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ALSAPS test


SIZ

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MTA bus

 

It's all MTA and the stuff is the same. I don't have the book they gave me (they take them back), but amazingly I remembered it.

 

ALSAPS = 1. Air leakage, 2. Low air alarm/buzzer 3. Spring brake (pop up), 4. Air compressor, 5. Parking brake (same as spring brakes, but different use here), and 6. Service brakes.

 

1. Air leakage: They are going to ask you to get behind the wheel for this test. The bus will be off, and must be off for 1-3. To do the air leakage rate you look at the air pressure gauge. Tell the instructor how much air is in the gauge. You then depress the brake pedal. This gives you your initial air loss. Tell the instructor this, immediately. You keep your foot on the brake pedal for two minutes, to get the air leakage rate. So it's like 3 parts for #1.

 

*example is when you get behind the wheel and read the gauge it says 120lbs of air. You say I have 120lbs of air. You step on the brake pedal, and it immediately drops to 115lbs psi, you say "it's at 115psi my initial air loss is 5lbs psi". You then keep your foot on the brake pedal for 2 minutes (alot don't let you wait that long), and you should lose no more that 2lbs per minute. If it goes down to 113lbs, you say "it's at 113lbs psi, my air leakage rate is 2lbs psi in 2 minutes*.

 

2. Low Air Buzzer: You turn the control knob to lights, but don't start the engine. You pump the brake pedal until the buzzer goes off. When you hear it you tell the instructor at what PSI did it go off. That should be at around 80-60PSI.

 

3. Spring brake: You make sure the bus is on level ground, release the parking brake (aka spring brake), and continue depressing the brake pedal. The parking brake should pop up at around 40-30 psi. When it pops up, you tell the instructor "spring brakes engaged at whatever it is, PSI".

 

4. Air Compressor: Now you turn on the bus, and let it run (with fast idle on). (They may make you do a wrap around during this time (pointing things out in front that should be there and not broken)). Pay attention to the PSSSHHHHH sound. That would be the compressor cutting off, and that should be at 120-130lbs psi in the RTS they train everyone on. Tell the instructor "the compressor cut out at whatever it is, PSI".

 

5. Parking Brake: With bus still running you shut off the fast idle, and then put the bus in drive (DO NOT RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKES). You give the bus a little gas, and the bus should lean to the right (door side), but not move. Say "bus leaned to the right, bus didn't move, parking brakes work properly".

 

6. Service Brakes: You now disengage the parking brakes, and let the bus roll 20-40ft (do it length of bus to be safe....40ft). Press the brake pedal, and bus should stop without pulling to the left or to the right. Say "bus stopped normally, no pulling to the left or right. That means the brakes are aligned properly.

 

PSI=Pound Per Square inch.

 

It's alot, but if somehow you could print this and take it with you, you and your classmates can do what is on this paper, when the instructor is not around, or when you are on break. Just don't move the bus without the instructor telling you to.

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  • 2 months later...
It's all MTA and the stuff is the same. I don't have the book they gave me (they take them back), but amazingly I remembered it.

 

ALSAPS = 1. Air leakage, 2. Low air alarm/buzzer 3. Spring brake (pop up), 4. Air compressor, 5. Parking brake (same as spring brakes, but different use here), and 6. Service brakes.

 

1. Air leakage: They are going to ask you to get behind the wheel for this test. The bus will be off, and must be off for 1-3. To do the air leakage rate you look at the air pressure gauge. Tell the instructor how much air is in the gauge. You then depress the brake pedal. This gives you your initial air loss. Tell the instructor this, immediately. You keep your foot on the brake pedal for two minutes, to get the air leakage rate. So it's like 3 parts for #1.

 

*example is when you get behind the wheel and read the gauge it says 120lbs of air. You say I have 120lbs of air. You step on the brake pedal, and it immediately drops to 115lbs psi, you say "it's at 115psi my initial air loss is 5lbs psi". You then keep your foot on the brake pedal for 2 minutes (alot don't let you wait that long), and you should lose no more that 2lbs per minute. If it goes down to 113lbs, you say "it's at 113lbs psi, my air leakage rate is 2lbs psi in 2 minutes*.

 

2. Low Air Buzzer: You turn the control knob to lights, but don't start the engine. You pump the brake pedal until the buzzer goes off. When you hear it you tell the instructor at what PSI did it go off. That should be at around 80-60PSI.

 

3. Spring brake: You make sure the bus is on level ground, release the parking brake (aka spring brake), and continue depressing the brake pedal. The parking brake should pop up at around 40-30 psi. When it pops up, you tell the instructor "spring brakes engaged at whatever it is, PSI".

 

4. Air Compressor: Now you turn on the bus, and let it run (with fast idle on). (They may make you do a wrap around during this time (pointing things out in front that should be there and not broken)). Pay attention to the PSSSHHHHH sound. That would be the compressor cutting off, and that should be at 120-130lbs psi in the RTS they train everyone on. Tell the instructor "the compressor cut out at whatever it is, PSI".

 

5. Parking Brake: With bus still running you shut off the fast idle, and then put the bus in drive (DO NOT RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKES). You give the bus a little gas, and the bus should lean to the right (door side), but not move. Say "bus leaned to the right, bus didn't move, parking brakes work properly".

 

6. Service Brakes: You now disengage the parking brakes, and let the bus roll 20-40ft (do it length of bus to be safe....40ft). Press the brake pedal, and bus should stop without pulling to the left or to the right. Say "bus stopped normally, no pulling to the left or right. That means the brakes are aligned properly.

 

PSI=Pound Per Square inch.

 

It's alot, but if somehow you could print this and take it with you, you and your classmates can do what is on this paper, when the instructor is not around, or when you are on break. Just don't move the bus without the instructor telling you to.

 

#3:Spring brake test. You have to make sure the rear wheels are chocked and the front tires turned to the right(curb).

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#3:Spring brake test. You have to make sure the rear wheels are chocked and the front tires turned to the right(curb).

 

They didn't make me do that. If the wheels are chocked and the wheels are turned to the curb, that will keep the bus from rolling, so even though you hear the sound of the spring brakes engaging, you won't know if they are truly engaged. You want to make sure they are engaged and the bus doesn't roll, and the only way to do that is to have the wheels straight.

 

Then again all instructors are different in how they do things.......

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They didn't make me do that. If the wheels are chocked and the wheels are turned to the curb, that will keep the bus from rolling, so even though you hear the sound of the spring brakes engaging, you won't know if they are truly engaged. You want to make sure they are engaged and the bus doesn't roll, and the only way to do that is to have the wheels straight.

 

Then again all instructors are different in how they do things.......

 

I was taught that way on a school bus,because the next step after the spring brake test is the parking brake test,of course after you build up the air pressure to around 120 psi. I spent more time on inclines and declines rather than flat road surfaces during my pre trip inspection training.

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I was taught that way on a school bus,because the next step after the spring brake test is the parking brake test,of course after you build up the air pressure to around 120 psi. I spent more time on inclines and declines rather than flat road surfaces during my pre trip inspection training.

 

Yes, so after the spring brakes pop up, the air pressure build up, the compressor goes off, you have to put the bus in drive, but not release the parking/spring brakes, and give the bus a little acceleration. The bus should not move. You won't find out if the bus will move, if your tires are turned toward the curb. The curb will keep it from moving. You won't know if the parking/spring brakes are keeping it from moving.

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