Out of the total buses sold in India annually, schools account for nearly 20% of the sales. There is a growing market for school buses and addressing the demand; several manufacturers are coming forward with specially-designed buses meant for safe travelling for students to and from schools.
But school bus investment is not a make and forget a thing. Without proper care, strategic fleet planning and timely maintenance, their work capacity will reduce, eventually draining more money towards costly future repairs. And problems like late pick-up and drop-off, unexpected breakdowns, and irregular driving and route planning will only reflect negatively on a school’s image, besides raising concerns for parents for their children’s wellbeing.
So that your school never has to face such issues, it is essential to pay attention to a few things and work towards improving the overall process. We have made the job easier. Here are five ways to maintain your school bus fleet for higher productivity and maximum efficiency.
Follow proper safety and sanitation guidelines.
Since schools are slowly reopening after the Covid pandemic, it is strictly essential for school authorities to follow all safety and sanitation guidelines laid by the government. If you are allowed to reopen the school bus facility, make sure every possible preventive measure is taken.
Also, here are some possible ways to ensure safe travel for everyone on board the bus during this challenging time.
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The rule of thumb is that travellers should wear well-fitted masks. So that they are not needed to remove masks on board, a ban on the consumption of food and beverages on the bus may be helpful.
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Schools can readjust the routes and timings to shorten the time travelling.
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Buses can run with limited occupancy to follow social distancing guidelines.
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The use of sanitisers for all passengers and drivers should be made mandatory. Buses should have a steady supply of spare masks so whoever forgets to bring one can use them. Hand sanitiser and touchless trash bins can be placed in appropriate places.
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Clean and disinfect buses before and after operation daily.
This is just a partial list of preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus. Please refer to the authoritative guidelines in your place for more accurate and relevant information.
Regularly inspect school buses for visible inconsistencies.
Travelling distances can make buses prone to bumps, dents, scratches and other visible irregularities. This is why it is essential to inspect them often. Check for visual inconsistencies in different body parts, including mirrors, grills, headlamps, tyres, reflectors etc. Spotting early signs of wear and tear and acting on time to fix the issues can help you prevent an unexpected downtime or costly future maintenance.
Check safety measures
Along with checking for issues with the vehicle, it is essential to inspect if all safety measures are in place. The school bus should be well-prepared to ensure safe travel for all passengers. Other than checking the lights and signals are in order, make sure that fire extinguishers, emergency exit doors, spare parts, first aid kits etc., are available on the bus all the time, and they fully comply with all regulations.
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Make sure the brake system is working properly.
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Check meter for accurate reading
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Check if gears and pedals are functioning well
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Other than these, inspect the lights, horns, engines etc.
Use fleet management software
Using fleet management software can allow school management to keep a record of every school bus in use. This also means that drivers will follow the proper route, and pick-up and drop of every student will occur in pre-designated stoppage. Using such software ensures that a replacement is ready when needed.
Bus and truck batteries – Always use the best quality products.
Another critical aspect of a school bus is its battery. When it comes to school bus batteries, always find the one designed to meet the high-performance demands. It should provide reliable energy for extremely demanding starting conditions and peak power supply in the toughest scenarios.
Livguard batteries
Livguard is considered one of the best Truck and Bus battery manufacturers in India. It provides a good range of truck and bus batteries, which are well equipped to provide a long and heavy-duty life for Trucks and Buses. These batteries are made with the latest technology for long-distance commercial vehicles.
Top features –
High cranking efficiency
They are low on maintenance and easy to handle
They are very high on safety standards
Their robust grid structure provides a long life to the batteries
To learn more about school bus batteries and electric bus batteries, you may want to visit this website now.
