BUSRide Maintenance August/September 2017

AUG / SEPT.2017

BUSRIDE.COM THE EXCLUSIVE MAINTENANCE RESOURCE FOR THE TRANSIT AND MOTORCOACH INDUSTRY

Smooth rides aren’t cost-prohibitive p7

New products p 4 | HVAC and passenger comfort p 6

All the parts you need, all in one place—online.

Introducing the New Online MCI Parts Store

Experience superior inventory searches, on-point suggestions, unprecedented visuals, expedited shipping estimates, improved tracking and more from your desktop, tablet or smartphone.

Check us out again, or for the first time at partsstore.mcicoach.com

Want to know more about MCI’s story?

Check out our Reliability videos at mcicoach.com

A New Flyer company

FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF

Stay excited for maintenance

busride.com VOL. 07 • NO. 6

The July 22 edition of the New York Times featured a fascinating opinion piece, titled Let’s Get Excited About Maintenance by Andrew Russell and Lee Vinsel. The piece highlights the disparity between the actual importance of maintenance and the value society places on it.

In our society, innovation and the inventor are venerated above all else – much more so than the systems and people who maintain those inventions. We tend to exalt the invention of electricity and not show as much appreciation toward maintaining the nationwide electrical grid – even though the maintenance of crucial systems and processes is often more important than the initial innovation.

The article, and the magazine you’re holding now, should serve as a reminder to bus and motorcoach operators – maintenance makes our systems go. It keeps buses on the road. It’s worth getting excited about.

Thank you once again for reading BUSRide Maintenance!

Richard Tackett Editor in Chief rtackett@busride.com David Hubbard Associate Publisher dhubbard@busride.com Stephen Gamble Art Director sgamble@busride.com Joyce Guzowski Assistant Editor jguzowski@busride.com Judi Victor CEO & Publisher Director of Sales jvfly@busride.com Mitch Larson Business Manager mlarson@busride.com Blair McCarty Sr. Sales and Marketing Coordinator bmccarty@busride.com Hollie Broadbent Marketing & Sales Associate hbroadbent@busride.com

Richard Tackett Editor in Chief BUSRide Maintenance Magazine

BUS INDUSTRY SAFETY COUNCIL

CONTENTS / AUG / SEPT 2017

A publication of:

ON THE COVER A smoother ride doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg

7

Rubber suspensions absorb more road shock and cost much less than other, more complicated systems

BUSRide Maintenance Magazine 4742 North 24th Street, STE 340 Phoenix, Arizona 85016 Phone: (602) 265-7600 Fax: (602) 277-7588 busridemaintenance.com

By Joel Badskey

COLUMNS Focus On: HVAC

By Steve D. Johnson

DEPARTMENTS From the Editor in Chief Products and Services

2 4

8

BUSRide Maintenance™ Magazine is published eight times annually by Power Trade Media, a division of The Producers, Inc., 4742 N. 24th Street, Ste. 340, Phoenix, AZ 85016. Subscription rates for non-qualified subscribers, single issue prices and pricing for reprints of 100 or more are available from: info@busride. com. All articles in BUSRide Maintenance™ Magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher. Copyright 2017 by Power Trade Media. No advertisement, sponsorship or description or reference to a product or service will be deemed an endorsement by Power Trade Media, and no warranty is made or implied. Information is obtained from sources the editors believe reliable, accurate and timely, but is not guaranteed, and Power Trade Media is not responsible for errors or omissions. Opinions expressed in BUSRide Maintenance™ Magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher or sponsors or advertisers. Content addressing legal, tax and other technical issues is not intended as professional advice and cannot be relied on as such; readers should consult with their own professional advisors.

busride.com | BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE

3

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Unwin revamps wheelchair tieAntaira launches gigabit 10-port down and occupant restraint range PoE+ unmanaged switch with 10G Unwin, an Autoadapt company, has updated its wheelchair SFP+ slots tie-downs and occupant restraints. The entire range of retractors and webbing products have been given a fresh look and design, with new improvements that do not increase weight or space.

Developments include dual-handed operation for tightening retractors, with only 3 millimeter increase to the overall width; optimal webbing lengths for both wheelchair tiedowns and occupant restraints; combined stalk and retractor on all floor anchors fitting rear tie-downs to maximize floor space in WAV vehicles; two stalk lengths available to suit both M1 & M2 markets; new design with updated webbing colours to blend in with the interior of any modern vehicle; improved electric retractors with contemporary design and LED lighting as standard; and easyto-follow part numbering.

Unwin Safety Martock, UK

Antaira Technologies announced the expansion of its industrial networking infrastructure family with the introduction of the LNP-1002G-10G-SFP. The LNP-1002G-10G-SFP is the latest industrial Gigabit PoE+ unmanaged Ethernet switch series that offers highdensity for eight full gigabit Ethernet ports with PSE: 30W per port and two 10G SFP+ fiber slots for long-distance connectivity. This product series has an IP30 rated metal casing design that has DIN-Rail or wall mounting support.

The device provides a dual redundant power input range of 48 to 55VDC with an overload current and reverse polarity prevention, as well as high EFT (2,000VDC) surge protection and ESD (6,000VDC) protection. Additionally, there is a built-in relay warning function to alert maintainers when power failures occur. Each unit is built to withstand industrial networking hazards like shock, drop, vibration, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and temperature extremes (-40° ~ 60°C).

Antaira Anaheim, CA

Fowler's Auto Wrecking Inc. Belltown Recycling Center Get all your coach parts on Old Coach Road! MCI & Prevost & Van Hool DETROIT DIESEL SERIES 60 ENGINES Good Running Take Outs Recent Remans Core Units Low Mileage Units Engine Accessories We Offer 1 Year Warranty CALL for price - 860-267-7140

COMPLETE BUSES FOR PARTS Body Panels & Glass Exterior & Interior Lights Wheels & Tires Interior Parts & Seats Tag Axles & Drive Axles Steering & Suspension Parts Cooling, HVAC, and Brake Parts

ALLISON B500 TRANSMISSIONS Good Running Take Outs Recent Remans Core Units Low Mileage Units Modules & Auto Shift Pads We Offer 6 Month Warranty CALL for price - 860-267-7140

CALL 860-267-7140 - 24 Old Coach Rd, East Hampton, CT, 06424 - BelltownRecycling@Yahoo.com 4

BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE | AUGUST / SEPTEMBER . 2017

busride.com

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Stertil-Koni incorporates touch screen control technology in ECOLIFT Heavy duty vehicle lift company Stertil-Koni announced that it has incorporated its advanced, full-color, touchscreen control console, known as the ebright Smart Control System, into the company’s popular, ultra-shallow, full-rise, axle-engaging in-ground scissor-lifting system, the ECOLIFT. The ebright Smart Control System is an extension of the concept of humanmachine-interface (HMI), providing greater control of the vehicle lift in a very familiar, electronic notepad-style delivery system. Features include: intuitive controls with actual data about the lift in action; tracking of specific operations and information codes; relevant information available at a glance; actual lifting height displayed; and visual display of maximum programmable lifting height. The ECOLIFT is the industry’s original ultra-shallow, full-rise axle-engaging in-ground scissor lift. Available in both a two-scissor or three-scissor configuration, total lifting capacity is 60,000 pounds and 90,000 pounds respectively – at 30,000 pounds per scissor.

Stertil-Koni Stevensville, MD

The Trusted Brake Meter.

Portable. Simple. Reliable.

Professionals across the transit industry trust the Vericom VC4000 Brake Meter to ensure compliance with brake efficiency regulations.

VericomComputers.com

Serving Universities, Public Transit Agencies and Private Coach Companies Since 1980

Serving Your Future Needs Now AMERICAN OWNED

ONE OF THE LARGEST TRANSIT BUS REMANUFACTURERS IN AMERICA! • BUS REFURBISHING & REMANUFACTURING • REPLACEMENT PARTS • USED BUS SALES & LEASING • FIELD SERVICE • ALL SIZES • ALL MODELS

TOLL-FREE (800) 627-6627 midwestbus.com busride.com | BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE

5

FOCUS ON:

HvAC

Zero-emission buses, all-electric HVAC specifications and passenger comfort

By Steve D. Johnson

T

he subject line looks busy and is clearly about three different things. However, the three are related in ways that you might not expect. This conversation is intended to start a discussion between the stakeholders; the suppliers, the operators and the most important stakeholder, the passenger. To frame this conversation properly, and to establish the context for the rest of the article, let’s start with the passenger and work our way back. I can assure you that it will all come together by the end of this article.

The passenger: The most important thing that an operator can do to get people to ride the bus, who otherwise might not use the bus, is to create a comfortable environment. Just ask any operator what they fear most and you are likely to hear, among other things, “cold bus complaints in the winter” and “hot bus complaints in the summer.” So, throughout all the years of advancements in vehicle and component efficiency, none have been made at the expense of passenger comfort. In fact, passenger comfort either drove or received benefit from most efficiency improvements. One would have to believe that the improvements have contributed to the steady increase in ridership, especially in the high-end markets.

Zero-emission buses: This is what I wrote in the last installment of this series. “It’s clear that the drive to zero emission in transit vehicles has started. So, what does this have to do with the HVAC? A lot, actually. The zero emission bus is powered by batteries and all of the electrical loads, like the all-electric HVAC, use power from the battery. As on conventional buses, the HVAC is the largest single load on the engine. Now, the load is on the battery and affects how far the bus can go on a single charge. I think that you can easily understand that 6

BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE | AUGUST / SEPTEMBER . 2017

reducing the load allows the bus range to improve.” Operators have determined that they need a range of 100-150 miles to ensure that routes can be completed on a single charge. In the effort to extend range various proposals have come forth for reducing the HVAC load. By far, the most popular proposal is to reduce and or limit the amount of cooling. One strategy proposed is to shut the HVAC off when the bus needs power to climb a hill or to conserve the power to allow the bus to finish the route. Another approach is to only cool the bus to 78-80 degrees F, rather than the commonly applied 68-72 degrees F. It has also been suggested that a temperature delta be used based on the outside ambient temperature. If the temperature delta is set at 15 degrees to control the cooling demand, it means that the bus interior would only cool to 85 degrees F on a 100 degree F day. While all of these approaches seem plausible, and some have been applied in various markets, you would have to agree that some of these approaches will not be welcomed in certain areas of the US. Imagine getting on a bus on a 110-degree day in Phoenix while the interior is only 95 degrees F. All-electric HVAC specifications: This is an area that highlights the conflicting interests. Operators are now writing specifications for their all-electric buses, and guess what? They have the same HVAC cooling requirements as were used for conventional diesel and CNG-driven buses. While it is true that the specifications should not be the same because the allelectric system provides constant cooling capacity rather than variable capacity based on engine speed, it doesn’t look like operators are ready to give up the cooling they have become accustomed to. Based on the specifications, we continue to build systems with excess capacity that will never get used, and with excess power that must be managed.

In summary: With these conflicting objectives, misaligned expectations and the absence of an effective communication forum, we are likely to hit a wall somewhere along the way.

Success is dependent on all of the stakeholders working together. Each may have to give up something to achieve the end goal, which is a highly efficient package that does not sacrifice passenger comfort. If we don’t, people may abandon bus travel.

Steve D. Johnson, Sr. serves as product marketing manager, Bus HVAC, at Thermo King, Minneapolis, MN. Thermo King is a world leader in transport temperature control systems for buses. Thermo King also manufactures auxiliary power units, which dramatically reduce engine idling. All Thermo King products are backed by a nationwide dealer network. Visit www.thermoking.com.

busride.com

FOCUS ON:

BUS SUSPENSIONS

A smoother ride doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg

By Joel Badskey

A little more than a decade ago, I made my living selling cars.

One of the things I learned from this career was how to listen to my customers, discover their needs, and help them find a vehicle that met those needs. For some customers, the bells and whistles were a necessity: leather seats with massage features, power moon roofs with multiple settings, navigation systems that provided directions for the fastest route as well as identified every Starbucks along the way. Then again, there were others who simply wanted a car that would take them from Point A to Point B, and not even power locks and windows were a requirement.

As far as these customers were concerned, that was just one more thing that would need to be repaired at some point.

Having worked in the transit industry for the last 10 years, I have found that most people fall somewhere in between these two customers when it comes to their buses. They want their drivers and passengers to be comfortable and happy, and they want the products installed on their buses to work well and provide some modern conveniences when possible. At the same time, they do not want to spend an “arm and a leg” on these features, and they most definitely do not want to spend a lot of time fixing problems that pop up at inopportune times.

Many don’t realize that technology exists which makes a bus ride smooth and comfortabe without spending a bundle on the suspension system or its maintenance. For years, MORryde

Rubber suspenions absorb more road shock and cost much less than other, more complicated systems.

International has been upfitting cutaway and paratransit buses with their simple yet highly-effective rubber suspension systems.

The rubber isolates and absorbs road shock to deliver the ride quality that so many bus operators demand, but at a much lower cost than other, more complicated systems. Due to its simplicity, it is quite cost-effective: most kits sell for less than $1,000 and can be ordered on your next vehicle right from the bus builder, or can be purchased aftermarket to upgrade your existing unit.

In contrast, other, more complicated aftermarket suspension systems cost three to four times as much.

In addition to the low cost of purchasing the suspension kit, the system has a low cost of maintenance. Unlike an air suspension, a rubber suspension contains no hoses or tanks that leak or freeze up. Being a more compact system also makes the suspension easier to access for the inspection of the rubber shear springs, a task which takes a matter of seconds. In the uncommon event that any of the steel or rubber components need to be replaced, MORryde provides a three-year / 70,000 mile warranty on all of bus suspension systems.

To learn more about how the MORryde rubber suspension system can soften the ride of your bus, contact MORryde customer service at 574-293-1581 or visit morryde.com.

busride.com | BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE

7

Can You Fill More Seats?

Clean Buses Make A Difference! Fleet Clean Can Help.

Outsource Washing for a Better Bottom Line • • • •

Clean buses make happy riders Happy riders fill buses Outsourcing requires less overhead Faster wash process means less downtime

Eliminate Headaches and Hassles • • • •

Reliable washing on your schedule Accurate, timely invoicing Quality hand-brush washing EPA Compliance

Hand Brush Washing for Gentle, Thorough Clean

Fleet Clean Provides Multiple Levels of Interior and Exterior Bus Cleaning

We reclaim and dispose of wash water properly, keeping you in compliance

Call 877-477-WASH (9274) To Learn More www.FleetCleanUSA.com