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sk any youth sports coach in America what’s important to success, and they are bound to reference fundamentals. While that may not always be the topic of the day in transporta-
tion circles, the underlying principles are just as valid, particularly when it comes to tires, wheels and brakes. After all, what’s more fundamental to transporting students safely? “Tires, wheels and brakes are foundational in terms
of operating a safe fleet, especially school buses,” said Tim Dierker, shop supervisor for Kenton County School District in Ft. Wright, Kentucky. “We strive to operate safe buses that drivers, students and parents can have confidence in, day in and day out.” While safety is the number one priority for any fleet,
letdowns can bring repercussions beyond student welfare. “When we experience a failure, it often be- comes the focus of local news outlets,” Dierker noted. That was a challenge faced by Leander Independent School District in Texas earlier this school year, fol- lowing a bus crash that sent 16 students and the driver to area hospitals. The incident brought unfavorable publicity when an investigation focused on limited seatbelt use but also touched on tire tread levels. While the crash was ultimately attributed to bus driver error, and the district was able to respond that tread depth met the safety standard, the incident exemplifies the negative coverage such problems could bring should lapses occur. Even more serious was the 2023 crash in New York
state that killed two adults and injured a number of students. The vehicle involved a motorcoach char- tered by Farmingdale Union Free School District, which crashed due to failure of an under-inflated tire, previous impact damage, and tread-and-belt sepa- ration. While the vehicle was not part of the district’s school bus fleet, the incident highlighted not only the importance of assuring safety of chartered commer- cial vehicles, but also the overall need to focus on tire safety for all vehicles. “I personally give a lot of attention to tires, wheels and brakes because they’re the foundation of safety and reliability on a bus,” said Cole Moody, activity bus shop crew chief for South Carolina’s Greenville County Schools. “With the weight they carry and the constant stopping, there’s no room to cut corners.” Moody, a 2022 STN Garage Star, noted that
high-quality tires help with traction and fuel efficien- cy, and dependable brakes give peace of mind that the bus will stop when it needs to. “Taking care of these parts up front saves a lot of headaches down the road, and I’ve seen firsthand
how the investment in quality pays off in both safety and longevity,” he said. South Carolina is also the originator of the National School Bus Inspection Program taught at STN EXPO East and West. The event features classroom and hands-on exercises that teach how to find and doc- ument everything from minor issues to full-blown defects, all that go beyond the criteria required by the U.S. Department of Transportation and all other states aside from Georgia, where the Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation offers a fleet management certification that includes inspection training based on South Carolina’s program.
The Human Element The way drivers operate their vehicles is also a key
factor, noted Anthony Sims, executive director of transportation at Fort Bend ISD in Sugar Land, Texas. “Smooth braking, watching speed and avoiding curbs all adds up,” Sims said. “That’s why we talk with our drivers often about how their habits help us keep buses safe and on the road longer.” Moody agreed that driver behavior plays a big role in the life of tires and brakes. He noted that smooth driving, avoiding hard stops, and taking corners properly can make tires last longer and prevent pre- mature brake wear. On the other hand, aggressive braking, riding the brakes on hills, or not watching for road debris can quickly wear these parts out. Miguel Trujillo, lead mechanic at California’s San
Marcos Unified School District with more than 35 years of experience in the field, has found through internal testing the degree to which driver behavior affects bus braking systems and tire wear. “An aggressive driver increases tire wear and brake shoe lining wear,” he said, adding that tires will gen- erally last approximately 4,000 miles less, and brake shoes about 15,000 miles less. With a more conser- vative driver, the difference includes both increased equipment life and reduced maintenance costs. Trujillo added he’s developed a method to predict
tire life and assess if it will safely last until the next 45-day inspection. Through years of tracking tire wear patterns, he discovered that every school bus tire consistently wears 1/32 of an inch for every 1,000 miles traveled. “This took several years to compile, but the result is a tool that allows shop managers to forecast tire maintenance with confidence,” he said.
Varying Terrain Route terrain also plays a significant role in tire and brake wear. “A bus that’s running a stop-and-go route
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