How Can We Best Provide Safety for BISD Student Bus Riders? Part II~Daniel Lenz Analyzes Inspector's Report on School Bus Fires

BISD Superintendent Carl Montoya

It was only after a second school bus fire within a week last October that BISD Superintendent Carl Montoya called for an investigation. (Actually, we later learned, at least three bus fires had occurred within six months, an inordinate number for any bus system, let alone one carrying students.)

Montoya engaged Dynamic Technical Consultants, Inc., a four person company out of Raleigh, North Carolina, to investigate the cause or causes of the fires. To this day BISD has never shared that report with the public or detailed any corrective measures implemented by the district to prevent recurrence.  

BISD Attorney Miguel Salinas

Our May 28, 2014 Public Information Request, initially denied by the district, was finally fulfilled July 15, 2014 when we received a certified letter from BISD Staff Attorney Miguel Salinas, mentioning the district's withdrawal of request for an Attorney General ruling on the release of the report. The 19 page report from Dynamic Technical Consultants, Inc. was included in the packet. 

Brownsville Metro Advisory Board Chairman
Daniel Lenz(on the left) Bus Driver
 Appreciation Day

While something might have popped out at me from the report, I always defer to experts;  Tad Hasse on differential calculus, Roman Perez on Robert's Rules of Order or the Southmost Library's Tom Robinson, south Texas' first ecologist, on the migration trails of the ocelot.  With respect to buses, transportation systems, maintenance and management, Brownsville has likely one of the country's leading experts, Brownsville Metro Advisory Board Chairman Daniel Lenz.

Lenz, after spending a few hours with the DTC report, agreed to meet us at his Brownsville Country Club home for an interview:

Mean Mister Brownsville:  Daniel, now that you've had a chance to review it, what is your overall impression of the Dynamic Technical Consultants, Inc. report on the BISD bus fires?

Lenz:  My initial reaction is that it's not very comprehensive.  The 19 pages of report include 15 full page black & white pictures, but only 4 pages of written report, double-spaced.  Of 73 actual lines, 54 are irrelevant or repeat information gleaned from BISD.  The 19 lines of pertinent information gives no common denominator or actual findings. Some of the conclusions seem questionable.

MMB:  So, I take it that you would have approached the investigation differently?

Lenz:  Typically, I would start an investigation with the maintenance files involving all three buses, No #528, No #545 and No #447.  You start with basic maintenance like oil changes and lubrication, then filter changes, including fuel filters, then move to Periodic Inspection Reports required by law.  

Next, you look at all Repair Orders for the buses.  You need the date of repair, location of repair, vehicle make, model and year, odometer reading, VIN number, description of repair, mechanic performing repair and signing off as completed.  You need a list of parts replaced with manufacturer parts numbers.

The above information gives you a starting place for an investigation once you get on site to look at the vehicle.

MMB:  Does DTC include any of this in their report?

Lenz:  No.  It appears they only did an on site inspection of the buses.  It's not that you can't ascertain the cause of the fire from an on site inspection, it's just that without an understanding of the maintenance history, it's almost impossible to get to the root cause. An on site inspection of the bus involved in the April 2013 fire was simply a waste of money.  After six months on the lot, such a vehicle becomes simply a "parts bus" and the actual condition at the time of the fire cannot be assured.

MMB:  I suspect a Lenz inspection would involve more than maintenance records and an on site look at the buses?

Lenz:  Yes, Jim.  Recalls, Field Service Bulletins, Field Service Kits or Service Information Letters from the manufacturers should be in the files for each bus.  In each case, the manufacturer has a responsibility to prove they sent the bulletin and it was received, while the client must prove they implemented the recall or service bulletin.  This kind of information is critical to any investigation.

Texas Inspection Reports and fuel logs are critical.  If a vehicle starts using more fuel than usual, a fuel leak may be indicated.  

None of this is mentioned in the DTC report. 

From the editor:  In the next installment of the interview, Lenz comments on other aspects of a complete bus fire investigation. He has his own observations on DTC's on site examination and, more importantly, school bus safety.  

Please recall, this information is coming from a man who has successfully run several large bus systems, including school buses, was called to inspect the buses used in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, taught 1,500 mechanics, drivers and personnel for the New Jersey Transit Authority and sent by the U.S. government as part of an A.I.D.(Aid International Development) package to establish  and improve bus service in Egypt.

(to be continued)