BLUE BIRD Complaints

EIGHT (8) OF OUR DISTRICT OWNED BLUEBIRD TC 2000 SCHOOL BUSES HAVE BODY CRACKING PROBLEMS. THESE BUSES RANGE FOR 1997 TO 2003 YEAR MODELS. ALL BUSES HAVE EXPERIENCED CRACKING AT THE REAR PILLARS, ROOF BOWS AT THE SIDE WINDOWS, AND AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE DOOR AS WELL AS EMERGENCY EXITS. WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF SERVICE. ALL BUSES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED AS PER BLUEBIRDS SPECIFICATIONS, AT PROFESSIONAL BODY SHOPS. AT LEAST FOUR TIMES, YET THE BODIES CONTINUE TO CRACK. WE ARE NOT THE ONLY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVING THESE PROBLEMS, I KNOW OF ONE OTHER LOCAL DISTRICT THAT IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE HEARD THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHERS. BLUEBIRD IS BECOMING MORE RELUCTANT TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM IN A TIMELY MANNER. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE ROOF STRUCTURE ON THESE BUSES, ESPECIALLY AFTER WHAT "WE" HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THE CARPENTAR BUSES.*AK

OIL FROM THE ENGINE WAS BEING TRANSFERRED INTO THE AIR BRAKE SYSTEM. AS A RESULT THE BRAKES VALVE BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE BUS AIR TANK WHICH OPENED DOORS, AND AIR SEAT BLEW OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED. INDEPENDENT SHOP WILL FIX IT THE BUS AT THE SCHOOL BOARD EXPENSES.*AK

THE ABS LIGHT WILL BE ON FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THEN THE BUS, AT ABOUT 35 MI. PR. HR., WILL SHUTTER, LIKE THE DRIVER IS MAKING AN EMERGENCY STOP. THIS LAST JUST A FEW SECONDS AND THE ABS LIGHT WILL GO OFF. THIS HAPPENS THREE OR FOUR TIMES IN A MONTH. *AK THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT A YEAR.

THE PUBLIC TRANSIT COMPANY THAT I USE TO COMUTE TO WORK FOR A 55 MINUTES EACH WAY USES BLUE BIRD BUSES. THE TRANSIT COMPANY IS YUBA-SUTTER TRANSIT BASED IN MARYSVILLE, CA. THE NEWER BLUE BIRD BUSES LACK APPROPRIATE VENTILATION. TODAY, IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 100 DEGREES, AND THE AIR CONDITIONING/VENTILATION SYSTEM FAILED TO COOL THE BUSES INTERIOR. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM, AND THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE THE BUSES GETS EXTREMELY HOT. THE PASSENGERS AND DRIVER RIDE IN THIS HEAT FOR THE BETTER PART OF AN HOUR. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS POSES A HEALTH THREAT TO PASSENGERS ,AND IT MAY WELL INHIBIT THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO DRIVE SAFETY DUE TO POSSIBLE DEHYDRATION, HEAT-INDUCED FATIUGE AND THE IMPACT OF PROLENGED HEAT EXPOSURE TO THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO FOCUS PROPERLY. THE BLUE BIRD COMPANY SHOULD BE REQUIRE TO RETROFIT THE BUSES TO PROVIDE AIR COOLING AND VENTILATION.*AK

ON APRIL 18, 2002 BLUE BIRD BUS EXPERIENCED AN EXTREMELY BAD ELECTRICAL FIRE DUE TO THE BREAKING OF THE ALTERNATOR SUPPORT BRACE. THIS INCIDENT CAUSED APPROXIMATELY $20,000.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE BUS. THE BUS WAS RUNNING ITS AFTERNOON ROUTE AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 15 STUDENTS ON IT AT THE TIME AND THEY EVACUATED SAFELY. WE HAVE SINCE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM CUMMINS ON THIS AND I FELT COMPELLED TO REPORT IT SINCE APPARENTLY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS. I REPORTED IT TO BLUE BIRD AND CUMMINS AT THE TIME AS I WAS EXTREMELY CONCERNED AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS NOT A DEFECT.*JB

WE HAVE SEVERAL BLUEBIRD BUSSES FROM YEARS 1993 THROUGH 2002....WE ARE CONTINUALLY BREAKING THE REAR BRAKE LINES, HAVING REPLACED UP TO 6 LINES ON SOME BUSES WITH UNDER 100,000 MILES. WHEN THEY BREAK ALL FLUID IS PUMPED FROM THE LINES THERE BY LOSING ALL BRAKING. THESE BUSSES ARE BUILT ON A CHEVROLET CHASSIS...HAVE APPROACHED CHEVROLET BEFORE WITH NO HELP...SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT OR WORSE WITH THIS DESIGN.*JB

THE LEFT REAR BRAKE HOSE BECAME CHAFED BY RUBBING AGAINST THE FRAME OF THE BUS, UNIT #43 (EVANSVILLE - VANDERBURGH SCHOOL CORPORATION, PUPIL TRANSPORTATION). NLM

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE LEFT REAR BRAKE HOSE IS CHAFING ON THE FRAME. UNIT#55-HYDRAULIC BRAKES. *SCC

THE LEFT REAR BRAKE HOSE WAS CHAFED ON THE FRAME (HYDRAULIC BRAKES), UNIT #83 (EVANSVILLE - VANDERBURGH SCHOOL CORPORATION, PUPIL TRANSPORTATION). *YH