Air Conditioning for School Buses (Type A, C & D)
MFSAB & Activity Buses •
Specify Trans/Air A/C systems installed in your buses on your next purchase.
•
A/C system installations available on buses ordered without A/C in your fleet.
• •
Purchase A/C parts on-line for easy ordering
busacparts.com
Parts and components available for some hard-to-get competitors – call for details.
Denny Coughlin, consultant at School Bus Training
Company, discussed the history of wheelchair lifts and securement systems during his TSD session on “Ensur- ing Special Needs Equipment Safety & Reliability with the Pre-Trip Inspection.” He explained how the industry has changed since the 1970s, when students in wheel- chairs were wheeled up a ramp that extended from the ground to the bus floor, it’s important to remember that bus drivers and other transportation staff must be trained to constantly monitor and correct operation of the equipment to prevent accidents and injuries. He continued that while automatic wheelchair lifts require minimal maintenance, transporters should keep track of how many cycles the wheelchair lift is used for because that will determine when maintenance is required. Maritza Valentin, contract/national account manager
at AMF-Bruns America, added that inspections should be done regularly, regardless of if it appears the wheel- chair lift is functioning properly. Shutrump noted the value of hands-on training class-
es at TSD, adding that lecture and training manuals can overload drivers with information. Hands-on training is vital not only for day-to-day wheelchair securement but also for emergency situations, when the driver has seconds to safely remove a student from the occupant restraint systems. “Because of the complexity of using this equipment
in such a specific way, I would say that it’s truly import- ant to incorporate hands-on training. Make sure people know how to use the equipment,” she recommended. “You have to give people muscle memory. Look at how many hands-on classes we offer at TSD. It’s because they’re the most effective. Those are the classes that fill up and max out quickly because people understand they need this experience.” Shutrump said she has observed while serving as an expert witness that oftentimes driver-trainers are questioned about what they were teaching in wheelchair securement training, and it comes to light that the mate- rial was not in accordance with manuals and regulations. She also explained that the transportation staff have been misinformed on how or if they are allowed to readjust the occupant restraints, which can lead to a student being in distress with no aid given. “We have to use the equipment specific to the manu-
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www.busacparts.com 44 School Transportation News • JANUARY 2024
TransAir_1123_HV.indd 1 11/13/23 2:42 PM
facturer guidelines. We call them guidelines but they are rules,” said Shutrump. “You can’t add to the equipment in ways that have not proved to be effective. Don’t go rogue, Use the equipment the way it was intended to be used.” ●
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