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operator
Performance and support the facility at Winsford. One of the vehicles was resulted in a dedicated operations base being
taken to Winsford the day after the launch for established for school buses not far away at
I accompanied Barry Pearson on a short run attention to a slight delay in the automatic gear Tollgate. This has been enhanced recently with the
around Stafford back to the depot. The stable ride change resulting in excessive engine revs. This takeover of an adjacent workshop from BT, which
was noticeable and noise levels from the front was quickly diagnosed to the interface between is being equipped to carry out all maintenance
mounted engine acceptable, though higher than the engine and gearbox management systems on the fleet and hold an appropriate inventory
those the industry is becoming accustomed to. and appropriate corrections made. Irisbus then of parts. The workshop currently has a full time
Although small, the individual seats were quite applied the same correction to the rest of the staff of two mechanics who use Tecalemit lifts
The door and the step arrangement on Barry Pearson demonstrates the cassette A drop down step unit is built in to the
offside emergency door.
the ScolaBus. wheelchair lift fitted at the nearside rear.
to gain access to the underside of the vehicles. A
comfortable even for an above average sized fleet on site during the remainder of the Easter single day shift is currently in operation and vehicle
person! Manoeuvrability in the tight confines vacation. maintenance is normally undertaken between the
of the yard was good, aided by the 52 degree morning and afternoon school runs. Significant
steering lock. Preliminary figures show fuel Staffordshire County Council advantages are expected from the closer relation-
economy to be at least equal to the Bluebird fleet fleet management ships which are developing between the driving
although this is expected to improve as the fleet is and maintenance staff. Maintenance control
fine tuned. Staffordshire started the operation of school is computer based using the county's existing
buses under Section 19 permits during 1998 and systems. Accident damage repair is normally
the dedicated fleet has subsequently grown to contracted out and undertaken either overnight or
at weekends.
30 vehicles. The county
also operates a significant 29 of the 30 vehicles are required for service
number of minibuses every school day, operating up to 20 miles away
plus a few Volvo B10M from their Stafford base. Each vehicle has a
coaches on other duties dedicated driver and is allocated to a specific
from a base, shared with
Staffordshire police, on
One of the second batch of Bluebirds delivered in 2000.
The ScolaBus chassis uses standard Iveco the outskirts of Stafford.
components that are available from local Iveco
dealers; in this case Sherwoods in Stoke on Vehicles are supplied
Trent. In addition, Irisbus has set up an after
sales facility at Winsford in Cheshire and on a contract hire with
integrated all Vehixel parts into the Iveco system.
Profiles for the window panels have been maintenance arrangement
provided to enable Auto Windscreens who carry
out replacement of any damaged bonded glass by the County Fleet Care Staffordshire’s first dedicated school buses were a batch of
panels. The windscreen is a standard Vehixel
unit common with vehicles for the French self-financing business Bluebirds delivered in 1998.
market. Barry Pearson is very positive about
the support received from both Ian Soden and unit. In the case of the
ScolaBuses, depreciation based on a twelve year school. This has helped establish ownership by
working life, is included in the calculation of the the pupils who use them, leading to significant
vehicle cost to the user department, together with reductions in vandalism. Within school hours
maintenance and administration charges. activities provide additional use for the vehicles and
Capacity restrictions at the Staffordshire Police many are also used on school related hires during
site and growth in the school bus fleet have school holiday periods.
Reprinted from Bus & Coach Buyer Issue 763
