“Because it was caught early,” he said, “the repair was
completed before the bus returned to service, avoiding a breakdown and a missed route. Moments like that reinforce how planned maintenance directly supports uptime and reliability when programs are consistently executed.” A good digital maintenance platform also assists in managing spares and parts inventories. Hawkins at First Student said spare buses and parts ordering are fully integrated into the process. “While it can be complex behind the scenes, the goal is to make it as automated and efficient as possible for the shop,” he said. “Our parts management system continuously monitors usage and levels and determines what we should be keeping on the shelf based on real operating conditions. When inventory reaches a pre- defined threshold, the system automatically generates a requisition and recommends the parts that need to be ordered. At that point, it’s a simple approval step. Once we confirm, the requisition is converted into a purchase order and sent directly to the vendor.” Collaboration with all stakeholders throughout the
maintenance network is key. Hawkins added that predictive maintenance isn’t strictly a plug-and-play solution. “You can’t just buy a predictive analytics tool,
turn it on and expect results,” he said. “To be effective, it must be fully integrated into your maintenance process and your broader systems, with clear key performance indicators in place to ensure it’s being used.” Just as important, he added, it requires a cultural shift.
“Technicians aren’t traditionally trained to diagnose a bus that hasn’t failed yet, and building that capabil- ity takes time, training and trust in the data,” Hawkins continued. “Overcoming that skills gap, and integrat- ing predictive insights across your operation, are the two biggest challenges, but they’re also what ultimately makes the system work.” Hawkins said First Student views most school dis-
tricts nationwide managing maintenance in-house and being generally equipped to keep their buses running. But nearly half of school districts are facing technician shortages, and maintenance consistently comes up as a top area where they want to improve. One point he emphasized was that cost and staffing
concerns are the main reasons many districts hesitate to bring in external maintenance partners. “That tells us there’s a real opportunity for flexible, cost-effective support that helps districts maximize uptime and safety without disrupting the teams they already rely on,” Hawkins said. ●
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NOW SCHEDULING 2026 INSTALLS 38 School Transportation News • MAY 2026
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