The Twin Rivers Unified School District (USD) in Sacramento, California, has added more EV buses to its fleet and has chosen the Stertil-Koni Skylift for its maintenance work.
Twin Rivers USD is home to the largest fleet of electric vehicle school buses in North America, operating 40 EV buses as part of a combined 125-vehicle fleet. Twin Rivers is facing a unique challenge of how best to maintain a diverse fleet of combustion engine and electric power vehicles, each class with critical, yet different service and preventative maintenance (PM) requirements.
Some notable differences include:
• EVs require fewer brake services, as regenerative braking reduces brake component wear.
• EVs do not require routine oil changes but may require servicing for battery coolant systems.
• Undercarriage vehicle access for EVs is critical, as drive motors, batteries, and control devices are located beneath the vehicle.
• Weight distribution in EVs varies greatly to account for battery packs.
• EV construction may vary by manufacturer, with some built on standalone, purpose-built fiberglass chassis requiring special attention to lifting points.
At Twin Rivers, the powerful Stertil-Koni Skylift – a heavy duty platform lift that uniquely provides a "clear floor” concept – was chosen for EV bus maintenance work. The product’s design includes two independent runways, vertical lifting, no crossbeams, no overhang, no base frame, dependable hydraulic technology, a mechanical locking system, and free access to the vehicle from all sides.
The Skylift’s design allows for immediate access to the center frame rails of the raised bus, a feature of key importance in new generation EVs. The battery packs and drive motors are located within these frame rails, giving technicians the ability to rapidly swap batteries before the afternoon route. The Stertil-Koni Skylift also offers optional automatic pit covers to further improve EV serviceability. These hot-dip galvanized plates rise up from the floor beneath a flush-mount Skylift, providing a full clear floor when the lift is fully raised. This affords the technician improved access to the vehicle’s center frame rails for drive motor and battery pack access, the company said.
“Keeping the high voltage systems safe is vital. These vehicles require complete undercarriage access for inspection and repair of battery packs, wiring, and thermal management systems," said Twin Rivers’ vehicle maintenance manager Raymond Manalo.
The Skylift is also relocatable. In fact, Twin Rivers USD selected a flush-mount Skylift, installed in surface-mount configuration while a new, larger facility is being constructed. In that way, the Skylift could be bolted directly to the current floor without construction, allowing Twin Rivers USD to simply transport the Skylift to its new, permanent home.
