Sometime in the fourth quarter this year we anticipate to start.”
44 School Transportation News March 2014
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