Continued from pg. 58
through the dos and don’ts,” he added. Around that same time, Pinn said he
takes his bus drivers on a field trip to the local mountains for test-runs in winter conditions well before the season. “Along with the standard snow-chain
installation training every new driver re- ceives, we also provide annual refresher training for all drivers that includes an
all-day trip to an area ski resort,” he ex- plained. “We drive a school bus with and without chains to give drivers a little first- hand knowledge of the actual feel of a bus in those conditions. It’s a requirement for drivers to attend this class in order for them to take ski trips or drive in high-alti- tude or inclement conditions. “It’s better to err on the side of safety.”
MAKING LIFE-SAVING PREPARATIONS Imagine dealing with multiple winter
climates for most of the year, not just one season. Tis is the job of Tom Hyatt, First Student’s area general manager for Alaska, which has 12 customer contracts operat- ing out of 16 locations. Te contractor’s 600 buses cover about 9.25 million miles annually. Alaska is the nation’s largest state by
land mass at more than 656,000 square miles and is more than twice the size of Texas Hyatt noted that First Student’s three largest school districts in area size are (1) Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which is the size of West Virginia; (2) Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, which is the size of Mas- sachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont combined; and (3) Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, which is the size of New Jersey. “Within these individual school
districts, we can have many variable tem- perature and weather conditions,” said Hyatt, adding that the one constant in all areas is that they transport students in the dark for most of the school year. “In September and October we start
prepping our buses for winter operating conditions,” he stated. “We’ll refresh our in- spections of manual tire chains, automatic tire chains, auxiliary diesel fired heaters, winter fronts (radiator covers), block heat- ers and corresponding power cords.” Hyatt stressed that bus drivers must
prepare for Alaska’s extreme weather both mentally and physically. Tey must stay apprised of weather and road conditions and protect themselves by wearing prop- er clothing, reflective vests and snowshoe or ice-cleat devices since they operate on snow and ice much of the school year. “A thorough pre-trip inspection is
See Us At Booth # 1307 62 School Transportation News Magazine October 2012
the next step to ensure the bus is work- ing properly. In park-out and remote locations, the pre-trips are performed well before the bus is scheduled to depart so if there is a problem, we have adequate time to transport a replacement to the site,” Hyatt continued. “Once on the road, the buses are equipped with radios and GPS so that we can communicate with them and track their progress…
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