Driving the Industry Since 1991 BRIEFS
we can humanly do. Tis really seems to help facilitate that,” he added. While Saratoga Springs does receive diag- nostics reports on other components such as brakes, Tanzer said his operation is most inter- ested in the engine’s performance. A bus is a very safe piece of equipment,” he
said. “But when they are sitting on the side of the road in the breakdown lane, they are not particularly safe at that point. We try to circum- vent that any way we can, and this has proven to be a very useful tool in preventing that from happening.” Likewise, Shenendehowa Central School
District in New York views diagnostics as a must-have to make maintenance of its IC Bus fleet more efficient and to avoid breakdowns during routes. “When we have a call from one of our drivers, and they are having a problem, I can look it up,” said George Geel, the district’s assistant trans- portation supervisor. “It helps me decide if I want to let them continue a run and meet them at the next school with a bus, if I want to swap buses out on the road or just let them continue. I don’t lose a productive mechanic off the floor for two hours for a minor problem. Also I find out about minor problems before they become a major problem.” Delaware City Schools north of Colum-
bus, Ohio, uses Blue Bird Connect diagnostic software to decrease downtime for its fleet of 50 buses as well as reduce costs associated with towing and having work done at the dealer. “When the technicians use the diagnostic
software almost on a daily basis, they receive codes that send them in the right direction to fix the problem,” said Jason Sherman, the district’s director of transportation and facilities. For example, telematics assists his technicians with determining when faulty fuel injectors need to be replaced. “(Staff) can determine which one is not
performing to specifications and replace it. Te computer is needed to put in codes for the injec- tors,” Sherman explained. After returning from the Christmas break, he said another technician used diagnostic software to diagnose a bad EGR valve. “He was able to replace the part without send- ing the bus to the dealer and waiting for them to diagnose the problem and make the necessary repairs,” Sherman added. “We have only had to send one bus to the dealer in the recent past; this was due to a problem with a multiplexer.” l
Diagnostics, B.C.
Te power of Wi-Fi and telematics that moni- tor engine performance and provide diagnostics when the bus is anywhere on route gives school bus technicians a major advantage compared to old- school, wait-and-see troubleshooting. “It’s a great time to be a mechanic in the school bus
industry, as roles in the garage are changing alongside new technology,” commented John Whelan, shop foreman at School District #73 in Kamloops, British Columbia. “Te power of Wi-Fi and telematics that monitor engine performance and provide diagnostics when the bus is anywhere on route gives school bus technicians a major advantage compared to old- school, wait-and-see troubleshooting.” Diagnostics can be difficult if the tools are not
John Whelan shares how diagnostics has changed “old- school” maintenance programs.
available, but now with vehicle manufacturers integrating telematics into their diagnostic platform, school bus technicians and fleet operators can stay one step ahead of unexpected and costly breakdowns. Whelan said he still uses ServiceMaxx Pro diagnostic software for the district’s
IC Bus engines. OnCommand telematics is not yet available, he added, to us since Navistar and Tyler Telematics have not hooked it up yet. “I’m looking forward to that because they offer it free, and it’s compatible with all makes of commercial heavy and medium duty trucks, buses and severe duty vehicles,” he added. “Teir system has more details available with filtering.” But Whelan said he uses the OnCommand website to input the VIN and see all warranty repairs and recalibrations performed by the dealer as well as any recall notices that have been posted. “It also has all of the service manuals which is a great resource for the shop,” he added.
Whelan said he also finds useful a section called iKnow, where a keyword
to search can return a history of repairs and fixes by model to address a similar issue dealers are encountering. School District #73 also uses Zonar V3 telematics to read codes and GPS, but Whelan said he the district has yet to do a deeper data dive, for example wireless pre-trip reports, because of the extra charges for data. For Mercedes-Benz engines, the district uses the online Detroit Diesel Customer
Support Network diagnostic to access technical information and resources. A link is available on the AccessFreightliner website. Meanwhile, diagnostics is provided by Detroit engine software and Insite Lite software for Cummins engines. “Tis is the future of diesel engines. It’s not going to change, and thankfully OEMs are being very progressive with diagnostic and maintenance resources,” Whelan added. “Telematics gives us more control and instant verification on the severity of a fault. Since we can’t physically see sealed components internally the laptop, PC or mobile phone is our best tool in the shop. “I started in this trade in 1977 and I’m truly amazed how far technology has come and embrace the wireless age. It’s fascinating and such a huge advantage over guessing if a module has failed. Any tech in this industry can not ignore this constantly changing world of emissions and onboard computers.”
How secure is the transmission of telematics data? Visit our blog section at
stnonline.com/go/81.
www.stnonline.com 27
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