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Ontario School Buses


G.A

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  • 11 months later...

Bit of an update on the McMaster buses. The older all white units were replaced by two new IC Bus CE units. These buses are numbered 130338 and 130339. I had the privilege (if you want to call it that) of riding 100338 on the parking shuttle from Mary Keyes Residence to the West Parking lot and back. This article (http://dailynews.mcm...-get-makeovers/) says that they were a vast improvement over the older units like the photos that Andrew took. They are definitely not improvements as far as ride goes. That ride hurt. Here's what the new buses look like.

101_0893 (800x600).jpg101_0896 (800x600).jpg101_0897 (800x600).jpg101_0898 (800x600).jpg

The plates for these two units are:

130338: 227 5BH

130339: 227 4BH

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Bit of an update on the McMaster buses. The older all white units were replaced by two new IC Bus CE units. These buses are numbered 100338 and 10039. I had the privilege (if you want to call it that) of riding 100338 on the parking shuttle from Mary Keyes Residence to the West Parking lot and back. This article (http://dailynews.mcm...-get-makeovers/) says that they were a vast improvement over the older units like the photos that Andrew took. They are definitely not improvements as far as ride goes. That ride hurt. Here's what the new buses look like.

101_0893 (800x600).jpg101_0896 (800x600).jpg101_0897 (800x600).jpg101_0898 (800x600).jpg

The plates for these two units are:

100338: 227 5BH

100339: 227 4BH

Its my experience that the IC CE buses overall don't ride very well, particularly those built before the 2011 model year.

Reading the article, it states that the buses are provided by First Student and by their unit numbers these are 2010 model years.

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School Buses are generally equipped with leaf spring suspension, hence the ride quality. I am not too sure if the newer ones are now equipped with Air Suspension (such as Transit Buses and Motor Coaches) or they may be an option for Air Suspension.

I believe its an option to equip air suspension, but most modern school buses still have leaf springs (2 up front and 6 in the rear). The comparison I was making in terms of ride quality is between the IC CE buses and other similarly equipped buses, such as the Thomas C2 (Freightliner) or even the older International 3800 chassis.

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Love driving those International 3800s! That's what I drove when I got my B class license! I still drive them sometimes on Charters!

One I drove had a speedometer that would freeze on a certain speed for a few minutes, or not work at all. Our mechanics changed the instrument panel and commented that they do that a lot. Who knows if any of them have the "correct" mileage, given that the odometer doesn't register when the speedometer' is on zero.

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One I drove had a speedometer that would freeze on a certain speed for a few minutes, or not work at all. Our mechanics changed the instrument panel and commented that they do that a lot. Who knows if any of them have the "correct" mileage, given that the odometer doesn't register when the speedometer' is on zero.

I've seen this before too it would also affect the fuel, temp, and OP gauges. Especially if the bus sits alot.

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School Buses are generally equipped with leaf spring suspension, hence the ride quality. I am not too sure if the newer ones are now equipped with Air Suspension (such as Transit Buses and Motor Coaches) or they may be an option for Air Suspension.

School buses have been available with the option of air ride for quite some time. Bus #412 that I drove at Southland Transportation in Calgary was a 1992 International DT466 Blue Bird 72 passenger school bus that was air brake, and air ride equipped. Was a very nice riding bus. It was comical doing charter work/field trips in that bus watching the kids in the back of the bus preparing for the big bumps only to find out that there was hardly any bounce to that bus! The oldest bus that I can recall with option air ride was from 1983. I am sure there were earlier ones as well.

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I had the above problem while doing a charter. The coolant leaked into the oil pan and screwed the speedometer and odometer and then set off the coolant light and audible warning.

Typical International gauges, they get conked out!

As of the airbag suspension, those ones are usually comes with air brakes. As most companies using hydraulic brakes, it will come with leaf spring suspension! But the kids do love the heavy bounce if they find the bumpiest roads!

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Typical International gauges, they get conked out!

As of the airbag suspension, those ones are usually comes with air brakes. As most companies using hydraulic brakes, it will come with leaf spring suspension! But the kids do love the heavy bounce if they find the bumpiest roads!

Speedbumps are number one for them! lol

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