Tag Axle Low Air indicator light on. Can't reverse

[Runcutter]

I'm a GM guy, so probably of little use here.  However, do you know the last operator of your coach when it was in passenger service?  If so, can you call and talk with their Superintendent of Maintenance to find out what it is?

I like Clifford's idea about the school service interlock.  These days, drivers are taught not to reverse, this could be some home-brewed device to prevent backing beyond dead idle speed.  I'm doing a lot of cost projections for private sector transit operators.  I just read a Request for Proposals where the public transit system won't allow bus drivers to back up, unless they call Dispatch first for permission.

Arthur

[buswarrior]

I would expect to see the electrical signal that activates this arrangement to be tied into the circuit that illuminates the back-up tell tale on the dash.

The usual design and execution of a fleet level retrofit is to aim for simplest and cheapest, looking to tie into existing systems, rather than duplicate them.

It may be simply and immediately hobbled by pinching off, or otherwise disconnecting and plugging, the air line supplying it with air pressure. Follow the rest at your leisure?

As for Runcutter's comments, unfortunately, a grown adult, holding a commercial driver's licence, having to call in for permission to reverse...this seems to be inane direction the world is heading.

Let's see, that driver will reverse in a relaxed manner after just admitting to dispatch that they misjudged something?

Self fulfilling prophecy, they will hit more things, not less. Also, it often found that the same properties have poor reversing training to begin with, further promoting a backing accident.

If you can't back up by yourself, should you be allowed to drive forward by yourself?

harumph!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Runcutter]

BW, I learned to drive as a fueler/hostler, we used to have to back across the driveway to park -  and overlap mirrors to get an extra bus in. (Today, unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to then squeeze out the door). 

Last year, I was on a city property that has a 100% reflective vest policy.  I walked over from the hotel, got to the security booth, and had to borrow a vest to walk across the parking lot to the office.  (Let's see, I have on a grey suit, blue tie - what color goes best -- the lime green or the bright yellow?)  One of the national management companies has the same policy.  I'd have to put on a vest, to walk 25 feet from my car to the front door.  In my day, we learned to be careful walking around buses -- not the other way around. 

BW raised a good point.  Learn to back up, learn to use your mirrors, learn how to use the pivot point of your bus.  Knowing how to back up, how to maneuver your bus, will make you a better driver in all cases.  There's another factor.  When I developed a presentation on Church Bus safety, I noticed that my church was driving its two vans forward into their chain link enclosure.  That meant, when they wanted to use the vans, they'd back out.  Since there's a day school with young kids, I had the policy changed -- back in, drive out.  Fewer crushed kiddies that way.  It also applies in supermarket parking lots, any environment.  Back in, drive out. 

Sorry to take the thread astray, but I've had to investigate and/or discipline for too damned many accidents.

Arthur

[topfrog007]

Guys,

Tried to get it to go down again, tried all combination switches on dash. Nothing worked. Looked through the manual but couldn't find anything about this little gizmo.

Does anyone know what it might be called? I was hoping to find something in my MCI manual about it.

Thanks.

[Runcutter]

Preston, again, I'm a GM guy.  However, in looking at the pictures and reading the responses, I'd wager that it'd be news to MCI.  That was the reason I suggested finding the last passenger-service operator of your coach, if at all possible. 

Here's the question -- can you back up at idle speed, even with the device, or is something else interlocked with it?

Arthur

[topfrog007]

Preston, again, I'm a GM guy.  However, in looking at the pictures and reading the responses, I'd wager that it'd be news to MCI.  That was the reason I suggested finding the last passenger-service operator of your coach, if at all possible. 

Here's the question -- can you back up at idle speed, even with the device, or is something else interlocked with it?

Arthur

Arthur, I left a voicemail on the PO's machine. The bus does move while backing up at Idle, the problem is that I'm parked on a bit of a slope so it only goes so far until the slope becomes too high.

I guess I'm mainly worried about two things:

1. Is it possible the mechanism might be preventing damage to the bus by preventing reverse driving? And if I remove it I risk damaging the bus somehow.
2. I start taking it off and find out I need it later on, or that upon taking it apart that it's much more involved than anticipated.

Thanks,

[lostagain]

I would just disconnect the air line that feeds it and plug it,  or pinch it with ViseGrips. It will be accessible from the spare tire compartment under the floor. It is not hard to plug back in if you decide you need it again.

JC

[Depewtee]

I did a Google search and learned some school buses have this same feature.  It prevents the driver from reversing (at least greater than idle speed) when the rear emergency door is open.  Do you have an emergency door on your bus?  Is there something else that has a switch on it that feeds a signal to this air solenoid? 

Brian S.

[topfrog007]

@LostAgain - I think that'll be the way I end up going.

@Depewtee Ahh thats very interesting. Our bus has only one door, the main entrance door. It doesn't make sense that it would let us drive in any forward gear, just not in reverse. I tried every combo on the Dash and nothing seemed to unlock it while in reverse.

After purchasing the coach I believe we went into reverse without any problems at a gas station, for some reason neither of us can remember 100%

[Rick 74 MC-8]

Does that coach have steerable tags?  Try lubing it up it may be a spring loaded air activated switch that is 1/2 froze





                                           Rick 74 MC-8

[buswarrior]

Why would there be a bypass switch accessible to the driver for some evil device such as this??

Someone smoking something illegal dreamed this accelerator inhibit up, in order to prevent the driver from doing something.

They are not going to then give the driver a switch to defeat it. Kind of a waste of time installing all of that, wouldn't it be?

Crawl into the spare tire compartment and neuter the stupid thing.

It's your bus now, none of us have that thing, or have ever seen one.

And get yourself reversed.

Shoot it before it procreates!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[thomasinnv]

I agree with BW and some of the others...yank that stupid thing out and get on with your life. You drive the bus, don't let it drive you!