The Pre Trip | What does a coach bus driver check for before a trip?

Due to many requests In this video I go over what a Motor Coach operator has to do prior to departure for a trip. Keep in mind different bus companies have different procedures and policies for their pre trip depending the types of vehicles they have and the environment they are in.
Most are pretty similar and aside from the core items that is required by the FMCA for all motor carriers to check, companies tailor the inspection items for what best suits their needs.
Want to give a special shout to Shaun Duffy from the UK. He jus passed his exam for becoming a stage coach operator. Welcome to the the bus driver life Shaun!
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Enjoy the video!

[@noisemaker1696]

You'd struggle to find a way to pay for knowledge like this that is presented so well. Glad to be a part of the Motorcoach World

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Thanks for the kind words Lucas! Much appreciated!

[@tanyapujol3475]

Hi, I've been a school bus driver for 14 years. I'm now starting to become a motor coach driver starting 6/29. Thank you for all your videos

[@mrmosk2011]

This makes me respect and appreciate the type of job a coach driver do.

[@FoxFaderWorld]

I didn't know I was such a coach nut till I started watching these videos. When we lived in New York my dad would sometimes Drive one for his friend that owned Cobra bus lines. Such good memories.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Haha thanks man appreciate the kind words thanks for taking the time to write

[@MrCityfm]

Coach driver for over 16 years now. I have learned this: The only way to keep a coach in good condition is when every driver has his own bus. No switching around between coaches. That simply doesn't work. You can't do your job at a high standard as it should if you don't know every little piece en habit of your coach. Simple as that. In my country it's not required (on papre/logbook) to have pre trip cheks, but the coach have to be in safe condition. It's the drivers responsibility for that, not the company.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Yes you are very correct I agree with you. I wish I could get my company to do things this way. A lot of resistance whenever this is suggested.

[@matthewf5815]

At my company, we have had buses that only 1 driver would drive. They looked and ran like new. As soon as the bus started to be assigned to different drivers, the buses started to look terrible and didn't run as well. Why? 1. When a driver is assigned to a bus as their own, they take pride in the bus. 2. When there is damage, it is easier to know who caused it, therefore, they will be more attentive and careful when driving. Again, take pride in their bus.

[@joekelley5677]

When I was taught the pre trip for driving a school bus the magical words were mounted and secured.

[@adventureoflinkmk2]

And not leaking or cracked bent or broken That's the magic words for any CDL test lol

[@musicman1693]

Thoroughly enjoyed watching this. I am a bus driver and have seen drivers just check lights and drive. They depend too much on the mechanics to catch everything. Since we don’t have set vehicles, I normally write up everything that they miss. One can NEVER be too safe when you have people’s lives in your hands.

[@trevorgwelch7412]

Empty your bladder you could be in for a long drive - bring water and a protein bar . 😊 🚎

[@bradythegenius2123]

Lol “it’s all fun and games until someone loses an alternator” love your videos

[@danrichard526]

I had an alternator belt self destruct a few months ago taking both alternators out of service. Luckily I was near the end of my 5 hour trip. I noticed the battery voltage had dropped, so I turned as many electrical items off as I could and drove back to the shop. Once back at the shop I opened the engine bay and found the remnants of the belt.

[@jasonminier6782]

I like the Star Trek nods.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Haha thanks Jason Minier. Love meeting fellow startrek fans.

[@donalddodson7365]

Back last century, when I was a School Bus Driver (1975-78) we each had a long handled window squeegee / sponge wiper with the handle cut to length so we could depress the brake pedal against the front of the driver's seat and check our own lights. Primitive, but it worked. Especially when I was on the early route out of the Bus Yard at 0500 and no one else was around. Enjoy the trip down memory lane, as always. Thanks.

[@stevedavenport1202]

Wish I would have thought of that. I asked how to do that in my previous job and nobody knew how.

[@katywrightgallery6523]

Same here!

[@jamestoepfer7601]

You forgot the critical brake checks, driver! 😉 Brake shoe/pad minimum lining thickness requirements, maximum allowable slack adjuster freeplay, and the air brake bleed-down/low air warning light and buzzer test. Also, you left out the steering wheel freeplay test, as well as the body fluids clean-up kit. Just thought I'd point those out. Love your videos and the glimpse into the motorcoach industry. I've been a truck driver for almost 19 years and I love it, but I've always found buses and all types of mass-transit to be fascinating. Keep up the good work!

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Thanks for the comment and kind words. Actually we do not do the air down test on our PreTrip. We so test the breaks after the pretrip... At least I do. The breaks are checked and tested by our technicians. Not our drivers.

[@jamestoepfer7601]

@@MotorcoachWorld Interesting. I remember when I added my school bus/passenger endorsements to my class A CDL I was tested on those during the pre-trip portion of my test, so I figured all coach operators required that test as well. Thanks for the reply. Stay safe out there!

[@Iambriangregory]

@@jamestoepfer7601 what do you mean by using the word interesting ?it's a very annoying and weird dumb word at times what are you interested in? Because what you really seem to be saying and others when they use that word is you're skeptical you're questioning. And why are you skeptical and why you questioning because that's what you really implying ,people don't do things all the same way and if they don't do it the same way those are the professionals And likely Have GOOD reason for doing it and they know better than YOU so don't act like you know better than other people WHO RECEIVED pay to take care of those things .....AVOID using such weird words like interesting again! Again WHATS INTERESTING about it chief?

[@adventureoflinkmk2]

@@jamestoepfer7601 I think everyone gets tested on the brake inspections and tests.. I did

[@danrichard526]

@@MotorcoachWorld Brakes are used to stop the coach, breaks are used to ensure the operator gets his/her necessary coffee intake. Kidding aside, as a motor coach operator for a small company it's nice to see others doing a thorough pre-trip.

[@victord5868]

Driving bus / coach requires a lot of skills and dedication because you're carrying passengers and their lives is in your hand.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Very true thanks for the comment

[@samuelchambers5]

This brought back many fond memories, along with a few other not so fond memories of my time behind the wheel. Thanks for sharing. Most non-professional drivers would never believe all that a motor coach drivers have to know and perform before every trip.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Yes you're right Samuel. I think the roads would be a safer place if everyone had to go through commercial driver training LOL can you imagine that?

[@kevinsnell1622]

Don’t forget your brake test! Remember GSALE *garage sale* Pressure readings that are in spec may differ by make and model of coach; but are usually very similar. G=Governor Cut In/Cut Out S=Static Air Loss (no more than 2 psi, listen for leaks) A=Applied Air Loss (no more than 3 psi, listen for leaks) L=Low Air Warning Devices (visual/audible) E=Emergency Brake (Handle) Pop-Out Remember to chock your wheels because all of these tests are done with the key on and parking brake released. Your method may vary.

[@marshallbaldwin395]

I like the way your pretrip is setup i dont drive for a living anymore but evert time my bus pulls out of the driveway it has had a pretrip done i use the same one that i used on our tractor trailerwith a little bit of modification our last truck was a 300 inch wheel base 4 axle pulling a tandem axle rgn with a flip axle Have a good day THE GRUMPY BUS

[@nes999]

Half hour to an hour for a pretrip. I would love to have that much time. Of the companies I've worked for (non motorcoach) the most we have been allowed is 15 minutes, Other places places *cough* the city *cough* we were threaten with write ups if we "wasted" time doing a pretrip. Makes you feel real good knowing those snow plows arent inspected.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Ouch man! Im sorry.

[@Iambriangregory]

Curious any problem with you showing up at extra 15 minutes early to do the pre trip just curious I know it's not pleasant and you're not being paid for it maybe but couldn't you do that if that's a concern? Isn't it like for method of lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness? Just trying to figure out what you're complaining about

[@darren25061965]

@@Iambriangregory Agreed, I always turn up early to do my walkround checks, the bonus is that if the vehicle has faults, the the company has 15 minutes to locate a replacement vehicle I am happy with.

[@redrobgmail]

Boy you fellas have got it made in these new buses. I drove buses back in the 80's and 90's part time for 2 different charter companies. Drove Buffalos MCI-7's and MCI -8's. Had the luxury of driving an auto trans on 1 trip. Just stumbled across your channel awhile ago.

[@wagnerbill]

I was always thankful that our mechanics were on top of the maintenance of the coaches. When you're leaving at 3am there is not a lot of time to make repairs when you are the only one at the garage.

[@PaiviProject]

Hey, this was great. We are planning to buy MCI coach bus & turn into a tiny home on wheels and hopefully some day take off & really see America...before it's too late. Gonna turn our lives all upside down, hah haa, I can't wait. We need to learn all about buses. Inspections before going on the road are so important and we going to make sure to do that. Very good. Thank you 👍

[@Tina-ds3pp]

Anyone private or commercial should do a thorough pretrip on the coach they are driving. Great topic James!

[@jacquesmeyers3867]

Thank you so much for your videos sir, your videos are a blessing to me learning about the motorcoach industry.

[@davejohnson5479]

I recently found your channel and I really have enjoyed your videos, especially for their production. I've been a class A CDL driver for close to 30 years, and have contemplated changing to coach driving for the remainder of my career. There's much to learn, especially in keeping the customer safe and happy. Thanks for your professionalism.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Thanks Dave! Much appreciated! Be safe out there. Maybe we will run into each other one day on the road!

[@timlawrence1360]

Well done. So important. Nothing bothers me more than to see a driver walk out to a bus and start it up and assume everything is fine, The court system is rightly not going to be kind to a driver who injures or kills someone because he assumed all was well and didn’t check anything. Keep the great videos coming

[@sarahmathias9463]

I got my driver's license at 15, as soon as I could, and I just bought and paid off my own vehicle at 17!

[@castletransport]

I couldn't agree more. Every company is different and in my view, as long as the vehicle is safe and presentable to the customer, then I think all should be well, the rest is just fine touches I think.

[@Tokoa144]

Wow buddy, that's quite a comprehensive pre-drive check. It should be that way if you are driving across country. I live and drive coaches in New Zealand and generally we dont have that kind of comprehensive procedure. Ours is very basic as a requirement (although I take more time than usual during the check for my own personal satisfaction). Great to know that about your company and we could definitely improve on our process in comparison.

[@cirailroad2040]

I like the way your company does your pre trip a lot of motor coach and bus operators could lean a lot off this video nice clean busses too

[@JDnBeastlet]

Excellent video! Thanks for the in-depth explanations.

[@paulineclaflin2934]

Thank you!(AGAIN) Very informative video. Love the fish on the side of the buses. :-)

[@caleb0606]

Some of those motor coaches, especially the older ones had a hydraulic fan drive and so it is critical that it has power steering fluid.

[@anthonybyrne7121]

Our pre trip procedures in Australia a fairly similar to this.

[@J_Teriyaki]

Paid 10 minutes for a sign-on/pre-departure check in Australia is common. Bus Drivers and Mechanics often exchange words!. Jogging, frequent holidays and moving interstate to drive a bus has been more than half my working life experience 👍

[@actemple3282]

Great job congrats shawn

[@simonearlie8656]

Thanks James, very insightful. I have my CPC module 4 test in a couple of weeks' time. It's a walk around /show me tell me pre-trip exam. Pass this and Im ready to rock n roll.

[@traveladventureswithcindy2887]

Oh my! So many cool extras added to this one. Very good!

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Thanks Cindy very much appreciate your kind words and support.

[@BusDriverLife]

Great video as always!! So many things are similar with the transit bus pre-trip inspection.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Hey Thanks man! I love your vids too! We need to do a live Q and A together some time!

[@BusDriverLife]

@@MotorcoachWorld Yes we do!! That would be cool!!

[@MotorcoachWorld]

@@BusDriverLife hey email me some time. My email is [e-mail]

[@BusDriverLife]

@@MotorcoachWorld Ok got it!

[@realrico02]

This is a good birthday gift !!!😁

[@alblua]

The pre-trip video is finally out! I have been waiting forever for a good technical video :D

[@MotorcoachWorld]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@benwilson428]

In the UK stop buttons and emergency exits are checked as well to measure they're working. In the UK a lot of buses are also fitted with wheel nut indicators, makes checking the nuts easier, although not mandatory.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Thank you for that insight Ben really appreciate it. I love getting insight from people in other countries regarding our industry. Yes I have seen wheel nut indicators here but not everyone has them. I think it should be mandatory.

[@trailerparksupervisor7046]

My grandfather spent 30 years as chief mechanic for a coach operator. In the end he was let go for unfortunate reasons which I can’t go into here for legal reasons, but in the early days he was one of the best.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

I'm sorry to hear that. He sounds like he has lots of stories.

[@geraldmiller6679]

I enjoyed your pre trip inspection. It was informative. My Prevost pre trip inspection is much longer than a passenger bus as you can imagine. In addition to the bus itself most of us are towing a vehicle and this inspection is very important. In a motor home the inside inspection is also very important. Even though I have been doing this for many years I have written a check list for both the outside side and the inside and review this list before putting the coach in gear. Keep up the good work and going into detail.

[@northropgruman]

very informative vlog, Stay safe always boss James..😊

[@_Jin_Kim_]

Comment before the premier :) Always looking forward to your videos!

[@sduff7027]

James I've sent you some pictures of our first use cards here in the UK what we have to use to your email.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

LOL thanks Jin

[@MotorcoachWorld]

@@sduff7027 hey Sean yes I got your pictures did you see the intro I gave you a shout out hope you're doing well my friend.

[@sduff7027]

@@MotorcoachWorld yes I saw it thank you very much. I'm doing really well just looking forward to getting out in the road. My DQC card come today ill send you a picture if it, its the card I was telling you about we have to do 35 hours training over 3 years to keep the card active.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

@@sduff7027 wow that's intense man. I wish the United States had such strict driving rules. We have a lot of idiot drivers here

[@furyvideo1]

THANK FOR SHARING THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION

[@richardhetrick4770]

There are different things extra different in areas of the country in Il you have to deal with crossion in AZ and CA you. Have check wipers and window seals drying cracking when sitting in south but get subzero you will lose pressure. This what got tom Brady in trouble they inflated inside but lost pressure outside in subfreezing

[@mzuzunagha21]

Keep on making the great videos God bless you always :)

[@michaelpayne5545]

Thanks for this. I had one incident that goes back to what I think is the eventual responsibility of the driver, but as mentioned, this was most likely a mistake made somewhere along the line. I won’t mention the name of the company. The bus actually ran out of fuel during the trip. It was a school trip to go ice skating in New York, and this was on the trip to New York, right after exiting the Holland Tunnel. Luckily it didn’t happen inside the tunnel, otherwise that would have been a major traffic issue. This probably goes back to the driver and the pre trip inspection / checklist, which should include making sure the coach has enough fuel for the trip.

[@lifeofkennysprings1819]

I am a Class A CDL holder, I currently work for a very known soda Beverage Company as a line haul driver delivering products to other satellite facility that deliver on day-to-day basis two stores and whatnot. Your pre trip was very good, I have 6 months experience and I'm prior military and my mindset is always making sure I can catch something before I leave so I'm not stuck on the highway waiting for help and to make sure I can get myself my car go from point A to point B safely, while also being sure I can get home safely as well. There is a lot of dangers even with a tractor-trailer if you are overlooking certain items or even rushing just so you can hurry up and leave the yard first for whatever reasons people feel the need to rush for LOL

[@OGKEEF]

Great video 💯

[@Greenbearls]

In my trucking company we do both pretrip and post trip. I think it's a good idea because you get things fixed during your 10 hr rest.

[@mado3623]

How do you remember all of this? I love buses but this was extensive I don't know how you are able to remember all this information. I'm not saying I disliked this video I am not saying that at all I just did not realize there's so much to pre trips and buses in general but I watched every second of this video and I liked it. I at least know now where the belts and alternators are in a coach so I'll take that information I learned something so that's awesome!!! This was a great video I'm sure you can drive practically any bus James. Very good video once again my dude!!!

[@alanstevens1296]

Checklists.

[@kimberlyokeeffe5360]

Great video. You covered the the required items and what your company wants. And as you stated, each company has their own additions. I have used reflections to check to see if the rear brake and reverse lights working when I was alone. Back up to a building and from the seat you can see the lights bouncing off the surface. Of course, this only works if it's dark enough but needs must! I was never required to check fluid levels as the company considered it a safety issue for the driver but we were required to know how in the event that fluids needed to be added on the road. Fun fact - the fill for a 1997 Van Hool radiator is so high up that you need a ladder to reach it. Standing on a milk crate and having to use a milk jug makes for a wet driver. Got the Tee Shirt for that one!

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Hi Kimberly thank you for your kind words and appreciate you taking the time to write a comment. Yeah I guess that would work wouldn't it looking for reflection? I've never thought of that I always just use the feature that turns on all the lights of course different models require different buttons or button combo.

[@albertl6963]

1verry important thing you missed- a delicious cup of coffee to start the trip.

[@aquezada305]

I love 💕 Motorcoach

[@matttheaussie2144]

G'day mate. At the company I drive for, drivers are not allowed to open the engine bay door for safety reasons but we still do our walk around pre trips if you are the one taking the bus out first thing in the morning. My buses are driven by several drivers each day. We also fill out a little checklist form and have a diagram to mark off any damage.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Hey Matt really appreciate your comments and you taking the time to write it. I really enjoy reading comments from those in our industry from other parts of the world. The insight is great.

[@robertmcconnell3788]

Great pre trip vid! Lost a drivers mirror going thru the Holland tunnel (a dump truck thought it needed to be in my lane) it was a real thrill driving in the city with a lost mirror. Lucky it was 6 am on a Sunday and the drop-off was just a few blocks from the tunnel. Drive Safe. Miss the Driving and the friends I made out there.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Lol!!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post. Thanks for sharing and taking the time to write me.

[@rogerlord2497]

I hear you on the tunnel!!! talking with a driver from another company one day, they have an emergency mirror made of suction cups, some clamps and a convex mirror. I sent a photo to the owner, and we now have them in all our bus's.

[@Jerry-hh5eb]

Also check the gauges on the instrument panel along with the a/c and heat system but maybe you covered that and I missed it. Safe travels.

[@richardhetrick4770]

Also check chains if you drive out west where required to carry like Colorado or

[@earlhanleyjr9402]

This is very helpfull thanks

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Thank you Earl appreciate you taking the time to write a comment.

[@badgerpa9]

Good precheck.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Thanks! Appreciate it

[@MrCgs60649]

Besides all that you mentioned, I always check to see if there Is "Do It Fluid" in the tank. LBVS.

[@catchild1013]

THANKS SO MUCH!!!

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Thank you for the comment

[@yardmaster1947]

The heck with it. Just jump in and go. If it breaks down you're on the clock. hehehehe

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Lol

[@haylieg2780]

I busted a Greyhound driver big-time a couple years ago for not pre-trip and the bus. Apparently greyhound hasn’t learned yet though because another bus I was on ran out of fuel.

[@haylieg2780]

And I do love how this second time the driver made the excuse oh it’s not my responsibility to make sure the bus has fuel in it The first time the water pump seized up. That particular driver was just playing in a hurry I did not pre-trip the bus we just got on and left because the bus was running quite late.

[@RipRoaringGarage]

Ha, the House of Quark! Nice insert there! Man, I just saw this now. KZbin notifications are acting all wonky. Im not getting any from anyone, so I manually have to check, and if a bunch pop up...I miss it. At least the front page had yours! As far as pretrips...I feel really old. We only had a small half sheet of triplicate carbon paper with the profiles and front/back of the coach (an MC-9), and we marked down things on that...and turned in one, kept one ourselves and one I think went to the DOT. I still h ave a huge stack of unused ones LOL. I dont know why I kept them... Also, I have a pre-trip for my privately owned bus but its not modeled after the DOT requirements. Its a bit more OCD...I modeled it after the AFTO 781 forms used for military aircraft. I know I go a bit far because every single one of my cars has them, and it ends up being binders of maintenance and inspection paperwork for just one vehicle!

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Nice man. I would love to see what one looks like can you email me a picture of one. I love your sense of humor in man please keep up what you're doing I'm going to mention you and your channel at the beginning of my next video I appreciate it buddy

[@RipRoaringGarage]

@@MotorcoachWorld No prop, no rush. I know that it takes a while to edit and things get delayed. I will take a picture and email it to you. Did you ever get my initial email? I have my company email still, so maybe its in spam? And thanks for the compliments. I know my recent change is a bit drastic...and Im editing now, and its a bit more high energy and...I dont know LOL. The audience shall decide!

[@MotorcoachWorld]

@@RipRoaringGarage hey man no I didn't get any of your emails. I should check my SPAM which email address are you sending it to? Email me at [e-mail]

[@RipRoaringGarage]

@@MotorcoachWorld Just sent another email. Most likely its in the spam folder. I had this issue before, depending on the server I sent to. Gmail and google servers dont like my company that runs my emails I guess lol. Its going to be from Directive25 dot com (typed normally but comments sometimes filter on if it things its a spam email comment)

[@josephrichardson9662]

Didn't think anyone used the penny trick to check tread depth anymore! I totally confused a tire tech at a trucking company I used to drive for when I called in a blown trailer tire. He asked about the depth on the other tire and I told him how much of Lincoln's head was showing on the penny. He actually told me he needed exact tread depth not sone stupid trick. Told him what the penny truck meant for depth. He still didn't believe me.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

LOL 😂 awesome!

[@marvinjgerald6007]

Beautiful video as usual. Now, wether you forgot or not, do you also ever pre-trip check the front kneeling feature, the rear rise feature and in the the case of the E and J series coaches the steerable tags?

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Hey Marvin thank you so much for your kind words appreciate you taking the time to comment. We actually don't really check the kneeling features at least it's not part of the pre-trip list. During temperatures below zero we restrict drivers from using that feature because sometimes buses get stuck in the downward position. Some of the other ones we completely removed the ability to kneel and simply carry footsteps on board

[@victord5868]

For those consider becoming a bus driver, there's a lot elements and factors when you sit behind a wheel of 16 tonnes to 18 tonnes (depending on configuration designs) and its not easy. First, pre-departure checks, constantly look at your minors (they're your best friends) and off course the silly drivers. They have no ideas there's a bus next to them or infront of them. Sometimes you have odd ball passengers can easily distract your concentrations. So ....big congrats to Shaun Duffy 👏 and hopes you ❤ this industry.

[@gilabear11]

Bicycles are still the coolest!

[@gilabear11]

Good video!

[@motorcoachtech7615]

Another good vlog! Drivers had better do a thorough inspection. They are liable, as their name is on a legal document when agreed to on ELD.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Yes very true motor coach tech thank you for your comment.

[@Zickcermacity]

9:30 - I appreciate the insight into the life of a "coacher", including aspects of maintenance and even downtime. Regarding tires: I've been called everything from "OCD" to "nerd" due to my twice month tire pressure checks on my cars. And while it's OK to thump the tires between intineraries, I would like to know, since such info is not widely shared online: What are typical cold tire pressures for coaches, school buses, jitneys for short runs, etc.? Thanks in advance for your information

[@sheilaolfieway1885]

Never use your vehicle without a decent if not thorough inspection, first. really This should apply to any vehicle not just Buses and Motor Coaches.

[@rogerlord2497]

My only concern during the pre trip is the "tie" we wear. When pre tripping, I have it off or tuck it in to my shirt. No need to have it catch something in something, get it dirty, and worse yet catch it in a moving part. I do check the engine compartment on our Provo's after its running for a bit just to make sure nothing is leaking, belts are acting up, and all that.

[@merrittvillekid]

Great video James just to add i always make sure the toilet has 2 full rolls of paper as its amazing how that can get overlooked. I am really looking over the fire extinguishers now after having one installed without a safety pin discharge behind my seat this year im lucky it was while I was adjusting my seat at pretrip and not when I had picked up passengers.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Hey Brian thanks man hope you're doing well. A mechanic from your coach company message me I asked him about you but haven't heard him respond yet.

[@motorcoachtech7615]

@@MotorcoachWorld Yes Brian does work for us sorry for the late reply.

[@motorcoachtech7615]

Hey Brian we both work for Ayr , but I don't remember the incident with your extinguisher

[@merrittvillekid]

@@motorcoachtech7615 that happened with first student i been driving school bus since ayr closed. Ayr would never have this happen you techs are too awesome to miss a pin or bolt

[@merrittvillekid]

I am actually let go at Ayr now but hope someday go back driving buses again as school buses are parked as well now:(

[@michaelmiller8374]

I wish Greyhound was this thorough with their busses. Nothing worse than broken down hundreds of miles of nowhere, on a hot summer day. #neveragain

[@RipRoaringGarage]

Also...did I miss it or space out (possible), but do you guys still have to do the brake check and brake pressure check? I still do that when I get behind the wheel of the bus. Basically, the buzzer has to turn off (duh) once pressure builds, then, we press the brake, and we should only lose a certain amount of pressure per each depress (I forgot what it was on an MC-9. On mine its half a bar. Yes, my gauges are in bars LOL). THen make sure the needle stays for 60 seconds without any loss while pedal is depressed. Ensure brakes hold by applying parking brake and placing vehicle in gear, with only a light depress of the accelerator pedal. Bus should not move and brakes should hold. The dynamic brake test requires the operator place the bus in gear and move forward at no more than 5mph and apply the brakes firmly. The bus should stop. Ok...I may have gone into full nerd mode there (Hey, Im translating the tech manual for my bus, so Ive been so used to writing things this way it just came out and Im not going back now LOL). I do try to make pre-trips easy to follow, based on sections so the driver doesnt have to go back and forth a lot, or start then stop then start the bus etc. And I managed to fit it on one page (double sided) so its real easy to grab it and follow along each bullet point.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

No actually we don't have to do that as a pre-trip however we do do that to go take our exam because the examiners make you do that. My wife is Ukrainian she could probably read your manual and translate it for you if you email me a copy.

[@RipRoaringGarage]

@@MotorcoachWorld Wow. We had to every pre-trip. True back then buses leaked more air. Nowadays tolerances are smaller. I appreciate the offer! I wish I could, but two reasons. The manual is Romanian (and its not a language issue since I speak Romanian fluently, its poorly written, lots of mistakes, typoes, wrong references), plus its not a pdf..its scanned jpegs. Thousands of files I had to download one...by....one. And I have multiple versions with different data, plus some manuals I managed to get in hard copy, so I sit with them in my lap. But I dont mind in the end...I brush up on some things I havent done in ages, plus I learn new systems I never was familiar with, so as a mechanic it helps a LOT. I told I think, show her my bus. If she's from Kiev or Harkov then she rode on DAC trolleybuses, basically like mine but electric!

[@christill]

Bicycles are definitely always cool (as well as buses / coaches). It’s the private cars we need to get rid of. Although I appreciate that it will be far easier in smaller countries like the U.K. where I am. But unfortunately people here are probably as car obsessed as Americans are despite most trips being easily bike-able. It’s pretty insane.

[@berylwhite2983]

Super job. I get to be your mean troll. Take good care of yourself be safe on the road. Send love and respect to your family. Mike and miss Patty Cakes

[@MotorcoachWorld]

LOl thanks Beryl

[@Cous1nJack]

That they have a spare cap to collect tips from the old dears

[@robertreyes3945]

I am starting to get my CDL with a charter company in San Antonio, TX

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Thats wonderful Robert! I wish you success! Be safe!

[@lukethompson5558]

With drivers based in the NYC & Phila area (where we operate), it is impossible to get any experienced driver to honestly do a pre trip and not just check all the boxes. You’d be very lucky if 1 even noticed a fully flat tire before driving away. The newbies are much better, but experienced drivers feel it’s below them and should be someone else’s job. I don’t know why drivers are so bad here, especially when it comes to pre trips!

[@alanlen8415]

I'm thinking about switching from trucking to motor coach.

[@joeyslaughter5791]

I would’ve thought nice coaches like that would have tire pressure monitors.

[@Hodaggium]

I know all too well that access to the bathroom is important. The last time I rode on a coach bus, the bathroom door stopped functioning and wouldn't open. I don't know when or how it was fixed, as the final destination that trip was Milwaukee and the bus had to make a return trip to the U.P. of Michigan on a line run.

[@jamesepowers6618]

This is James (ex motorcoach operator) Just passing along. Make sure the toilet is not leaking blue toilet water onto the ground especially at large events such as sporting, amusement parks.etc. where a surprise on the spot inspections may appear. Hearty fines for the driver for not doing a proper Pre-trip and I think it’s an OUT OF SERVICE- vehicle violation. Oh yea, the spare tire is present and in good condition. Yes, I do miss driving and wish I could return to it.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Hi James love your name by the way. Yes you are correct I figured when I mentioned checking for puddles on the ground that would cover the blue liquid as well. But yes this is definitely something drivers should check I always do

[@terastarship2]

Intro the background music please. It's nice.

[@peterjkupper]

Hi James, great video as per usual! I strongly agree about communication between drivers and techs. Document, document, document! As an aside, who knew that motor coaches capture great audio???😆 The sound and lighting on the MCI is pretty darn good!

[@stevedavenport1202]

Great idea. But that is a management issue. They need to make sure they foster a culture where drivers and mechanics have an open dialogue about their buses.

[@TheGreatSovietUnion2]

Pre-trip: Item: Does it start? Yes. Good to go 👍

[@MotorcoachWorld]

LOL!!

[@stevedavenport1202]

The very first thing I do is...make sure I have my license on me 😀

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Haha that's a good one

[@adventureoflinkmk2]

Second thing you do.. always make sure you have your DOT health card on you too

[@stevedavenport1202]

@@adventureoflinkmk2 I have 2 copies..a mini in my wallet and a larger copy inside a file folder that goes in my back pack.

[@snipes1259999]

Hey James, Any of the coaches you run have fire suppression systems? I work for a company that produces them for the Bus world. Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Yes our newer ones come with them. I don't recall what year they started building them into new coaches. We have not installed any on our older ones. Knock on wood. We haven't had to use one yet.

[@wettexan]

So.. .the whole tire thumper thing via a stick. That seems to be the norm. Why? Are gauges too expensive for most companies? I earned my CDL on a school bus, wooden sticks were in a pocket on our seats right behind our heads. I didn't feel comfortable with a potential weapon in my "blind spot".

[@chrislangley2017]

When they invent automatic Bay Doors then I'll buy one 😂

[@AH-bm4ts]

Can you talk about getting passengers to use seatbelts or adding a seatbelt clause to the contract? And has unloading all passengers prior to refueling become a standard safety practice or only practiced by some cautious operators?

[@matthewf5815]

When I got my CDL in 2007, the regulation as taught to me and confirmed on the written test for my permit, state that buses can not be refueled with passengers on board. I believe one of the reasons is, in the unlikely event of a fire, a bus full of passengers may not be able to get off fast enough. Also, there tends to be less space to exit or to operate the wheel chair lift while parked at a fuel pump.

[@RipRoaringGarage]

I did laugh at the leaking air for the suspension....My poor bus has so many leaks right now that it sounds like a basket of cobras.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Lol I don't mean to laugh. I'm sorry to hear that. But those old Russian buses are built like tanks man. I just don't know where you find parts for it all

[@RipRoaringGarage]

@@MotorcoachWorld Its ok...I mean, I try to laugh too. But get it straight. Shes Romanian! Not a russian part on her damn it! (ok, fine, I do run genuine Russian Kama tires lol). Parts are a serious pain. Not even Van Hool can help with metric bits, but gaskets and seals sometimes. ABC parts knows me by name lol.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

@@RipRoaringGarage my wife is Ukrainian and her father or my father-in-law works in my shop as a diesel tech from my buses. He used to work on those things back in ukraine. One of these days he might be able to help you. Wish we didn't live so far apart.

[@RipRoaringGarage]

@@MotorcoachWorld Now you have my attention! I def need to drive over LOL! He probably knows these buses inside out! The engine in mine is the equivalent of a Detroit 92 series here, tough, put in everything, and cheap! But like a Detroit in Europe, parts for mine are as scarces as bus nut girls LOL.

[@sleepybear5574]

Horror story from a fellow driver in salt lake city he told me that a bus was stopped by the highway patrol it seem like there was red fluid leaking from the engine compartment when they open the lid they found a body of a man wrapped around the engine Moral of the story if you do a inspection before you go anywhere You will be stress free and no headaches No body's too

[@johnwright3710]

I am apprehensive to share this but my brother and I had elementary school pictures taken in the Star trek crew shirts.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Lol that's awesome... I would love to share that picture lol

[@johnwright3710]

@@MotorcoachWorld Not going to happen!

[@MotorcoachWorld]

@@johnwright3710 lol 😂 I had to try

[@alexanderrowe8562]

How do you open the glass roof on a bus and coach

[@DemetriaLara]

hi James, when conducting the inspection Dvir, a motor coach driver, finds that he needs motor oil, it is the driver's responsibility to add the oil, according to the fmsca regulation. Please could you help me with an answer.

[@MotorcoachWorld]

Hi Eduardo. Its the drivers job to make sure that the bus has oil in it before he or she takes the bus out on a trip. The driver is the last line of defense against any kind of damage or problems that may make the bus unroadworthy. It is also the mechanics job to make sure the buses are properly fixed and address issues that the drivers find.

[@DemetriaLara]

@@MotorcoachWorld Thank you James for your answer, I have been in this industry since 1986, today I am 62 years old, today I wanted the opinion of other drivers, and I respect your experience, thank you very much, at another time I will explain the reason for my question, and you will can present in your program, since when a driver is alone in the company checking the bus, to make the pick-up of the passengers at 4:00 a.m. and it takes you from 45 min to an hour to arrive, and any incident that happens in the company, he will be alone in that place until he is found, by another employee and can call the rescue, with this covid 19 problem, today many companies are desperate for drivers, and they do not take the time necessary for training. how important it is. Thanks again and I will keep you posted.

[@johnmoloney5296]

No mention of checking the brakes , wouldn't it be useful to make sure that they are working? 😊

[@Holy_Moley]

And the horn as well.

[@dustindecoursey2250]

Go help greyhound have had to ride on many busses in sad mechanical condition and as well as physical condition inside the coach have even been stranded on a bus in the middle of no where caused by a snapped belt