Transportation Management Software, bus scheduling software, school bus scheduling software, school bus management software
Fires on school buses are incredibly rare - and that's largely due to the variety of fire suppression systems in place on modern buses. As a result, school bus fires represent well less than 1% of all vehicle fires, and even then, many of them occur when the bus is parked rather than on the road.
Still, a good transportation management office can't take fire systems for granted. They should know how buses prevent fires, and keep a close eye on the associated systems.
How Students Are Protected From School Bus Fires
1 - Fire blocks in the engine compartment
On traditional diesel buses, an engine fire is one of the biggest fire risks - which is why buses always have robust fire blocks in place. There's typically an air gap between the engine compartment and the driver, as well as a heavy firewall such as insulated steel.
Ideally, if the engine does catch fire, the driver will have plenty of time to evacuate the bus.
2 - Electronic checks on electric batteries
Fire is also a risk with modern electric vehicles, especially because the batteries can burn so hot that they resist most traditional fire-fighting. However, all E-buses come with robust monitors keeping watch on the battery's temperature. If it exceeds safe limits, the battery can be automatically disabled. Typically, the driver also has a 'kill switch' if the automatic safeties fail.
3 - Fireproof seats
For decades, the seats in school buses have been made with fire-resistant material both inside and out. This helps prevent a fire from spreading within the bus, by denying it flammable materials. However, be sure your seats are in good repair, and students aren't leaving too many flammable materials around the bus.
4 - Heavy-duty construction
The bus's construction itself is also designed to prevent fires. Buses are made from heavy steel and tempered glass and other materials which resist fire. So, for example, a fire outside the bus, like a wildfire, would be very unlikely to make it onboard - assuming everything is in good repair.
In short, transportation management offices need to make maintenance a high priority, when it comes to fire resistance systems. Installing fire extinguishers is a good idea as well.
BusBoss can help streamline your bus operations, with hardware and software designed to reduce costs and improve long-term performance. Contact us to learn more!
Contact us to request a free demo to be eligible for our 2025 Kickoff Promotion.
Buy One Get One – Buy ROUTEpatrol Tablet App and get PARENTpatrol Mobile App for FREE.
(484) 941-0820
