First Parade Task, Last Parade Task

When I am on AM Shift duty, this is one of the important task and responsibility for me.

I am accountable for the road worthiness of the bus before it departs or roll out from the bus depot for revenue-able service.

There is minimum time stipulated that I have to report to work, to start duty. If I am late for the cutoff time, my duty will be locked and cancelled. The Starter will have the prerogative and sole authority to assign my shift duty number (SDN) to another BC that is on “standby”.

Worst case, I will be classified as “AWOL” and no pay for the day and there may be a deduction to my incentives.

When the bus has to leave the depot by 0500hr, the latest time, for me to clock and sign-on for duty is 0445hr to perform this First Parade Task (FPT). The interchange that I am servicing has 2 large depots that house some 600 buses. It is split into 2 depots to hold about 300 each, and because of the size of depot at time just to locate where the bus been parked on the bus park plan, and walking to where it is been parked, is  a dreaded early morning task for me.

The complete checklist for 1^st parade task is a very long one, however, some very crucial tasks are worth mentioning here include; checking of engine oil, power steering hydraulic, transmission belt condition, radiator water level and tyres condition. For the safety of the pax and myself, I welling agreed to perform.

Next, the braking system and the proper functioning of the handbrake will be tested after the initial roll out of the bus form where it is been parked earlier. The bus braking system uses compressed air to lock and unlock; without sufficient air pressure, the brake is not released and the wheels are not free to roll. i.e. the bus will just stay put!

When I need to stop or slow down the bus, I will depress the brake pedal and that sends air pressure to the brake system mechanism that activated the brake pad mechanism which comes into contact the drums to slow down the bus.

One big advantage of using air brakes is that it is easy to hook up a bus and have trouble free and reliable braking at all time!, robust braking. Since there is no hydraulic is been used, there is no liquid to leak, except out gassing only lah, ha.

Buses and Driver Going Home
(Last Parade Task)

Whenever I am on PM Shift, I sincerely dreaded this Last Parade Task (LPT). Two reasons, one is, about an hour of Queuing, along a 2KM road leading to the bus depot. There will be many repeated hand and leg motion for start, stop and idling along the way. The other is my personal fear and worry in doing reverse parking at the depot after the bus been machine washed.

Every night, with its peak period around 0030hr to 0140hr, some 350 buses will rush to return back to the depot to sign-off for end duty.

There is limited diesel filling station to cater for all the buses at anyone moment; the average refueling time is about 2 to 4 mins per bus. Mathematically, every night an average of 1000mins will be spent in filling up all the buses.

During the entire PM shift, I will be driving in a forward motion for 8-10 hours.  After diesel refuel, I have to drive the bus to the washing bay for a wash.  Prior to the bus wash or refueling, the depot parking supervisor will give me instruction on where I will be parking the bus overnight.

If I am lucky, I will get a simple lot with forward parking action only. If not, when been directed to do reverse parking somewhere in a poorly lighted corner, I will freak out at that moment.  I am worry because of poor visibility to judge the air gap in-between buses, and limited space in the depot to house some many buses for overnight parking. Many a time the buses have to be parked so near and so close to each other. It is so close, just enough for the BC’s body width, to get down and go home!

Right after the bus wash, the rear side mirror has limited visibility with image distortion bought about by the layer of water, and its surface tension. Frankly, my mental fatigue also has compound my fear for doing reverse parking in the very congested Woodlands Bus Depot. 

(Mr. K. Poobathy, Depot Asst., enjoying his well deserved teh-tarih, in the wee morning hours)

So how?, I humbled myself and sincerely ask the Depot/Parking assistant (Mr. K. Poobathy), to direct and guide me. He is my survivor, whenever, I been assigned to a complicated and constrained parking lot.  Since there is little value in looking and using the rear mirror that is blurred by the water; I just put myself 100% trust and confidence to the parking assistant. With the right side mirror been opened, and my eyes trained at the parking assistant’s hands without fail; when he said turn right, fully, I will just turn the steering fully to the right, full full; and when he said ballast, I will turn the steering to the left.

Such is the hassle and danger of ending my duty for PM Shift.

(another 1KM to go before arriving at the entrance gate of the Depot for diesel refueling)