Before USD 373 students climb aboard a school bus for the new school year, each vehicle undergoes an extensive inspection process designed to help ensure it is ready for the road.

Every student transportation vehicle and school bus in the district must pass a two-part annual inspection required by the Kansas Highway Patrol. The process begins with USD 373 mechanic Jake Torres, who carefully examines each vehicle before KHP conducts its independent inspection.

“My inspection is very thorough,” Torres said. “I inspect the interior, exterior, powertrain, safety components and accessories, as well as the signage for those components on every vehicle and school bus the district has.”

Once Torres completes his work, Kansas Highway Patrol inspectors examine each bus to confirm that its lights and signals function properly and that all emergency alarms activate as intended. Inspectors also verify that each bus carries the required first aid kit, bodily-fluid cleanup kit and emergency triangles. Fire extinguishers must be securely mounted, fully charged and current on their own annual inspections.

Preparation begins even before the school year ends. Each driver submits a maintenance request form—known within the department as a “pink sheet”—identifying any concerns they have noticed while driving their bus.

“I address those items first,” Torres said. “Then I go through each vehicle myself, note any additional issues I find and take care of those.”

Some repairs are relatively routine, while others require more time and specialized parts. With so many lights on a single school bus, burned-out bulbs and damaged light mounts are common. Torres also frequently repairs emergency alarm switches, replaces worn tires and suspension components, and updates safety stickers or labels that have faded or deteriorated.

Because the district’s buses are parked outside throughout the year, heat, rain, snow and other elements can be especially hard on plastic components.

“Basically, anything plastic usually needs attention or may need to be replaced because it becomes brittle from being outside in the elements,” Torres said.

Whenever possible, Torres completes repairs in-house, helping the district control costs and return buses to service more quickly. The availability of parts, however, can sometimes complicate the process. A specialized emissions component for one wheelchair-accessible bus was once on national back order, leaving the vehicle out of service for three months. Because the district has only one spare bus equipped with a wheelchair lift, keeping specialized vehicles operational is especially important.

Torres tries to keep commonly needed parts on hand while balancing costs and product warranties. Keeping buses available is not only essential for daily routes but also for activity trips and substitute drivers.

“If a bus is down, that driver needs a spare,” he explained. “Then, if that driver has an activity trip and a substitute is covering the route, that substitute also needs a bus. It can become challenging very quickly.”

Although summer is the busiest period for inspection preparation, Torres said the best approach is to address maintenance needs throughout the school year as they arise. That allows him to spend the summer concentrating on larger projects such as changing tires, replacing or adjusting brakes, and sewing or reupholstering seats.

At the same time, he remains responsible for maintaining other district vehicles used by the maintenance and food service departments.

Torres also occasionally steps away from the shop to cover a bus route when substitute drivers are unavailable—a reminder that safely transporting students requires cooperation throughout the entire department.

“It takes a team to make it all happen,” Torres said. “Our drivers are human, and they are working as hard as they can. When we are short-staffed, everyone adapts to keep our routes covered and our students moving safely.”

Despite the challenges that can arise, Torres wants USD 373 families to know that safety remains at the center of every inspection, repair and route.

“Their child’s safety is our number one priority,” he said. “My work is just one part of that. Families put their trust in us, and we are always working to improve and keep that trust.”