School Bus Fleet, February 2021

28 WWW SCHOOLBUSFLEET COM Advanced A C For Conventional Alternative Drive Vehicles New Retrofit Installations Nationwide Service Parts Industry Leading 3 Year Warranty New HEPA 6 Filtration Unit Please contact us for details Ph 717 767 2775 OPTIMIZING YOUR AIRSPACE 800 473 9914 www proairllc com SCHOOL BUS FLEET FEBRUARY 2021 on 110 volt battery power that can be charged with a standard outlet TIRE MAINTENANCE Wheel service equipment In addition to finding the right lift another area where the right equipment can lead to major savings is tire maintenance Adding wheel service equipment to the shop can help improve shop safety increase productivity and minimize fleet downtime Tire balancers changers If you were asked to name the most important pieces of equipment for fleet maintenance tire changers would likely not be very high on the list However one of the leading maintenance and repair expenses is tires In fact tires tubes liners and valves make up nearly 43 of the top 10 costs in maintenance With tire maintenance taking up such a large portion of repair costs it stands to reason that the right wheel service equipment can help prevent sur Maintenance Good lifts require minimal maintenance while ofering years of reliable service Compare the maintenance schedules on lifts being considered because any time a lift is down for maintenance it cuts into productivity and scheduled rollouts Installation Does installation require adding 220 volt or three phase power wiring to the shop or does it operate Efficiency versatility and productivity Evaluate equipment userfriendliness as well as how fast and useful the features are for the brand and model of lifts being considered Budget When comparing the cost of lifts look at the overall cost of ownership not just the initial purchase price The costs of repairs and downtime from a low priced lift can easily outweigh any up front savings Also consider whether there is local representation to help if needed Safety Always look for the gold label that reads ALI Certified Only lifts that have passed independent safety testing can use this label Also compare safety features and systems Ergonomics Most technicians prefer to stand up rather than lay on a creeper under a bus because they experience less physical strain and find it makes the process much more eficient Some styles of lifts do more to maximize operator comfort and productivity KEYS TO MAINTENANCE SAVINGS Choosing the right vehicle lift is essential to keeping maintenance costs down One option mobile column lifts offer flexibility They do not require a dedicated bay and can be moved wherever they are needed Photo courtesy Rotary Lift