2015 MAINTENANCE SURVEY
Fleet Age for School Buses
Averages 9.3 Years
SBF’s annual Maintenance Survey also finds the average bus-to-technician ratio at 19:1,
and starting pay for techs continues to rise.
BY THOMAS MCMAHON, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Bus-to-tech ratio (by fleet size)
14
Buses in fleet
1-24
20
21
25-49
50-99
24
24
100-299
300+
0
18
school bus fleet
5
•
March 2015
10
15
Buses per tech
20
25
The ratio of school buses
to full-time technicians
typically increases with
fleet size. The average
ratio for all fleet sizes is
19 buses per tech.
School bus fleet age up slightly
10.00yrs
Average age (years)
9.75yrs
8.68.58.89.39.09.3
Respondents estimated
the average age of
their school bus fleets.
The overall average of
respondents’ fleet ages
is 9.3 years, up slightly
from the 2014 average,
9.0 years, but the same
as the 2013 figure.
9.50yrs
9.25yrs
9.00yrs
8.75yrs
8.50yrs
8.25yrs
8.00yrs
Survey year
2010 20112012201320142015
Starting tech pay keeps rising
$17.36
$16.41
$17.04
$17.54
$17.82
Average hourly pay
$18.00
This year’s survey found
that the average
starting wage for school
bus technicians is $17.82
per hour, continuing a
steady increase over
the past few years.
Some respondents
reported starting wage
as an annual salary; the
average of those for 2015
is $38,558.
$17.75
$17.50
$17.25
$17.00
$16.75
$16.50
$16.25
$16.00
Year
20112012201320142015
Basis for oil changes
Miles driven
65%
Combination of factors
25%
Have parts inventory on site?
Yes
No
21%
79%
Hours of operation
5%
Period of time
3%
Oil analysis
2%
Respondents were asked how they determine when to change engine oil in
their school buses. About two-thirds (65%) base it on miles driven. One-fourth
(25%) use a combination of factors.
About four-fifths (79%) of the operations surveyed
keep inventory for parts on site.
March 2015
•
school bus fleet
19
2015 MAINTENANCE SURVEY
Miles per bus, per year
Percentage of respondents
70%
61%
60%
50%
40%
23%
30%
20%
8%
10%
0%
10K
Under
Miles/bus
9K
10K-19.
8%
.9K K or more
20K-29
30
Respondents were asked
for the average number of
miles driven annually per
school bus in their fleet.
About three-fifths (61%)
fell in the range of 10,000
to 19,999 miles per bus,
per year.
What part do you buy the most of?
Type of part
Percentage of respondents
Oil & lubrication 2
4%
Filters 19%
Electrical parts 12%
Lights 11%
Brakes 9%
Tires 8%
Engine parts 7%
Seat covers 3%
Windshield wipers 3%
Other 4%
0%
6%
12%
18%
24%
Nearly one-fourth (24%)
of respondents said that
oil and lubrication is the
type of part they buy the
most of for their school
buses. Just under one-fifth
(19%) of respondents cited
filters.
30%
Ratio of vehicles
School buses
68%
20
school bus fleet
•
March 2015
Other vehicles
32%
On average, more than
two-thirds (68%) of the
vehicles that respondents’
operations maintain
are school buses. Some
typical other vehicles
are maintenance trucks,
school district cars and
motorcoaches.