Given enough time, wear, and tear, almost any bus part is going to need replacing. If your group is unfamiliar with the mechanics of its bus, then you may be tempted to bring it straight to a mechanic. However, if you don’t have a service plan, you could potentially save a lot of money by finding the part for yourself, before you have it replaced. This means ordering the part from a bus parts warehouse. If this process is entirely new to you, then consider these three tips.
Don’t expect to take a field trip.
Unless your local bus sales group owns a bus parts warehouse, you’ll probably be doing your navigating online. Online sources will allow you to easily browse through different bus parts, and find the one that will replace your own. If you are able to visit a physical warehouse, then you will likely need the guidance of an employee to find the part that you need. If possible, bring the bus with you so that if an employee asks questions that will help them to help you, and you don’t know the answer, you can always bring that employee to the bus in question.
Know the name of the part you need.
Bus parts will be named similarly to whatever the corresponding part is on a normal vehicle, but there are a few items that are unique to buses. For example, switches and rockers are bus parts that you won’t see on your family car, but they’re the names commonly used for what most people would consider to be a “button.” Switches and rockers can control various functions in the bus, from the opening and closing of the bus door, to the lights, heat, and fast idle.
Know when to cut your losses.
If you have a list of 15 items to get from the bus parts warehouse, then it may not be parts that you need, but an entirely new or used bus for sale. If your organization is strapped for cash, there’s no need to panic. There are plenty of used buses for sale that have long lives ahead of them, and price points that won’t empty out the company coffer.
Once your bus is looking like new again (or once you have found a new bus), be sure to treat your bus well. Leaving it outside, exposed to the elements, may mean faster wear on parts. If you can, store your bus in an over-sized garage, and always keep up on regular maintenance. Hopefully, you won’t need to return to a warehouse for some time, but if you do, you can always use this guide. Good refereneces: www.carpenterbus.com