When lower-cost replacement parts are
used on braking systems, they may not meet the federally mandated stopping distances required for school buses, he cautioned. “School bus brakes are one of the most
highly engineered systems we make. In the secondary market, those same rules may not apply,” he added. In one case, a transportation director at
one Michigan school district reported that some buses were not stopping as well as before. Not so coincidentally, the shop had recently made brake repairs using replace- ment parts from a secondary manufacturer instead of the original equipment. “Lo and behold, we discovered the brake linings being used were not up to standards. Tey simply did not perform at the same
level as the original equipment,” Ganaway said. “Te transportation director was only able to find this when he proactively per- formed the stopping distance test.” Bus drivers and mechanics must also be
proactive when it comes to checking tires. According to Advantage PressurePro, tires that are not properly inflated can decrease a vehicle’s average mpg by more than 3 per- cent. Tire pressure monitoring systems such as theirs can improve shop efficiency with quicker, more complete tire inflation checks that take less time, freeing up maintenance staff for other projects.
FMCSA has stated that under-inflation is the primary reason tires fail. When tires are not inflated to manufacturer recommen- dations, it results in more sidewall flexing, or deflection, which consumes more energy and uses more fuel. “Facts like these are prevalent, and
continue to prove that maintaining optimal pressure is vital, not only to experience op- timal tire life but also vehicle performance,” said Vanessa Hargrave, director of market- ing at Advantage PressurePro. “Over- and under-inflated tires are also detrimental to stopping distances, handling, fuel economy, maintenance and more.”
CONSTANT 20% UNDER- INFLATION = 30%
REDUCTION IN TIRE LIFE, 1% REDUCTION IN FUEL ECONOMY, 25% REDUCTION IN TREAD WEAR
56 School Transportation News March 2014
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