Editors, Author at BUSRide - Page 11 of 14


Transit cranks up the twittering machine

I am all for communicating thoroughly in as few words as possible, but I do not twitter. Think haiku poetry in which the form reduces the keenest observation to its purest 17 syllables.

Irizar spans the globe over 120 years

The Basque region bordering the Atlantic in northern Spain is the industrial heartland of that country. In 1889, Jose Francisco Irizar, a blacksmith in the village of Ormaiztegi started building horse-drawn wooden carts, soon followed by stagecoaches.

DPF regen in a slow moving bus requires TLC

The emission standards that went into effect in 2007 have created further issues in an industry that has one of the lowest pollution emissions per passenger in the entire transportation industry. Nonetheless they are here to stay.

Lamers Bus Lines always ready, always there for the National Guard

A little after the fact, but still a relevant case study on the logistics involved in troop movements. Lamers Bus Lines made history this past winter in Wisconsin when it moved a total of 3,500 National Guard troops over the course of eight hours.

The soldiers of the 32nd Brigade were headed to Camp Blanding, FL, to receive training prior to their eventual 11-month assignment in Iraq.

Cummins reports no shortage of urea for 2010

As 2010 approaches bus and motorcoach operators will read more and more about Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and the fluid that makes it work — diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). Contrary to the popular belief that DEF will be in short supply, Cummins, a manufacturer of diesel engines based in Columbus, IN, says this is not the case.

Put away the pens and paper

In this day and age, computer software programs to manage fleet maintenance and safety are shop imperatives. Granted, an extremely organized mechanic armed with reams of paper, a filing cabinet and a limited workload can create

Video surveillance is a fact of life

Electronic surveillance in public spaces is a fact of life. In response to increased violence, abnormal passenger behavior and inattentive driving, anyone anywhere could be watched or recorded by cameras, holding all accountable.

University of Minnesota connects with its new fleet

The Twin Cities campus is the oldest and largest in the University of Minnesota system serving more than 51,000 students. Its two separate campuses are five miles apart on either side of the Mississippi River, in Minneapolis on the west bank and St. Paul on the east bank.

Do not dismiss dispatch

An effective dispatch department can keep a motorcoach operation feeling less like a circus, and more like a well-oiled machine. As a central hub of an operation, dispatch is like the ringleader, capable of taming the beast—or at least keeping the chaos organized, and putting out fires with quick thinking and problem solving.

Go Clean: Bus washing is a best practices basic

The easiest, fastest and least expensive measure bus and motorcoach operators can take to make a lasting impression is to keep the vehicles washed and shining. How clean is clean? A question both private and public operators are asking to promote a more positive public image and a more inviting option to upscale riders.

The extra care given to the exterior surfaces of transit buses has become a greater concern with the advent of sophisticated bus-wrap advertising, and with transit buses sporting a more polished upscale appearance. A bus wash system represents a significant capital investment from initial planning to installation.