Bus care and maintenance (1945)

every school day in all kinds of weather and over all kinds of roads more than 93 thousand buses carry nearly 5 million children to school the men and women who drive these buses must be experienced careful drivers you are going to be one of these drivers all safely you do your job will depend not only on how well you drive but on how well you take care of your bus your bus maybe like this one which is typical of several kinds in common use it has the important safety features which should be on every school bus it has an all steel body with a wide safe door at the front there's safety glass all around it has a rear emergency door and dual tires this is a safe bus well made and well equipped it has a windshield wiper defroster eateth safety signals repair tools emergency tools flares fire extinguisher change but no matter how well it's made and equipped it still can't drive itself the safety record of this bus is up to you first of all before taking your bus out make a daily check see if there is enough water gas and oil local regulations may require additional checks it is sound practice to check the tire pressures with a gauge at least once a week check the battery lights horn emergency door and engine performance when you start the engine choke it just enough to make it start easily check the gauges while the engine idles let the engine reach operating temperature before the bus is put in motion if you keep the bus in a small garage open the door before you start the engine this is to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning many school buses like this one have five speeds forward in addition to reverse gear arrangement difference on this model low gear in this position is used for starting on a hill or in heavy mud or snow second gear the normal starting position on this bus is here third year is here fourth gear is in this position high gear is here for reverse the lever is moved to this position to put the bus in motion push in the clutch pedal move gear lever release the brake release the clutch pedal slowly as you accelerate the engine make the shift to high gear easily as the bus picks up speed shifts excessively without skipping any gears and get sufficient momentum before you shift don't race the engine in the lower gear a daily check should also be made of your brakes as soon as you get out of the garage when the brakes are applied the bus should come to a reasonably quick stop if there's any question about the brakes have them adjusted before starting the trip steering the bus is easier and safer if you keep both hands on the wheel in the comfortable position however when making a turn pull the wheel rather than push it this gives you better leverage slow down when taking a curve and keeps on your side of the road when making turns be sure to signal your intentions never turn until you're sure it's safe keep both hands on the wheel your eyes on the road and your mind on what you're doing on this bus double clutching is necessary to ensure smooth gear shifting it is a means of adjusting gear speeds and engine speeds to each other the steps in shifting to a higher gear are push in the clutch pedal let out the accelerator shift to neutral let out the clutch pedal pause slightly push in the clutch pedal shift to higher gear let out the clutch pedal smoothly and accelerate the engine all shifts from lower to higher gear are done in the same way push in the clutch pedals let off the accelerator shift to neutral let out the clutch pedal pause slightly push in the clutch pedal shift gears let off the clutch pedal and accelerate the engine double clutching from higher to lower gear is similar except in one detail for example to shift from fifth to fourth push in the clutch pedals let out the accelerator chip to neutral let out the clutch pedal now here's the difference in shifting to a lower gear accelerate the engine slightly then as gear and engine speed synchronized push in the clutch pedal shift to fourth let out the clutch pedal and accelerate if you want to use compression as a break in going downhill shift to a lower gear by double clutching push in the clutch pedal take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral let out the clutch pedal accelerate slightly push in the clutch pedal shift to the lower gear and let out the clutch pedal smooth double clutch gear shifting is one of the best indications of a good driver mood state stops are a great deal more than just pushing down the brake pedal a saint's following distance for example eliminates the cause of most emergency stops slowed up sufficiently before you come to a full stop be especially careful at blind crossings maintain the safe driving speed for the road or for weather conditions that prevail allow an extra margin of safety on wet or icy roads always signal your intention to stop check traffic conditions in the rear before stopping to make a normal stop first take your foot off the accelerator apply the brake gradually and evenly when speed has been reduced sufficiently depress the clutch pedal as the bus comes to a stop ease up slightly on the brake pressure to avoid stopping with a jerk shift to neutral pull up the handbrake and take your foot off the brake pedal release pressure on the clutch pedal make your stops smoothly in review check oil gas water and tires before each trip inspect the battery engine performance lights and doors at least once a week use just enough choke to start and never race the engine check the gauges before moving the bus check the brakes daily double clutch or smooth shifting grasp the wheel to give best leverage always signal before turning make your stops smooth and above all drive safely