Control
REM TE I
School bus operators embrace remote monitoring and diagnostics, and its increasing availability to proactively respond to maintenance issues
WRITTEN BY JIM ROMEO
n mid-February of 2015, temperatures dipped low enough in the Wash- ington, D.C. suburb of Fairfax County, Virginia that school buses operat- ed by the local school district wouldn’t start; others developed mechanical problems after they did start due to the extreme cold temperatures.
It’s a common scenario nowadays in cold weather seasons as school super- intendents and transportation administrators must decide when to cancel school or delay openings. One factor in their decision: Can buses start at severe sub-zero temperatures and safely transport their pupils? Tis is one of many scenarios that stands to benefit school districts around the country with remote monitoring and diagnostics. Information is made available remotely to help provide reliable decisions based on factual data and conditions. Te Internet of Tings (IoT) enabled by onboard telematics and software platforms provide the data to make such decisions. Vehicle and engine manufacturers are serving this capability with new and advanced technology. Navistar’s open-architecture, remote-diagnostic system OnCommand Connection available on IC Bus school buses provide, as the companies describe, “visibility into the operational health of the school bus (which) empowers fleet managers to understand the severity of vehicle issues and determine the appropriate action.” “I want to be more efficient with the staff and wants us to get to things
quicker, but my main concern is I don’t want buses on the side of the road,” said Tom Vaughn, director of transportation for Garland ISD near Dallas.
32 School Transportation News • FEBRUARY 2018 >>>
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
