Buses are one of the most relied upon transportation options in the world whether you are in the United States, one of the outlying islands, or in a different country entirely. There are also several different types of buses whether you are dealing with luxury options, or one of the more common mass transit buses. The amenities onboard today are highly advanced and second to none, meaning you can look forward to one of the most amazing rides in recent history, but if you are the one providing these transportation options to customers, there are a few things that you will absolutely have to consider.

Bus parts need to be replaced every once in a while, it’s a fact of engineering, but there are some parts that will require replacement more often than others. Some of them are mechanical, some are a bit more inanimate. We have compiled a list of the most common replacement parts on transit vehicles in addition to attaching a brief explanation of each, giving you an idea of what you will be looking at when you are running a bus line whether it is one bus or a fleet of buses.

The Transmission

When you want to find parts for a bus, the transmissions should obviously be one of the first things that you look at. There are many types of transmissions on the market, but the vast majority of buses use what is known as a semi-automatic transmission. With this model, the driver will not actually change gears manually as the unit will take care of this automatically, so to speak. Something to note is that while operating normally there will be no need for driver intervention, there is a mode that does allow the driver to shift gears manually. Keep in mind that this mode still does not necessitate the need of a clutch pedal as the as the vast majority of vehicles do when shifting manually.

The semi-automatic transmission often imitates the typical automatic transmission, but the operation is considerably different. The semi-automatic transmission, for example, provides a direct connection between the engine and the wheels, which provides the vehicle better response times and even smoother shifting due to fluid coupling.

The semi-automatic transmission is obviously more expensive than the typical transmission you would find in consumer grade vehicles, and so when you wish to buy used bus parts it will be important for you to make sure that you find a good deal – one that will ensure you are able to get the part without bankrupting yourself. Granted, finding this part for a reasonable price will be difficult, but it most certainly can be done.

Fuses

On any vehicle, fuses control virtually everything. This includes the controls within the bus, lights, windshield wipers, the radio, amenities within luxury buses, and plenty of other items that we may not have listed. According to data gathered from various studies, fuses are one of the most replaced items on consumer vehicles as well as buses. In most automobiles, blade fuses are used, and these types are actually very inexpensive. The thing that you need to understand is that fuses are designed to fail, and this is not an oversight on the part of the manufacturer.

Though they are definitely one of the most commonly replaced bus parts they are one of the most necessary when it comes to the operation of the electrical system. As electricity flows through the various systems, there is always the chance of an overload which could negatively impact the entire bus. Now, with fuses if there is any indication of an overload, the fuse in question can simply ‘blow’, terminating the connection. This does not always indicate a problem with the electrical system, but if the same fuse continues to blow, it may definitely be something worth investigating.

Tires

Of all the parts on a bus, the tires are the ones that suffer the most abuse, simply because they happen to be so close to the road. Admittedly, the tires purchased from a proper bus parts warehouse will be much more durable than those you would find on the typical vehicle, but you should also consider what they will be going through. Buses are driven much more often than typical vehicles, making them more susceptible to debris, pot holes, uneven terrain, etc. Also remember that the long distance driving will cause wear and tear on the treads, so make sure that you are constantly checking your tread depth along with the sidewalls to ensure that there have been no major punctures. Keep in mind that while bus tires are expensive (obviously) there is simply no way to get around replacing them on a regular basis.

As you can see, there is a lot to consider whether you are buying Eagle bus parts, National bus parts or something for one of the other major brands. No matter what brand you have, however, you will find that the three parts mentioned above are among those most often replaced, and you would do well to make sure you have a reliable supplier or a healthy stock.