NYDOT Commends TCAT

July 16th, 2010

...it launched four years ago to improve its fleet preventive maintenance program has paid off with TCAT now having one of the best inspection- pass records in the state, announced TCAT General Manager Joe Turcotte.

The New York State Department of Transportation recently lauded TCAT for having a high bus safety inspection pass rate, which by its standards, must be at least 90 percent.

NYDOT inspected TCAT's fleet during the state fiscal year from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010, and found TCAT to have a 90.1 percent pass rate which "places your maintenance program among the best," said Donald A. Baker, director of NYDOT's Office of Modal Safety and Security, in a June 14 letter to TCAT.

 "Your commendable performance indicates a strong dedication to safety and a commitment to sound maintenance standards and practices," Baker said. "I encourage you to keep up the good work."

The industry standard is for preventive maintenance to be performed on buses every 6,000 miles in service.  In 2006, TCAT ramped up significantly by requiring preventive maintenance for every 3,300 miles. The result: a year- to- year steady increase in inspection pass rates from 63.3 percent in 2006 to the most recent 90.1 pass rate.

Better preventive maintenance nets savings in parts, fuel efficiency and other costs associated with operating TCAT's fleet of more than 50 buses, Turcotte said. In addition, it substantially reduces the number of breakdowns and road calls, thus less inconvenience to TCAT's valued riders.

"We will keep up the good work and will not rest on our laurels until we reach a pass rate of 100 percent," Turcotte said.