MARCH.2015
BUSRIDEMAINTENANCE.COM
THE EXCLUSIVE MAINTENANCE RESOURCE FOR THE TRANSIT AND MOTORCOACH INDUSTRY
NEW COACHES RUN CLEANER p5
Clean buses are good business p3 Focus On: Heavy-Duty Lifts
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FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF
BUSRide Maintenance focuses on lifts
VOL. 05 • NO. 3 CEO Judi Victor jvfly@busridemaintenance.com
This issue, BUSRide Maintenance introduces “Focus On: Heavy-Duty Lifts” — a close-up cooperative forum zeroing in on the critical aspects of heavyduty vehicle lifts, easily some of the most important investments in any bus maintenance facility. In this series, leading vehicle-lift manufacturers will spotlight best practices, purchasing advice, safety tips and more. Lift OEMs will tackle issues of certification, overload, and inspections. They’ll also showcase industry safety standards, lift-to-job matching, greasing and lubrication best practices, and more.
Publisher Steve Kane skane@busridemaintenance.com Associate Publisher David Hubbard dhubbard@busridemaintenance.com Editor in Chief Richard Tackett rtackett@busridemaintenance.com
Topics will include: • March 2015: What constitutes a good heavy-duty lift? • June 2015: It’s all about safety – why certification is a must • August 2015: Maintaining a heavy-duty lift • October 2015: Choosing the right lift for the job
Art Director Stephen Gamble sgamble@busridemaintenance.com
In this issue, Mohawk Lifts highlights the essential elements of good lift design. They ask, “What constitutes a good heavy-duty lift?” Best practices are examined and outlined with solutions from experts in the field and presented in this special coverage.
Account Executive Jeanette Long jlong@busridemaintenance.com Accountant Fred Valdez fvaldez@busridemaintenance.com
All vehicle lifts are not created equal – and BUSRide Maintenance wants to peel the layers back and Focus On: Lifts.
MARCH 2015
CONTENTS
Richard Tackett Editor in Chief BUSRide Maintenance Magazine
On the cover: New technology means less health risks Study of lifetime animal exposure to new technology diesel engine exhaust finds no lung cancer
Clean is just good business Bus wash innovations add efficiencies to the chore By David Hubbard
Focus On: Heavy-Duty Lifts Steve Perlstein of Mohawk Lifts outlines the elements of a well-constructed heavy-duty lift
BUS INDUSTRY SAFETY COUNCIL
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Departments From the Editor in Chief 2
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A publication of:
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to:
BUSRide Maintenance Magazine 4742 North 24th Street, STE 340 Phoenix, Arizona 85016 Phone: (602) 265-7600 Fax: (602) 277-7588 busridemaintenance.com
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IS JUST GOOD
BUSINESS By David Hubbard
Bus wash innovations add efficiencies to the chore Chassijet focuses solely on the undercarriage of the vehicle.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is reprinted from BUSRide, April 2010.] A clean coach is just good business. But the burden of bus washing often falls to maintenance garage managers not so focused on the wash bay. Bus washing merits as much consideration as any other maintenance detail. Going clean is the easiest and most cost-effective way to attract and retain the best customers. A washed vehicle encourages drivers to drive safely and maintain the vehicle. Technicians are prone to take more time under a clean vehicle to perform the necessary preventative maintenance. Regular washing with an effective system extends the life of the bus and helps hold its value. Where a bus wash system represents a significant capital investment from initial planning to final installation, most companies rely on only one wash setup in one wash bay to clean all the vehicles in a mixed fleet, from standard size bus and coaches to paratransit shuttles. The reasons for choosing the one best system over another run a gamut of reasons — space in the facility site, fleet size, allotted time and labor, water usage, waste water reclamation and environmental regulations. The key is to choose correctly. busridemaintenance.com | BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE
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Ross & White says its highly adaptable hybrid bus wash systems get the job done and help control costs.
Innovative bus wash companies and manufacturers are working to make the chore of bus washing easier to afford, easier to manage, faster and less labor intensive, less abrasive to the rolling stock and kinder to the environment. The efficiencies in new bus washing systems continue to lower the cost per bus in terms of chemicals and water required. Above-ground reclamation systems have improved the issues with cleanliness in the wash bay with the system operating similar to a filtered pool. The challenge of mixed fleets Ross & White Company, Cary, IL, says the newest bus wash challenge for transit agencies is the recent proliferation of buses of every model and size coming through one system. “The wash system once accommodated only one standard box-shaped transit bus, now it must have the flexibility to handle small body-on-chassis paratransit buses, articulated vehicles and a variety of shuttles,” says company principle Jeff Ross. “Though a brush system is still the best way to go, these mixed fleets require the incorporation of high pressure spray technology.” The company says it meets this challenge with highly adaptable hybrid bus wash systems that combine brush and touchless spray technology. Technicians can easily modify the brushes and sprays for every type of vehicle in the fleet. “A brush system by itself may be the most economical,” Ross says. “But the combination of brush and spray cleans evenly and gets into areas where brushes alone cannot reach.” Out of sight still in mind Cleaning Equipment Unlimited, Northridge, CA, is the official U.S. distributor for Chassijet, an automatic, programmable chassis cleaning system manufactured in the U.K. The company says a clean bus creates a strong image, but the underside of the vehicle requires as much attention in terms of safety and longevity. Chassijet president Rick Ray says, from a maintenance perspective, the dirt and grime that collects out of sight is far more damaging. The Chassijet provides automatic press-button cleaning of the underside of all over-the-road vehicles. The programmable cleaning trolley travels on its own set of rails under the stationary vehicle as the high-pressure 2000 psi oscillating, sweeping spray jets do the cleaning. 4
BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE | MARCH.2015
The system memory accommodates up to 40 programs entered at the time of manufacture or during the installation process. A technician can make program additions and alterations at any time using the operator keypad or manually select the required function. Chassijet says the various programs adjust and coordinate wash speed, water temperature, detergent injection and foam application for any combination of vehicle lengths. Dwell periods allow the system to concentrate on heavily soiled areas. The ChassiJet trolley-rails bolt directly to the floor suspended over an existing inspection pit, or the system can fit to a specially constructed ramp. Available options include a hot water module, detergent injection, pre-wash foam application, pressure reduction, frost protection, manual hand lance and water reclamation. Outsource the wash system Where bus wash companies typically manufacture and market the equipment, DyChem International, Salt Lake City, UT, installs and maintains its proprietary wash system for the opportunity to supply the cleaning products. DyChem says the business model is essentially an outsourcing process akin to a long-term lease arrangement. The company says the investment by the fleet owner is minimal and maintenance-free. The basic requirements are an available wash bay on the premises with adequate water, power and drainage. The process consists of a fastacting two-phase application system using safe and harmless biodegradable chemicals that DyChem says thoroughly flush away under high pressure rinsing. The first step is a low pH product applied to the entire vehicle. An alkaline product then neutralizes the low pH creating the chemical shock that The ChassiJet trolley fits into releases the statically held road any available maintenance bay. film and dirt from the surfaces. The simple drive-through spray system washes a vehicle in approximately 60 seconds. Jonathon Howe, DyChem vice president, sales and marketing, says the typical DyChem contract covers between 300 and 400 bus washes per month for a fleet of 75 to 100 vehicles. “We use this as a benchmark for the size fleet necessary to invest in a partnership with DyChem for the purchase the cleaning chemicals from DyChem,” Howe says. “However, we can offer a longer contract for smaller fleets.” Through its nationwide network of representatives, DyChem provides all maintenance and repairs due to normal use for the duration of the partnership, limiting customer expense to actual product usage. The extra care given to the exterior surfaces of buses and motorcoaches has become a greater concern in the advent of sophisticated bus-wrap advertising, and transportation companies wanting to sport a more upscale appearance.
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New technology means less health risks Study of lifetime animal exposure to new technology diesel engine exhaust finds no lung cancer The first study to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of lifetime exposure to new technology diesel exhaust (NTDE) has found no evidence of carcinogenic lung tumors. The Advanced Collaborative Emissions Study (ACES), issued today by the Health Effects Institute(HEI) also confirmed that the concentrations of particulate matter and toxic air pollutants emitted from NTDE are more than 90 percent lower than emissions from traditional older diesel engines (TDE). The study exposed laboratory rats 80 hours a week, for up to 30 months, to emissions from a heavy-duty diesel engine meeting stringent 2007 US EPA standards that use new filters and other control technology to reduce emissions significantly. In contrast to previous health studies of TDE, the ACES study found that lifetime exposure did not induce tumors or pre-cancerous changes in the lung and did not increase tumors related to NTDE in any other tissue. A few mild changes were seen in the lungs, consistent with long-term exposure to NO2, a component of NTDE that has been further substantially reduced in 2010 - and later model year engines compliant with US EPA rules. The ACES results are expected to play an important role in future risk reviews of diesel engines by international and US agencies. “We are already seeing a transition in America’s roads with over 30 percent of the trucks and buses in use today meeting these new standards and the trend is growing in Europe as well,” says Dan Greenbaum, president of HEI. “These results confirm the great strides that government and industry have made to reduce diesel risk– and argue for even greater efforts to accelerate the replacement of older diesel engines.” The study - HEI Research Report 184: Advanced Collaborative Emissions Study (ACES): Lifetime Cancer and Non-Cancer Assessment in Rats Exposed to New-Technology Diesel Exhaust - was conducted by Drs. Jacob D. McDonald of the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM; Jeffrey C. Bemis of Litron Laboratories, Rochester, NY; Lance M. Hallberg of the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX; and Daniel J. Conklin, of the University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, and their colleagues. Their work was overseen by independent experts on the HEI ACES Oversight Committee. A separate Pathology Working Group independently reviewed the biological findings, and the investigators’ comprehensive description of all findings was then subjected to intensive peer
review by an expert ACES Review Panel, the members of which had had no part in the conduct of the study. In their commentary on the study the Review Panel concluded: Overall, these results indicate that rats exposed to one of three levels of NTDE from a 2007-compliant engine for up to 30 months, for 16 hours per day, 5 days a week, with use of a strenuous operating cycle that more accurately reflected the real-world operation of a modern engine than cycles used in previous studies, showed few NTDE-exposure-related biologic effects. In contrast to the findings in rats chronically exposed to TDE, there was no induction of tumors or pre-neoplastic changes in the lung and no increase in tumors that were considered to be related to NTDE in any other tissue. The effects that were observed with NTDE were limited to the respiratory tract and were mild and generally seen at only the highest exposure level. These histologic changes in the lungs were consistent with previous findings in rats after long-term exposure to NO2 — a major component of the exposure atmosphere which is being substantially further reduced in 2010-compliant engines. ACES is a comprehensive effort, supported by a wide range of public and private entities and conducted under the independent oversight of HEI and the Coordinating Research Council (an Atlanta-based non-profit organization specializing in emissions characterization). The overall goals of ACES were to test the emissions of new-technology diesel engines to determine not only whether they are achieving the expected substantial reductions in emissions and health effects, but also whether the new control technologies (that include particle filters and ultralow-sulfur diesel fuel) are resulting in unintended increases in some components of the emissions. Earlier ACES reports (available at www.crcao.org) found substantial reductions in particulate matter and other pollutants in the emissions from both 2007 and 2010 engines. “These results are impressive for what they can mean for reducing exposure in the US and Europe, but also for the promise they hold in the developing countries of Asia and elsewhere in the world,” says Bob O’Keefe, vice president of HEI and chair of Clean Air Asia (Asia’s largest city network dedicated to clean air). “Countries like China are already moving toward implementing the ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel that is required for these new cleaner technologies.” The HEI Statement summarizing HEI Research Report 184, along with the full report and other supporting data and results can be found at http://pubs.healtheffects.org/. busridemaintenance.com | BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE
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FOCUS ON:
Heavy-Duty Lifts Essential elements of good lift design In four comprehensive issues in 2015, BUSRide Maintenance will present “Focus On: Heavy-Duty Lifts.” This series will highlight the intricacies of heavy-duty lifts, the safety risks involved with their operation, and the certification issues that arise from owning them. Heavy-duty lift manufacturers, designers and experts will share their expertise as we explore the cost, safety, training, certification, pros and cons of heavy-duty vehicle lifts – and how they affect the bottom line of transit agencies and motorcoach operations. With heavy-duty vehicles lifts, it’s important to pay attention to certified equipment and options, lift locks, lift overload, annual inspections, training and testing. Safety is always the main element to consider, but not all lifts meet industry safety standards. Matching the right lift to the job is another critical factor, along with training employees to operate this expensive and essential machinery. Routine maintenance and inspections, as well as greasing and lubricating the lift frequently, all play a part in ensuring maximum shop safety and efficiency.
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BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE | MARCH.2015
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FOCUS ON:
Heavy-Duty Lifts
What constitutes a good heavy-duty lift? By Steve Perlstein
When a transit vehicle or motorcoach needs to be serviced, agencies and operators want to be sure the lift that is being used to service the vehicle is safe and also efficient so the vehicle can return to operation. Before purchasing a heavy duty lift, such as mobile columns, a four-post or parallelogram, operators should determine it is safe and properly designed, efficient and will provide longevity in a maintenance facility. As mobile column lifts are common (because they can be moved from one service bay to another) in the maintenance of motorcoaches, commuter, and shuttle buses, let’s focus on the features to look for before purchasing. One of the most important things to look at is the column construction. Are the columns made out of fork lift mast or bent sheet metal? Fork lifts are designed to go up and down continuously with a heavy load and not wear out, which is exactly what operators want for their vehicle lift when they are lifting 35,000 pounds. Also very important to determine is if the mobile column has 22-inch long forks to raise both rear tires on the vehicle and if so, how much is the capacity decreased by? With vehicles that have heavy rear axles, if the rear lifting capacity goes from 36,000 pounds down to 24,000, that may be insufficient for some vehicles. Shorter forks that don’t grab both rear tires can dangerously over-pressurize the rear tire’s maximum load rating. The efficiency of the lift is also important to consider, since the faster operators are able to get the vehicle out of the shop, the faster it can return to generating revenue. When comparing mobile hydraulic lifts and screw-drive lifts, look at the total cycle time. For a hydraulic lift, based upon four raises per day 200 days per year, operators spend approximately spend 26 hours a year lifting and lowering the lift. Doing the same for a screw lift, operators would spend an additional 54 hours per year. Assuming a $75/hour overhead, that’s a $4,050 time savings! What would your shop do with that additional 54 hours? Heavy duty drive-on lifts, like four posts and parallelograms, are advantageous in the fact that no time has to be spent positioning swing arms or placing forks against the tires before the vehicle can be lifted. Just drive on and begin working. Four posts are great for preventative maintenance and adjustable runways accommodate any wheelbase. Options such as rolling jacks can be used to raise the tires off the tracks for tire and axle service. In general, no matter which type of lift you are considering, you
should consider where the lift is manufactured. This includes where it was both welded and assembled. Years ago most vehicle lifts were much heavier built and also lasted much longer with less necessary repairs. Having service support in the U.S. if your lift needs to be repaired is crucial. A motorcoach that cannot be repaired due to a down lift costs the company revenue. Investing in a lift that may have a higher initial price is worth it when considering the safety and quality of a more expensive lift, downtime you may experience if you purchase a lift that will often need parts replaced. Instead, the total cost of ownership should be evaluated. Someone once said that “if you are going to spend less money on some of the equipment in the shop, spend less on the equipment you stand beside instead of the equipment you stand under.” Before purchasing a heavy duty lift for your maintenance facility, evaluate all facets of the lift, including the quality, productivity and how long it will last in your facility. Investing in a higher quality lift that is safe for your technicians to work under for the next 20 years is worth the slightly higher cost. While a lower priced lift may seem like a better choice, it may cost more over the long term. Steve Perlstein serves as sales manager at Mohawk Lifts, Amsterdam, NY. Visit the company online at www.mohawklifts.com.
A motorcoach that cannot be repaired due to a down lift costs the company revenue.
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