THOUGHT LEADER
School Bus Maintenance Process Recommendations Influenced by Technology
Written by Robert T. Pudlewski S
ix decades ago, I started my career in main- tenance by working on school buses at the Lancaster, New York, School District bus garage. Work began with a mix of Craftsman/Snap-on
hand tools, a timing light, torque wrench, tire pressure gauge, dwell meter, and a set of feeler gauges. When a bus broke down, I had everything I needed to fix it. My procedure and process manual was a guy named Val, who had been doing school bus repair for 20 years. Historically, school bus maintenance has relied on
reactive, standard repair approaches rather than uti- lizing proactive or predictive maintenance strategies. Technicians typically used their experience and manual diagnostic tools to identify and fix issues, a process with printed procedures that can be time consuming. Within the past decade, the conventional approach to school bus maintenance has advanced with process modifica- tions aided by technology. The future school bus maintenance process will con-
tinue to evolve, resulting from the increased complexity of integrated modern school bus equipment as well as from new OEM’s and component suppliers, along with transportation departments and bus companies seek- ing improved efficiency, safety and cost management. Ongoing advancements in school bus equipment will require more regular updates to maintenance protocols, operational procedures, technician training and toolsets to maintain optimal safety standards and cost-effective- ness in bus operations. As semi-autonomous systems, electric and clean fuel technologies rapidly advance in school buses, mainte- nance and repair methods of those systems must evolve. Advancements in training, diagnostic and repair pro- cesses are necessary to enhance technician productivity, reduce operational costs and promote safety. Advanced maintenance technologies can enable
more accurate diagnostics, timely maintenance and even predictive capabilities that alert operators to issues
Ongoing advancements in school bus equipment will require more regular updates to maintenance protocols, operational procedures, technician training and toolsets to maintain optimal safety standards and cost-effectiveness in bus operations.
20 School Transportation News • SEPTEMBER 2025
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