SPECIAL REPORT OFFICIAL PARTS SUPPLIER
Improving Route Optimization & Utilization
PLUS All Major A/C Brands
After a long harsh winter it’s a good idea to perform a little preventive maintenance on your a/c and cooling systems. Consider the Preventive Maintenance guide below as the minimum intervals for most heavy duty applications.
Air Conditioning • Clean condenser grill ................ 3,000 Miles
• Check for leaks at all connections ................................ 3,000 Miles
• Check/adjust compressor drive belt .................................... 3,000 Miles
• Replace the compressor drive belt ..................................24,000 Miles
Cooling System
• Check coolant level.............................. 1,000 • Drain/replace coolant ........................12,000 • Check radiator hoses ........................... 1,000 • Check radiator cap ............................... 1,000
Radiator should be flushed every fall! Written By Art Segal S
chool bus transportation directors face continu- al challenges that are presented by changes in student populations and demographics in their districts. As students graduate at each level and
move to other schools or colleges, and new families arrive while others move away, some or all of the school bus routes need to be adjusted. In some cases, this means adding new students and bus stops to existing routes, or combining routes to improve utilization. If the demand for seats exceeds capacity, managers need to consider the purchase of additional buses and/or vans. This, of course, requires collaboration with senior
district planners and financial officers. Transportation managers are taking a longer-term approach to resource use and route optimization, looking ahead five to 10 years to anticipate major changes in the student population. Transportation managers around the country re-
sponded to several basic questions: What is the size of your fleet? How do you improve fleet utilization? What is the role of routers in this process? How do you measure improvements in utilization? How does route optimization affect your needs for school buses and other vehicles? Michael Shields, director of transportation services at
Salem Keizer Public Schools in Salem, Oregon, pointed to a nuts-and-bolts approach that focuses on the critical components of each bus route. “The biggest key to routing success after identifying
a routing philosophy and delivery model, is going to be your routers themselves,” commented Shields. “Critical thinking skills, clear expectations and multi-dimension- al thought processes are a key to a router’s success.” He said each route at Salem Keizer is examined, based
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on the metrics of on-time delivery, length of layover, passenger capacity, run directions, and planned street construction or changes. The district uses VersaTrans routing software, but Shields said the decision about software depends on the size of the transportation op- eration and the scope of expectation for delivery. Salem, Oregon has experienced a 400-percent growth in the number of McKinney-Vento and foster care stu-
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