Stopping and Starting

One of the most challenging aspects which takes its toll on the body is trying to maintain a smooth start and stop, particularly on a hill. All coaches are not equal. In order to maintain an even stop on a hill, some coaches require 40 to 60 percent more force on the pedal, and then, at 3 m.p.h., where the dynamic brake kicks-in, an abrupt off pedal feather to prevent a lurch.

Slack brakes are what cause the abrupt lurch after the air brake disengages right before the full stop. On a heavy day, with many hills, this can cause the calf or hamstring muscles to “complain.” In order to keep hearing “thank you” when passengers alight, much torque force and muscle tension must be applied on a regular, staccato, repetitive manner. Sometimes we use the hill holder toggle to hold the bus instead of the service brake. This is a no-no.

As a passenger, especially if reading or texting, be mindful not to use the canvas hand-holds. This places you in an unstable mode. These loops are for sitting down or getting up only. If we start on a hill without first letting off of the service brake, you can feel the jerk. It is easy typing this information on a black and white manuscript to state that using the hill holder is not advised to release the brakes on a hill, but after hours and hours of double headway, fatigue sets-in. Our jerk is not necessarily from laziness, but of preservation of our quads and hamstrings.

If the time behind the seat is for more than four hours without a break, and you are missing a leader, this makes it difficult to walk up the stairs after work! Keeping my body from falling apart as I add on the mileage over the years of driving a bus is definitely a challenge to be able to stay at work and be in the Zen zone!