BonnerSprings.com

As the USD 204 transportation department prepares for another round of busing students to school, at the top of everyone’s mind is keeping them safe.

“We do keep (the buses) as safe as we can,” said mechanic Jim Schwartzman, who works on the buses during the summer to get them ready for another school year. “That’s our goal.”

Though transportation director Debbie Elmer said regular maintenance occurs on the 22 buses owned by the district throughout the year, Schwartzman said, “summer’s my busy time.”

“That’s when we do everything,” he said.

Everything includes tire and brake checks, oil and filter changes and anything that falls under the category of “PMI,” or preventative maintenance inspection, in getting the buses safe and ready to transport youths for another year. Elmer said the buses are also inspected by the Kansas Highway Patrol for any mechanical defects.

Making the buses shiny and clean is a part of the process, as well, Elmer said. She said the buses are always a little worse for wear by the end of the school year with the regular trash and damage that accrues over the span of nine months. Sprucing the buses up again not only boosts the morale of the students, she said, but also keeps that damage to a minimum.

“So I think if your bus is clean, you keep it clean, children respect it more,” Elmer said.

Also on the summer’s bus preparation agenda is inspecting the skylights and video cameras for any damage.

The entire process, Elmer said, starts right after the school year ends and is usually completed by the first of August. With students returning to school on Tuesday, Aug. 17, of next week, she said the buses were ready for them.

“Everything’s pretty much ready to go about now,” she said.

Comments