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| June 4, 2004 |
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| June 4, 2004 |
ADMINISTRATION:
Garage Addition:
Partial funding has been
received for the next phase of garage construction, which is the addition of two
storage lanes on the south side of the building.
The architect is busy preparing plans and specifications.
We expect to open bids in July or August and construction should start by
October.
New
Vehicles:
We are in the process of purchasing a new minivan to replace 931. It should be
here some time during the summer. Four
new Orion V’s have been ordered, almost identical to the last Orion order.
Delivery is expected by early June, 2005.
OPERATIONS:
Caution, Road Construction Ahead: Major road construction
projects that impact CyRide operations are as follows:
Ontario
between North Dakota and Florida: June
1 – August 1. Ontario Street will be totally reconstructed.
The raised medians will be removed, a center turn-lane will be marked,
and westbound bus parking lanes (westbound?) will be created.
Affects Green route. Detour
along N. Dakota to Toronto to Florida back on to Ontario.
Mortensen
Parkway between Gateway Hills Park Drive and Elwood Drive:
June 1 – August 15. Mortensen
Parkway will be totally reconstructed. Affects
Brown route. Detour along Storm
Street to S. 4th Street (Blue route) to Elwood Drive.
Be
patient. Expect delays. Drive with caution through construction zones and notify the
dispatcher if you need assistance. If
you have further questions, contact your friendly dispatcher.
Detour information will be posted at the Dispatch Office.
(Barb and George)
Conferences This Summer:
CyRide will be assisting with two major conferences this summer.
The first conference is the National Conference of Chemical Educators July 18 to 22. We will
be running shuttle bus service from ISC into campus.
We
will also be running shuttles for the Boy Scout’s National Order of the Arrow
July 31 to Aug 5, 2004. Shuttles
will be similar to last time they were in town.
If you are looking for extra work, please see a dispatcher and sign up.
More details will be available as conferences get closer but please keep
these dates available to assist if possible.
(Barb and George)
Thunderstorms
and Tornadoes: Late
spring in Iowa heralds the arrival of severe weather.
During severe weather, the dispatcher will monitor radio and television
broadcasts and will notify drivers of dangerous conditions.
Drivers should notify the dispatcher if they must stop due to poor
visibility caused by heavy rain or hail. Drivers
should also call the dispatcher for instructions if a detour is required due to
street flooding.
In the event of a tornado warning,
drivers should stop the bus in a safe location.
Drivers should then direct their passengers to the nearest building for
shelter. If no building is
available, drivers should instruct their passengers to stay on the bus and
remain below window level. Once the
sirens have stopped, drivers should contact the dispatcher for further
instructions. (Dorothy and
Toto)
Windows and Roof Vents:
When you return to base to park your bus at the end of your shift, please
close all windows and roof vents. Also
walk through your bus and pick-up any rubbish or lost items.
Doing the above will make the lane worker’s life easier when they clean
and refuel your bus. (Barb and
George)
Air-conditioning Duct
Temperatures: All the
air-conditioned buses are equipped with a duct temperature gauge located behind
the driver’s modesty panel in the air conditioning duct.
This gauge will determine if the air-conditioning system is cooling
properly. The temperature on the
duct gauge should be approximately 20 degrees below the outside ambient
temperature. This reading will vary
slightly due to humidity or high temperatures (above 90 degrees F). The duct temperature may not necessarily be the same as the
interior cabin temperature of the bus. If
the duct temperature is not at least 20 degrees below the outside ambient
temperature, the dispatcher should be notified (along with the current duct
temperature reading). (Barb and
George)
Smile
for the Camera: Fourteen digital camera
systems were recently installed in units 941, 967, 912, 926, 927, 954, 955, 970,
972, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977. These
systems will provide an additional level of security for our drivers.
If an incident should occur on your bus, press the save button on the LCD
Control Module above your head. Doing
this will store the incident permanently. The
display on the LCD Control Module normally indicates “SYSTEM OK” once the
system completes its start-up diagnostics.
If you do not obtain a “SYSTEM OK” readout, inform base and complete
a maintenance card. (George)
ISU ID Cards: Please
remember that all ISU students need to show a red ISU ID card in order to ride
free (except for the circulator routes and the free stops on campus).
If they do not show an ISU ID card, drivers must ask for it.
If the student does not have it with them you may let them ride that time
but remind them to have it with then the next time.
If it happens a second time you should tell them that they can ride but
you will not be able to let them ride if it happens a third time. After the second incident drivers should fill out an
information report at the end of their shift.
If the student says they lost their ID you should
inform them that they could obtain a duplicate in the ISU Card Office in
Beardshear Hall. (Karen)
Saving Fuel: With
fuel prices up we want to remind everyone to help us save fuel by shutting down
your bus when you can. If you do
not need to keep the bus running for AC and you have more than 3 minutes at your
end point please remember to shut your bus down.
(Karen)
HIRING AND
TRAINING:
New Hires:
There are many new faces here at CyRide.
Thanks to everyone for extending a warm welcome to all who have been
hired in the last few weeks. There
will be many more new faces before the fall schedule begins.
We are looking for qualified applicants.
If you know people who may be interested in working here at CyRide,
encourage them to apply. It could be worth $50.
(Brent and Jenny)
Can you train a lot?
Instructors, if you are willing to train
more than three shifts per week, please let Brent and Jenny know so we can plan
accordingly before we get lots of new trainees in the door over the next 3
months. (Brent and Jenny)
SHOP:
Air Conditioners:
All the air conditioners have been checked and are in good condition.
If the duct temperature is not at least 20 degrees cooler than the
outside temperature, call your friendly dispatcher.
We are not supporting the air conditioning on some of the old Orion I’s
and the Madison buses; however, the AC may be working on some of them.
Wheelchair Lifts:
934 has received a new lift; 933 will get a new one in the fall.
"Madison Buses":
983 and 984 will be coming out of the shop this month, but will not be used very
much until fall schedule.
Bus for Sale:
916 is for sale and the remainder of the 40 foot Gilligs will be parked and sold
as we get the “new” Madison buses (there are nine of them) ready for
service. 922 and 884 will
also be sold. A bus museum has
requested that we sell these museum quality buses to them.