National Academies Press: OpenBook

A Guidebook for Developing and Sharing Transit Bus Maintenance Practices (2005)

Chapter: Chapter 4 - Developing and Validating Practices

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Developing and Validating Practices." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. A Guidebook for Developing and Sharing Transit Bus Maintenance Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13562.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Developing and Validating Practices." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. A Guidebook for Developing and Sharing Transit Bus Maintenance Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13562.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Developing and Validating Practices." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. A Guidebook for Developing and Sharing Transit Bus Maintenance Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13562.
×
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Page 38
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Developing and Validating Practices." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. A Guidebook for Developing and Sharing Transit Bus Maintenance Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13562.
×
Page 38
Page 39
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Developing and Validating Practices." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. A Guidebook for Developing and Sharing Transit Bus Maintenance Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13562.
×
Page 39
Page 40
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Developing and Validating Practices." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. A Guidebook for Developing and Sharing Transit Bus Maintenance Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13562.
×
Page 40
Page 41
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Developing and Validating Practices." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2005. A Guidebook for Developing and Sharing Transit Bus Maintenance Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13562.
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Page 41

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

35 CHAPTER 4 DEVELOPING AND VALIDATING PRACTICES OVERVIEW Building on the essential preparation material in Chapters 1–3, this chapter offers instructions for developing the actual maintenance practice. The chapter begins by describing the MS Word template, an electronic version of the practice for- mat that you can download from the Web Board (see Chap- ter 2, Part 2, for instructions) to facilitate the practice-writing process. The chapter continues by reviewing the effort needed to develop practices and offers suggestions for using agency staff and/or contracted resources to get the practices developed. The core of the chapter, and the Guidebook itself, consists of the step-by-step instructions and format for piec- ing together all of the essential elements needed to construct a completed practice. Like all guidance presented here, use of this format is completely voluntary. Use of the suggested format, however, makes certain that all of the essential mate- rial needed for a practice gets considered. Once a practice is developed, the chapter goes on to explain how it can be val- idated and updated to ensure its appropriateness over time. As described earlier, you can use one of three approaches to prepare yourself for writing practices. The recommended approach is to read all of the background material provided in Chapters 1–3 first, then use the instructions provided in this chapter to write the practice. A second approach is to start writing the practice using the format contained in this chapter and refer back to specific chapters as needed. A third and “fast-track” approach is to download one of the sample practices found in Chapter 6 or an existing agency practice from the Web Board as described in Chapter 2, Part 2, as a foundation for your own practice, and apply other relevant Guidebook material to suit your specific needs and operation. DEVELOPING PRACTICES MS Word Template An MS Word template, which mimics the hard-copy for- mat presented in this chapter, is available electronically to facilitate writing the practice. In addition to standardizing font style and size, margins, and page layout, the template also allows you to compose a practice entirely on your com- puter screen. The electronic template has links that will take you to specific areas of the Guidebook for assistance on completing each practice section (i.e., defining the practice objective, listing special tools and safety precautions, includ- ing a time standard, etc.). There are also links to those areas of the Guidebook that offer instructions for writing clearly, inserting pictures, and locating reference material from OEMs and other sources. For those not using the MS Word template, go to the table of contents of the Guidebook to manually reference the needed sections. A hard copy of the template instructions is included as Appendix B; the template is included as Appendix C. The electronic version of both documents can be downloaded from the TRB Maintenance Practices Web Board described in Chapter 2, Part 2. Effort Required Developing maintenance practices requires time, resources, and work. Depending on the approach taken, the work involves researching OEM manuals, other agency practices, historical data from your own operation, and other reference materials. The collected material needs to be syn- thesized, a practice format has to be established, and some- one has to write the practice. Once developed, practices need to be validated to guarantee acceptance by the workforce. While this Guidebook will certainly lessen the burden, there is a substantial amount of work required. Who Develops the Practice? Agencies, Consultants, or Both Agencies can do the work themselves by applying the guidance offered here, contract practices out to a consul- tant, or work together with a consultant.7 There are advan- tages and disadvantages associated with each method. Hiring a consultant relieves the agency of staff time, but workers may not accept the practices because they were created by someone perceived to be an outsider. Agencies could use this Guidebook to develop their own practices, 7 Snyder, R.A., “Solving Maintenance Problems by Using Maintenance Procedures,” Paper presented at the APTA Bus Equipment Workshop, Indianapolis, IN, November, 2003.

but doing so requires staff time. Another approach is to hire an experienced consultant to work collaboratively with the agency. Regardless of who develops the practices, it is essen- tial that the same person(s) write the practice to maintain consistency. Once a process for developing practices is established, agencies are strongly urged to document that process to preserve it as a reference. Team Effort between Management and Labor Developing a practice requires a team effort. Any practice with potential safety implications must involve the agency’s safety officer if one exists. It is also essential that manage- ment work with labor and its union to develop work proce- dures that both sides can agree upon. The ideal approach involves mechanically experienced supervisory personnel working together with the agency’s finest mechanics as a team. Whereas supervisors may be a few years removed from actual hands-on involvement, the agency’s most qualified mechanics have current insight into the procedures needed to get the job done right. As mentioned earlier, labor and union involvement is essential to any program that strives to improve productivity. A collaborative approach led by man- agement will cause workers to accept the program and appre- ciate being recognized for good production, and a spirit of cooperation will develop.8 In the end, the goal of developing maintenance practices is to improve work skills and the working environment, not to find reasons for punishing or fir- ing employees. Step-by-Step Practice Instructions This section provides step-by-step instructions for pre- paring maintenance practices. It serves as a suggested starting point for agencies to develop a format that works best for their operation and that is realistic given the agency’s resources. Some will decide to use the format presented here as is, while others will leave out certain steps, add others, or rearrange the order. Again, the choice is yours. The comprehensive nature of the format provided here ensures that all essential elements of a practice are addressed should you decide to use them. The Word tem- plate included as Appendix C is based on this format, but it, too, can be modified to suit your particular needs. Sample practices shown in Chapter 6 were developed around this format. Remember, the template includes links to specific sections of the Guidebook to assist you in the practice- development process. 36 Step 1: Practice Title <Insert the practice title> Notes: The title is important because, if done properly, it provides a concise description that accurately reflects a spe- cific maintenance job. Agencies can use their own title for- mat to name practices. For example, some agencies may have a specific numeric or letter code protocol associated with specific jobs that needs to be included in the title. You can also use the title format developed for this proj- ect. It was created to establish a uniform cataloging pro- cedure to make it easier to post and locate agency practices on the Web Board. The format consists of four distinct sections linked together to form one title name. Instruc- tions for creating a practice title using this format are found in Chapter 5. Regardless of the title format ulti- mately decided upon for internal agency use, those shar- ing their practices with others on the TRB Web Board must use the title sequence presented in Chapter 5 for cat- aloging purposes. Step 2: Agency Name <Insert the name, address, and contact information of the agency> Step 3: Date <Insert the date of current issue and the date of previous release if applicable> Examples: December 10, 2004 (Supersedes April 15, 1996); March 5, 2005 (Original Issue) Step 4: Page Numbering <Insert page number on each page and include current page of total> Example: Page 1 of 18. Notes: Consider including the practice title, agency name, issue date, and page number all combined into a footer located at the bottom of each page. (The Word template instructions found in Appendix B include the steps needed for including the footer). Step 5: Legal Disclaimer <Insert legal disclaimer (if appropriate)> Notes: The TRB Web Board contains the following gen- eral disclaimer that applies to all Web Board users: Those downloading practices from the TRB Web Board do so with the understanding that: The information contained in the published content is pro- vided as a service to the bus transit community and does 8 “Labor Productivity Measurement,” Recommended Maintenance Practices for Tran- sit Buses, TMC Recommended Practice RP-804, Prepared for the American Public Transportation Association by the Technology and Maintenance Council of the Amer- ican Trucking Association, Washington, DC, 2002.

not constitute advice. Every attempt was made to provide quality information for the purposes outlined for this pro- ject, but we make no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the content. Maintenance advice must be tailored to the specific cir- cumstances of each agency. Because bus maintenance practices can change without notice, nothing provided herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of com- petent mechanics and/or maintenance crews. For most agencies, this generic disclaimer posted on the Web Board will be sufficient. If not, you could repeat the Web Board disclaimer or insert any other disclaimer that you deem appropriate directly into this section of the prac- tice. While agencies do not typically include disclaimers on practices intended for their own employees, including one on practices shared with other agencies clearly forewarns other agencies that your agency is not liable for the infor- mation provided. Review Part 1 of Chapter 2 and Appendix A for additional information and samples of other dis- claimers. Again, the generic Web Board disclaimer may be sufficient. If so, there is no need to use this section to add a disclaimer to your practice. Step 6: Copyright Information <Insert copyright information (if appropriate)> Notes: Inserting copyright information depends on how much original material (i.e., intellectual property of oth- ers) was used in your practice and how much copyright protection you desire for your own material. Concerning material used from other sources, a dedicated section in the practice allows you to give proper credit to the author(s). This is especially important if you use large amounts of information “as is” or an illustration from a protected (i.e., copyrighted) source. It is strongly recom- mended that you cite your sources so that readers will not be misled into thinking that the information originated with you or your agency. You must request permission from the author(s) before using pictures and/or large amounts of text. The following is an example of credit given to the authors of material used in an agency practice: The information contained in this maintenance practice is based on illustrations and information provided by the XYZ Company as contained in their Maintenance Manual, pages 88-93. Permission to use the copyrighted material was granted by the XYZ Company. Concerning copyright protection for your own material, copyright law automatically protects any original material once it is in a fixed format, including once it is saved on a computer hard drive. Although not necessary, you may want to add a copyright symbol to dissuade others from improperly using your material. Additional information on the use of copyrights is provided in Chapter 2, Part 1, and in Appendix A. 37 Step 7: Purpose <State the purpose of the maintenance practice in concise terms by answering: what are you trying to achieve with this practice?> Notes: A short statement describing the purpose of the practice informs maintenance personnel that they have the correct practice for the job at hand and allows you to emphasize any special points. It also gives other agencies additional insight into the practice. For example, the state- ment below emphasizes that a removed starter will be rebuilt instead of being discarded: This maintenance practice provides instructions for the proper removal and replacement (R&R) of starter motor and related parts on a 2000 Orion V bus, including proper methods for returning the removed starter as a core to the parts department. Other points might include instructions for special safety procedures, instructions for installing a correct part when other parts could be used mistakenly, or instructions for using special tools that you may want to reemphasize. For example: This maintenance practice provides instructions for the proper removal and replacement of rear radius rod bush- ings on a 2000 Orion V bus, including instructions for using special tool #123. Step 8: Glossary of Terms <List any special terms used in the practice followed by their definitions (if applicable)> Notes: Maintenance personnel in all transportation fields use a variety of terms to describe the same part, compo- nent, or procedure. A “differential” to one mechanic may be known as a “rear-end,” “diff,” or “pumpkin” to others. Agencies may want to consider including a glossary to clearly define words or procedures so that maintenance personnel, including those from other locations and agen- cies, all have a common understanding. Unfortunately, the transit industry does not publish a list of standard maintenance terms. However, in cases where multiple terms apply, it is recommended to use the one referred to in the OEM manuals. Step 9: Summary of Local Conditions <Highlight any special procedures included in the practice that address a condition unique to your particular operation (if applicable)> Notes: While many practices apply equally regardless of the climate, shop condition, or duty cycle, certain proce- dures vary depending on those conditions. This practice section allows agencies to include a summary of any

special steps taken as a result of a condition unique to the operation. This summary can be important for two reasons. One is to alert maintenance personnel, some of whom may come from different climates and shop environments, of the importance of following certain procedures that they may not understand as being necessary. The other is to give other agencies that are considering your practice additional insight to determine if all sections are applicable to their particular maintenance operation and climate. When preparing material for this section, agencies may need to step back and think about conditions that are in fact unique to those “looking in” from outside the agency. For example, special precautions taken to prepare buses for winters in an extremely cold climate are commonplace to someone from New York, but may be unfamiliar to some- one from Phoenix. Below are two examples of local condition summaries: This practice for performing daily refueling and service line functions includes a special procedure for removing tree leaves from radiators from September 15 to December 15. This practice for performing a 6,000-mile PM inspection includes special procedures for ensuring air intake sealing to prevent excessive airborne dirt, which is common in this environment, from bypassing the air filter and entering the engine. Part 4 of Chapter 2 describes how OEMs and agencies have altered their practices to conform to special weather conditions. Also included are two Internet sites that pro- vide climatic information that agencies might find helpful when writing their practices or when considering another agency’s practice. Step 10: Parts <List all parts used in the practice (if applicable)> Notes: Many maintenance jobs require replacement parts. Some agencies allow maintenance personnel to make a part-replacement determination, while others make certain replacements mandatory. Regardless of the policy, includ- ing a list of replacement parts directly in the practice makes certain that correct parts will be used and streamlines the process of obtaining parts from the parts department. Doing so, however, requires that practices be updated every time a part is superseded. Be sure to include a description of each part (e.g., Muffler and Isolator Mount) followed by its numerical part number. If the practice applies to a range of buses or components that use different parts, be sure to include the application for each (e.g., Muffler, New Flyer 4000-4100 Series, #092-11-021). Also include any other information needed for that part, including superseded numbers or alternative numbers if parts are available from different vendors. 38 For those that require mandatory replacement of parts for specific repairs and rebuilds, some agencies find it more effective to kit parts together (i.e., group all needed parts together in one package). Doing so makes all replacement parts conveniently available and saves time by not having the parts clerk retrieve each part separately. For those who want to calculate the total cost for each maintenance activity for budgeting purposes, the total cost of the parts used in the practice could be totaled and combined with the labor cost (see Step 11) to produce a total job cost. This information is also useful for deter- mining if it is more cost effective to outsource certain jobs. Although costing information can be derived from the practice, actual costs should not be listed in the practice. Step 11: Time Standard <Insert the total time allocated for the practice (if desired)> Notes: The use of time standards depends on each agency’s management approach. Including a standard makes it clear that the agency expects the job to be done in a certain amount of time. It is also useful for budgeting and staffing purposes. Part 5 of Chapter 2 contains addi- tional information on developing and using standard repair times (SRTs). Step 12: Special Tools <List all special tools needed for performing the task (if applicable)> Notes: Some jobs require the use of special tools, which usually consist of tools not typically found in a mechanic’s tool box, such as tools issued by the OEM, or tools that extend beyond the basic tool requirements established by the agency. Listing these tools in the practice helps to ensure that workers will use them and will obtain the cor- rect ones prior to beginning the job. Step 13: Safety Precautions/Applicable Regulations <List any safety precautions and regulation compliance that pertains to the practice (if applicable)> Notes: Virtually every maintenance practice is subject to environmental, health, or safety regulations. These regu- lations can be extensive and complex. Some require mandatory compliance, while others are voluntary. Agencies are urged to consult with the appropriate staff (e.g., agency attorney or safety officer) if available to determine which maintenance tasks require regulation compliance. A summary of the various regulations and

their impact on maintenance practices is found in Chap- ter 2, Part 7. Including applicable regulations in the practice is not essential. Doing so, however, informs maintenance per- sonnel and other agencies that might use your practice that procedures contained in the practice address specific requirements. This will help workers understand that there are factors outside the agency’s control that require them to carry out a task in a very specific manner. Below is an example of wording that might be used in a practice for removing and replacing a muffler. The procedures used in this practice comply with exhaust system routing requirements set forth in the USDOT Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 49CFR393. When it comes to safety precautions, some are legally required while others are based upon OEM recommenda- tions, agency experiences, and just plain common sense. The purpose of informing workers in a separate practice section is to prepare them in advance of the safety precau- tions that must be followed, such as: • Wearing eye, face, foot, ear, hand, and other protection; • Hoisting, lifting, and jacking vehicles; • Cleaning up any lubricants that may fall on the shop floor; • Not overfilling components that contain lubricants; • Not smoking when performing certain tasks; • Turning off battery power when performing certain tasks; and • Reading other safety material or bulletins before start- ing a job. Step 14: Hazardous Materials <Identify any hazardous materials generated from the maintenance tasks, including the proper handling and dis- posal methods for those materials (when applicable)> Notes: Some jobs involve hazardous materials that work- ers need to be informed of in advance. Again, agencies are strongly urged to determine which materials are clas- sified hazardous and the procedures for handling and dis- posing of them because requirements vary by region. A summary of the various regulations that include haz- ardous material is found in Part 7 of Chapter 2. Examples of maintenance practices that may generate hazardous materials include: • Handling and disposal of waste oil and filters; • Handling and disposal of particulate filters (i.e., exhaust filters to reduce emissions); • Handling and discharge of air conditioning refrigerants; and • Handing, application, and disposal of paints. 39 Step 15: Step-by-Step Procedures <Insert step-by-step instructions for each task, and num- ber each one sequentially. Also identify any additional refer- ence material (e.g., OEM manuals) for workers to check when performing the tasks (if applicable)> Notes: This section represents the heart of the maintenance practice because it identifies each task that the worker must follow to successfully accomplish the job at hand. The material used in the step-by-step instructions is based on the agency’s own experiences and its review of applic- able reference material, especially the OEM manuals, as described in Parts 2 and 3 of Chapter 2. Documenting work procedures based solely on existing agency experi- ences is not recommended because the “existing way” may not be the best, the most efficient, or legal. Review- ing OEM manuals, similar practices developed by other agencies, and publications from other sources will most likely introduce methods that may have been overlooked or unknown. The level of detail provided in the step-by-step instruc- tions must be sufficient for the worker to understand each job task and can be handled in one of two ways. One is to make practice instructions a summary of more detailed material used in the agency’s formal training program or included in OEM manuals. In this case, the practice sim- ply refreshes the worker’s memory on more detailed material found elsewhere. If this is the case, include a reference to the supplemental material at the beginning of this practice section. The other way is to make the instructions so comprehensive that they include all of the information needed to carry out the work. Whereas the first approach would instruct workers to raise the bus on a lift and would refer workers to other material for instructions on how to place a specific bus on a specific lift, the second approach would include all of the infor- mation needed within the practice itself. Additional information on integrating training and practice material is found in Part 6 of Chapter 2. The most effective instructions are those that are num- bered sequentially, that break up each task using short descriptions, and that begin with a clear command. The example below describes the first few steps of a practice to remove and replace a rear wheel seal. Step 1: Raise bus on lift to needed height. Step 2: Back off rear brakes by turning slack adjuster, adjusting hex nut counterclockwise using a 12-mm Allen wrench. Step 3: Remove wheel lugs with an impact gun. Step 4: Remove both rear wheels/tires. Include as many individual steps as needed to describe each task, inserting pictures and other graphics where appropriate, and using a clear, concise, and understandable writing style as described in Chapter 3. Examples of sample practices developed from this guidance are included in Chapter 6.

PMI Checklist Because of the many individual steps involved, PMI practices typically involve a checklist. (A checklist can also be used for more involved jobs, such as engine or transmis- sion rebuilding.) The checklist format breaks down each inspection item and includes a “box” or area to indicate if the inspection revealed a normal or abnormal condition, typically expressed as either pass or fail, good or no good. Virtually every agency uses some form of checklist to carry out inspections. While there is no single “universal” format to follow, agencies may want to consider the following approaches for a bus PMI as a way of modifying their exist- ing format: • Include space to indicate bus number, mileage, garage (if applicable), date, and other essential information. • Include space for signature and/or employee identifica- tion number of person(s) performing the inspection. • Include space to indicate fluid and filter changes for each inspection type. For example: – Inspection A: Engine oil and filter. – Inspection B: Engine oil, engine filter, coolant filter, etc. • Break down the inspection checklist into separate cate- gories (e.g., Part 1 and Part 2). For example: – Part 1: Initial Checks (i.e., checks performed while the bus is being moved into the shop) ■ Backup alarm, speedometer operation ■ Etc. – Part 2: Diagnostic Checks (i.e., checks requiring a diagnostic tool plug-in) ■ Engine oil pressure ■ Fuel pressure ■ Etc. – Parts 3, 4, 5, etc.: Undercarriage Checks, Exterior Checks, Interior Checks, etc. • For each major category consider including the various action items that need to take place before carrying out the inspections. For example, action items under Diag- nostic Check could include: – Connect manometer to check air-intake vacuum restriction – Connect exhaust hose – Turn master switch to “Run” position, listen for ABS valve bursts, and start engine • For each inspection item, include a checkbox for indi- cating: – If the inspection revealed a normal condition (e.g., pass), or an abnormal condition that requires follow- up work (e.g., fail) – The criteria for making the inspection. For example: ■ For ABS/traction control valves: a total of four air bursts should be heard ■ For fuel pressure: 25–30 psi @ idle, 70–90 psi at top RPM, etc. 40 • Number each inspection item consecutively (e.g., 1–17). • Add a sheet to each inspection checklist to allow the mechanic to elaborate on the defects found during the inspection. The sheet should include space to indi- cate the corresponding checklist item number and space for describing the defect. For example: – Item #2 (backup alarm): beeps once then turns off. • Consider including a body diagram sheet with each PMI checklist that shows the front, rear, and both side profiles of a generic bus to indicate the location of spe- cific body damage. Note: Examples of checklists used to develop sample PMI practices are found in the sample bus PMI practices found in Chapter 6. Quality Control Checklist Agencies may also want to include in their practices a check- list to indicate when a supervisor or lead worker needs to inspect certain work steps and sign for them before having the worker begin the next task. This can be especially useful for component rebuilds or repairs that involve troubleshooting. In the case of rebuilds, a supervisory signoff ensures that various tasks have been performed according to quality standards before the component has been fully assembled (i.e., before any faulty workmanship can be hidden from view). In the case of trou- bleshooting, a supervisory signoff makes certain that the correct fault diagnosis has been made before the worker begins the repair. Signoff inspections, if required, can be done on a separate checklist attached to the practice. Information contained in the checklist could include: • Practice description (e.g., rebuild circulating pump motor model XYZ), • Employee name and/or identification number, • Date and time started and ended, • Identification of each subtask requiring signoff approval (see Table 4-1), • Employee signature and date, and • Supervisor signature and date. VALIDATING AND UPDATING PRACTICES Validating After practices have been developed, they must be vali- dated to make certain that the procedures contained in them are appropriate, safe, and representative of efficient task sequencing. The validation process continues on a periodic basis to keep practices accurate and effective over time. If time standards are used in practices, they will also need to be validated together with the work procedures. Additional

information on developing and validating time standards is found in Chapter 2, Part 4. The best process to validate practices involves mainte- nance personnel who were not directly involved with the development of the practice. Their involvement in validating the practice will indicate whether the instructions are under- standable and can be effectively carried out. If management developed the practice with experienced supervisory person- nel and did not involve shop mechanics or the union, the val- idation process is a good time to bring them in to test, adjust, and ultimately accept the work procedures. As has been stated throughout this Guidebook, union involvement is absolutely essential to the success of any program that improves productivity and efficiency. The process to substantiate a practice does not have to be complex. The key is to present the instructions contained in the practice to a sampling of maintenance personnel who ulti- mately will be responsible for following the instructions. The purpose is to determine if the practice makes sense and to get input on ways the practice could be improved. Sampling should consist of maintenance personnel with varying degrees of com- petence. While mechanics may be grouped in a similar job classification, some perform better than others. Basing the adequacy of the practice solely on the most competent will not give you a true indication of its worth. Your best mechanics will, however, give you the most valuable feedback. Others will give you a good indication if the instructions are understand- able and can be followed. In the end, the validation process is a “tuning” of the practice to produce a legitimate set of instruc- tions that maintenance personnel will ultimately accept and find 41 useful. Once validated and accepted, it is the responsibility of management to make sure that the contents of the newly issued practice are communicated to maintenance personnel. This can be done formally through the training department or informally on the shop floor by supervisory personnel. Updating If practice validation represents the “initial tuning,” updating is the “fine tuning.” It begins by providing work- ers with a method for submitting requests to revise the prac- tice as they discover more efficient ways to accomplish the tasks or find flaws with the original approach. Parts and training personnel should also be included in the process. Requests for changes could come informally through super- visors or formally using a form designed to collect this infor- mation. The person(s) responsible for writing the practices then use the suggestions offered from agency personnel, ser- vice updates issued by OEMs, information obtained from other agencies’ practices, and other sources to periodically update the practices. In addition to modifying practices based on any new information that comes along, agencies should actively reach out to those in the shop to get addi- tional information. The periodic review of practices should be scheduled on a regular basis (e.g., annually) to ensure that the review gets done. Another way to update practices involves monitoring road calls and other unscheduled maintenance events to determine how practices can be modified to reduce such unscheduled maintenance events. The measure of any practice is its abil- ity to reduce unscheduled maintenance events by addressing the cause of failures during scheduled activities such as PMIs or repair campaigns. Once updated, practices should include the revised date along with the original issue date. The step-by-step format used in Chapter 4 and the corresponding Word template both include provisions for including these dates. Revised practices then need to be distributed to affected maintenance personnel (for agencies that integrate practices with their training program) and to the training department. Task Number Task Specification (if applicable) Supervisor Initials 4 Disassemble and clean all parts 6 Check armature for shorts 12 Test amp draw Between 5 and8 amps TABLE 4-1 Example identification of subtasks requiring signoff approval

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A Guidebook for Developing and Sharing Transit Bus Maintenance Practices Get This Book
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TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 109: A Guidebook for Developing and Sharing Transit Bus Maintenance Practices provides guidance on how to develop effective transit bus maintenance practices tailored to the local operating environment. The report provides seven sample practices developed using the guidance.

An on-line Web Board, referenced in TCRP Report 109, no longer exists; however, the ListServ capability of the original Web Board has been taken over by the Transit Maintenance Analysis and Resource Center (TMAARC). TMAARC is managed and funded by the Florida Department of Transportation and administered by the University of South Florida's Center for Urban Transportation Research.

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