1995 INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER 3800 Complaints

WE FOUND 4 BUSES WITH CRACKED FRAMES APPROX. 6 INCHES BACK FROM THE SHOCK HANGER ON BOTH SIDES IN THE FRONT. THEY WERE 95 MODEL THOMAS BUSES ON INTERNATIONAL FRAMES, WE TOOK THEM OUT OF SERVICE AND SENT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. I WAS TOLD THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM THAT THEY HAD A KIT TO MAKE THE REPAIRS @ THE COST OF THE DISTRICT. IF THERE WAS NOT A RECALL WHY WAS THERE NOT A LETTER SENT OUT TO WARN OF THE PROBLEM? *NM

I AM A MEDIUM SIZED SCHOOL BUS FLEET. WE FOUND THE ABOVE VEHICLE HAS BOTH FRONT FRAME RAILS CRACKED. THIS DEFECT WAS FOUND DURING A ROUTINE PM INSPECTION. WE IMMEDIATELY INSPECTED 20 OTHER SCHOOL BUSES OF THE SAME VINTAGE IN OUR FLEET. WE FOUND 3 ADDITIONAL BUSES VIN# [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], EACH BUS HAS A CRACKED FRAME RAIL NEAR THE REAR ENGINE MOUNT. ALL BUSES HAVE BEEN PLACED OUT-OF-SERVICE TILL THEY CAN BE REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS WITH SEVERAL OTHER BUS CONTRACTORS, I HAVE FOUND ONE CONTRACTOR THAT HAD 7 CRACKED FRAMES ON THE SAME MODEL BUS. ANOTHER WHO HAD SEVERAL ALONG WITH ONE THAT RECRACKED AFTER BEING REPAIRED BY AN INTERNATIONAL DEALER. I FEEL THE SCHOOL BUS INDUSTRY NEEDS TO BE ALERTED TO LOOK FOR THIS FAILURE. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR