THOUGHT LEADER
Training School Bus Technicians for an Electric Fleet
Written by Robert T. Pudlewski M
Industry Suggested Personnel Alignment
y generation has seen dozens of impactful changes as to the way we fuel and power up our school buses. We are well underway to implementing a sea change in the school bus
propulsion system as we know it. All through the evolution of the numerous changes to our school bus products we have adapted our technicians and drivers to the new tech- nologies by offering training and equipment to keep our fleet reliable, and drivers and technicians safe. The electri- fication of our industry should follow the same process we have used for decades past: Training and safety education. The general servicing and maintenance tasks related to school buses with high-voltage systems are similar in scale to diesel or CNG/LPG buses only when the bus high-volt- age system is de-energized or an isolation procedure of the high-voltage system has been performed. School bus tech- nicians trained in conventional operating systems should be able to perform most of the routine inspection criteria of the bus and other systems while avoiding the discon- nected high-voltage system. However, there are specific tasks that require additional training, knowledge and skill.
HV Training: Industry Recommendations With no current industry standard for electric vehi- cle maintenance training, it can be a bit confusing to understand what resources are available to you. When considering purchasing an electric school bus you should include electric bus training as an integral part of the pro- curement process. Blue Bird includes training as part of its “EV Ecosystem,” and training is a key component of the Thomas Built Buses Electric Bus Authority program. The same goes with the IC Bus NEXT eMobility Solutions as well as training by the Lion Electric Company. Additionally, Clean Cities & Communities is offering California school districts with free training via a California Energy Commission grant. STN partners with the trainers to provide EV componentry overviews at STN EXPO. The electric vehicle industry has focused on categorizing
three levels of skill for anyone operating and maintaining electric vehicles. The first level of training (HV1) focuses on awareness and
is geared toward driver trainers, bus drivers and techni- cians, allowing them to familiarize themselves with the many features and differentiators of operating an electric
26 School Transportation News • JULY 2024
Level I – No to Low Exposure • All service personnel • Maintenance personnel • Supervision and management staff • Bus operators • First responders
Level II – Moderate to High Exposure • Maintenance instruction staff •
Select mechanic classifications
• OEM certified technician • Warranty • HVAC technicians
Level III – High Exposure • Maintenance management & supervision • OEM trained technicians
Personnel Training Suggestions
Level I • General High-Voltage Safety Awareness • OEM High-Voltage Safety Training • OEM Maintenance Bus Orientation • OEM Operator Bus Orientation • OEM Bus Systems Training
Level II • High-Voltage Electrical System: ASE xEV Level 1 and 2 standards
• Battery Electric Propulsion System • •
Energy Storage System Lockout / Tagout
• HV Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) • Contact disconnects •
First Aid
Level III • ASE xEV Level 1 and 2 standard • Zero Voltage Verification •
Live / Hot Work
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