(other drivers’ attention) with lights down at the bumper.” Te recently rebranded SoundOff Commercial Vehicle Solutions has also brought bus-bumper level auxiliary lights and new driver-alert LED signage to the market. Located on the rear of the school bus, its illuminated driver-alert messaging communicates to approaching vehicles
when the bus is slowing down and stop- ping to load and unload students. “We have data that drivers say, ‘I didn’t know I was supposed to stop.’ If the red flashing list didn’t tell you to stop, the illuminated word ‘STOP’ should do it,” said General Manager Bill Wakefield, who also noted the supplemental warning lighting system is not addressed in FMVSS 108, which reg-
ulates lamps and reflective devices. He also said the company is working with various state and federal officials nationwide, to adopt the technology. Gaines said the task for professionals in his field “is improving the effectiveness of lamp placement, for safety and improving the reliability of the lamps to last the life of the vehicle.” “A lot of initial bus purchases still come
down to the last five dollars—so incandescent lighting is still considered because of the up- front price issue,” Gaines said. “Tat becomes a challenge, because some states are very strict about replacing OEM parts,” he said. Wakefield touts the advent of silicone lenses
as the next advancement that will improve bus lighting. “Traditional polycarbonate lenses served the market well, but they have inherent weaknesses. Tey tend not to age well. Tey yellow and become brittle,” he said. “We’ve managed to develop silicone lens designs that don’t get brittle or crack in extreme conditions. Tey’re more durable and allow for more three-dimensional molding of optics than polycarbonate.”
While it is too early to determine if the
silicone lenses will eventually become a man- dated feature, Wakefield noted, “Anything that extends life and improves safety will migrate to become a standard product in the industry.” UltraLED is concentrating on a new nine-diode warning light that was released earlier this year. It reduces the cost to school districts and bus companies, because it has fewer failure points, said company General Manager Branden Smeltzer. He added that UltraLED spent consid-
erable money on R&D, so as to ensure the light complies with any state specifications that require a school bus be placed out of service if one light can be seen not working. Smeltzer explained that the company added reflectors inside the lights to illuminate each diode. Te result is the appearance of one, single light source that emanates from the bus. “It looks exactly like what a halogen looks
like,” he said. “It looks like a single light source.” He added that the nine diode light has been especially popular in Wisconsin. Additionally, he said that UltraLED
has a renewed focus on its distributor network, product offerings and customer service, since it ended a partnership with Prevost.
50 School Transportation News • JUNE 2018
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