US BUS Complaints

ON TWO IDENTICAL 2004 U. S. BUS STURDIBUS SCHOOL BUSES ON CHEVROLET C5500 CHASSIS: WE NOTICED THAT THE FLOOR WAS BUBBLING AND SAGGING NEAR THE BACK END OF THE 36 PASSENGER BUS. THE BUS WITH MORE MILES WAS WORSE THAN THE OTHER ONE. THE ENTIRE FLOORING UNDERNEATH THE STUDENT SEATS HAD TO BE TORN OUT AND REPLACED. WHEN THE OLD FLOOR WAS PULLED UP, THE REASON WAS CLEAR: THERE WERE HUGE HOLES IN THE FLOOR, PUDDLES OF WATER STILL THERE AFTER THE BUS SAT ALL SUMMER AND THE WOOD WAS MOSTLY ROTTED. IT COULD BE SEEN THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO PREVENT WATER FROM THE ROADWAY FROM COMING UP AND SOAKING INTO THE PLYWOOD FLOOR. THE WOOD IS THIS FLOOR WAS UNTREATED AND OF POOR QUALITY AS WELL. IN SOME PLACES THE WOOD WAS NOT FASTENED DOWN AND HAD SLID OFF SUPPORT BEAMS. THESE CROSS BEAMS WERE INSUFFICIENT TO HOLD THE WEIGHT OF THE FLOOR AND, ON ONE BUS, THEY HAD ALL SNAPPED. FORTUNATELY, THE BUS WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH THAT WOULD HAVE TESTED THE INTEGRITY OF THE FLOOR STRUCTURE! THE FACT THAT BOTH BUSES HAD THIS PROBLEM TELLS ME IT MAY BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT NEEDS INVESTIGATING -AS THERE MAY BE A LOT MORE OUT THERE IN THIS CONDITION. WE DO NOT EVER RUN A HOSE TO CLEAN OUR FLOORS INSIDE THE BUSES. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY WARRANTY OR COMPENSATION FOR THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SPENT TO REPAIR AND STRENGTHEN THE FLOORING ON THESE BUSES! THE DEALER WHO SOLD THE BUSES TO US IS EITHER UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO HELP RECOVER OUR LOSSES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET US BUS STURDIBUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT RECALL 06V443000, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE FRONT SEAT ASSEMBLY; HEAD RESTRAINTS WAS ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 20, 2009 AND THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THESE BUSES ARE USED TO TRANSPORT SCHOOL CHILDREN AND THE CONTACT HAS HAD NO RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VIN AND THE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 US BUS SDX-3179 SCHOOL BUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVERS SIDE CHASSIS HAD CRACKED AND SEVERAL REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE TO THE VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER RECENTLY ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND ALL REPAIRS WOULD BE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE CONTACT STATED HE HAS ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER SEVERAL TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. UPDATED 06/15/10 *BF THE UPPER DOOR ROD WAS INOPERATIVE, THE HANDICAP LIFT HIT THE DOOR, WATER LEAKED INSIDE THE BUS, THE FLOOR JOINTS WERE CORRODED, THE ENTRANCE DOORS DID NOT OPEN ALL THE WAY AND THEY WERE NOT SEALER PROPERLY, THE LIFT WIRES AND HEATER HOSE WAS NOT STRAPPED PROPERLY AND THE FRONT KICK PANEL WAS EXTREMELY WEAK. UPDATED 09.13.10

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 US BUS SDX-3179 SCHOOL BUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE CHASSIS HAD CRACKED NEAR BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS WINDSHIELD. THERE WERE SEVERAL REPAIRS MADE TO THE BUS TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER RECENTLY ADVISED THAT THE BUS WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND ALL REPAIRS WOULD BE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE CONTACT STATED HE HAS ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER SEVERAL TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. UPDATED 06/15/10 *BF THERE WERE BODY CRACKS BEHIND THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, WATER LEAKED INSIDE THE BUS. THERE WAS A LARGE GAP AT THE SEAM OF THE BODY AND WINDSHIELD AREA. THE EMERGENCY LIFT DOOR RUBBED WHEN THE DOOR WAS OPENED AND THE FLOOR WAS RUSTING. UPDATED 09/13/10