Repair 7

How to Learn the School Bus Parts

Knowing the parts on a school bus is important for a school bus driver or anyone who might perform mechanical service on a school bus. For the driver, if the bus breaks down, it helps the bus driver to identify and communicate the specific area of the bus that needs attention. For the service technician, knowing the parts on a bus will help him make sure he orders the correct parts when making repairs. A number of ways to learn the school bus parts are available, and in most cases are a requirement for a school bus driver or a school bus technician.

Instructions

1

Attend a commercial driving course for school bus driving. In these courses you will learn to drive a school bus and to perform inspections to make sure the bus is safe before picking up passengers. If you are looking to learn about the basic parts of the school bus, how those parts operate and the importance of those parts in relation to safety, this course will provide that information. You can find bus driving courses in many communities at commercial driving education centers, which are usually privately owned. If, however, you are looking for more detailed information, you will need to take additional courses.

2

Take more in-depth school bus mechanics courses. These courses will teach you about parts on most major school buses, how those parts function, how to recognize deficient parts and how to change out those parts when needed. You can find these courses at local tech schools and community colleges or at technical educational institutions dedicated to commercial vehicle mechanics.

3

Learn the school bus parts through on-the-job training. Some commercial vehicle service centers that service school buses, will hire inexperienced candidates with some background in automotive mechanics from high school courses or other work experience. New hires usually start out cleaning parts and assisting with inventory and over time learn the different parts on the school bus. This learning is accelerated when you are promoted to a mechanic trainee position, where you will learn how the parts function and how to service them.

4

Purchase a mechanics manual for a school bus and study it. School buses operate in a similar fashion and use most of the same parts. A school bus mechanics manual will introduce you to the parts on the school bus, while providing detailed instructions on diagnosing problems with those parts and how to change them.