By Don Schauer

     Obviously, passenger safety has the highest priority for anyone operating a school bus fleet. But with stringent budget constraints and strict environmental standards, transportation managers must find ways to cut cost without compromising safety. By taking advantage of the tire technology that has helped the trucking industry save millions of dollars on tire expenses while making a major environmental contribution-using radial tires and retreading-school bus fleets are reaping the rewards, economically and ecologically. For most school bus fleets, tires rank only behind labor and fuel in the operating budget. Savings of about 15 percent of the operating budget can be realized by moving from all new tires to retreads in the drive-axle wheel positions. The environmental advantages of retreading are numerous. School bus tires are basically petrochemical products. It takes 22 gallons of oil to manufacture a new tire and only about 7 gallons to retread that same tire. As a result, 15 gallons of oil are saved each time a tire is retreaded. And, considering today's disposal problems, each time a bus tire is retreaded, the disposal dilemma is avoided. Safety First Are retreads as safe as new tires?

     Michael Pierce, director of maintenance for School Services and Leasing, Shawnee, KS is convinced that a good, safe tire program can indeed include retreading. "Retreaded bus tires can be used on school buses, if you make sure your maintenance effort is designed to maximize safety," says Pierce. Not all casings are equally suited for retreading. Pierce says that purchasing the highest quality new tires ensures the best possible casings for retreading. He requires retread suppliers to reject any casings that have more than three nail-hole repairs, or a singles inquiry larger than a nail-hole.

     With those standards, quality related failures can be practically eliminated. Continuous preventive maintenance plays an important role in the success of a total tire program. Drivers should be required to do a pre-trip and post-trip inspection each time the bus leaves the yard. In addition to daily driver inspections, air pressure should be checked approximately every 3,500 miles. "In contrast to the high speeds, long distances and heavy loads that truck tires experience, school bus tires have a relatively easy life," says Pierce. "Perhaps the most important difference is that the bus gets back home every day, so it is much easier to monitor the tires."

     Pierce says that transportation managers who are not taking advantage of the economic and ecological benefits of retreading are missing a unique opportunity to help their operating budgets without negatively impacting on safety. "With a good tire maintenance program and a quality retread provider, you have a combination that can't miss," says Pierce. "If you have a typical school bus fleet, you are going to have to change tires once or twice a year, depending on the kinds of roads you're operating on. When you retread your casings rather than purchase new replacement tires you are helping your budget and our environment."