Buying a bus is a big responsibility, especially when you’re transporting human beings. You need to make sure that your bus is in good, working condition, and that’s not always going to be easy. With that being the case, there are a few things that you will need to pay attention to, especially if they might result in you buying parts for your Federal Coach bus.

Watch the Windshield

This is probably going to be the easiest one for you because you’re looking at it all the time, especially if you’re the driver. One of the biggest mistakes that bus owners make is ignoring chips in the windshield; your bus windshield will last for a very long time, but if it has a chip, the vibration from driving on the road is going to agitate it, and eventually that chip will become a full blown crack that extends from the top of the windshield to the bottom. Not only is this dangerous, it’s actually illegal because it impairs your vision and increases your chances of finding yourself involved in an auto accident.

Pay Attention to your Brakes

To put it lightly, brakes are one of the most important parts of your vehicle, especially a shuttle bus. Failing brakes can spell disaster in more ways than one. For one thing, you could find yourself in serious danger, and for another, ignoring failed brakes could result in catastrophic damage to your rotors. Brakes can fail easily but it’s pretty easy to diagnose, just by driving. If your brakes are beginning to fail you will feel the pedal become softer, and you might even hear the rotors screech when you stop. Once again, this is a case where a small repair can save you several thousand dollars in repair down the line.

Is your Transmission Going?

This is one that no one ever wants to talk about because quite frankly, no one wants their transmission to fail. It’s expensive! Unfortunately, getting it repaired often isn’t an option, so make sure that you first be on the lookout for odd sounds. Automatic transmissions typically give you the feeling that the bus is ‘shimmying’ into gear rather than shifting smoothly. You will also often hear a buzzing or humming sound. If you experience any of this, make sure you get to an auto shop immediately.

Another problem that could crop up and indicate a failing transmission is movement delay. If your gears seem a bit hesitant, then you absolutely need to make sure you get it to our repair shop. This is one thing you won’t be able to mistake, even if you’ve never felt it before. If you do sense that the transmission is hesitating, call a professional and get it fixed! The last thing you want is for your transmission to stop shifting entirely when you are on the road as that could open up a whole new can of worms. In the end, it’s more of a safety concern and less of a money concern.

These are three of the most common problems that you are going to encounter when you’re driving a shuttle bus, and the good news is that you don’t have to run around looking for the best parts – we have them right here.

Not only do we have the best parts in the industry, we have the expertise to install them and provide a warranty that will carry you through the next few years. Bottom line: don’t go anywhere else for parts or repairs; when you’re transporting people to and from destinations, you need to know for sure that the parts under the hood are absolutely, positively going to hold up. That’s a service we provide.

The next time you notice your bus acting odd or failing, give us a call and get us to take a look at it. Don’t leave anything to chance, even with a Federal coach bus!