While we escaped December with some mild weather, January has brought the winter we are more accustomed to. The list below identifies common practices undertaken by the school bus carriers to prepare for inclement weather:
1) Provide extension cords to drivers to plug in the buses to keep batteries warm.
2) Plug in buses in the yard if outdoor receptacles are available.
3) Send out cold start teams when temperatures plummet and to be in pre-determined areas available to boost buses on short notice.
4) Have drivers report to work earlier on extreme temperature days.
5) Provide extra training to drivers in winter workshops which reminds them to shut off auxiliary systems at the end of the day and how to cycle glow plugs in diesel equipment.
6) Provide drivers re-training on defensive driving and good driving tips in winter weather.
7) Provide drivers with snowbrushes, lock de-icer, and other winter weather gear.
8) Encourage drivers to put the windshield wipers in plastic bags so they don’t freeze to the windshields.
9) Purchasing fuel additives and/or changing fuel types to keep these fluids from gelling or freezing.
The first day of spring is March 20, 2016 so under two months to go!