Drummondville, Canada – Jan. 24, 2017 – Corp. Micro Bird Inc., a major manufacturer of school buses, has announced the recall of numerous bus models as a result of multiple defects, affecting bus operation and safety.
The Defects
Corp. Micro Bird will be recalling model year 2015-2017 Micro Bird T-Series buses. Two groups will be recalled in response to two separate defects. The first includes buses manufactured between Aug. 24, 2015 and Nov. 30, 2016. The second involves those built on Ford chassis and manufactured between Oct. 1, 2014 and Dec. 15, 2016.
The first group is being recalled as a result of a defective battery-powered wheelchair lift. These lifts contain interlocks that can be deactivated by drivers, allowing the bus to be operated while the lift is down. This may destabilize the buses as they are driven, and may also increase the risk of damage and injury to other nearby vehicles.
The second recall is in response to defective frame extension adaptors. During an accident, force that is applied to seat belts on seats installed just above the frame extension adapters will put pressure on the adapters, causing them to deform. This, in turn, can increase the chance of injury to passengers.
Timeline of Events
- Nov. 9, 2016 – Corp. Micro Bird conducted a mandatory test of seats attached to the last rows of the affected buses, located over the frame extensions. During the test, mechanics observed significant damage to the frame extension adapters and the floors of the buses.
- Nov. 11, 2016 – Corp. Micro Bird received pictures of results of the initial tests. However, they were not clear enough to indicate the specific causes of the damage observed.
- Nov. 23, 2016 – Bus chassis were sent to a Corp. Micro Bird facility for further inspection. Mechanics determined that the problem was not due to a defect in the specific vehicle, but rather a component design issue that would have affected all buses manufactured during a specific time frame.
- Nov. 30, 2016 – Meanwhile, another routine inspection of different buses from the same manufacturer noted that some vehicles could be started even when the power-lift switches were in the off position. This prevented the lift from being operated, so that if it was stored it could not be deployed, and if it had been deployed it could not be retracted, even if the bus was moving. The manufacturer decided that this issue presented a safety risk that would have to be addressed by the recall process.
- Dec. 8, 2016 – Corp. Micro Bird decided that the frame extension adapter issue posed a risk to all vehicles with a similar design, and decided that a safety recall would be the most prudent option.
Resolution
Remedy of the powered wheelchair lift issue will be the responsibility of bus owners. Corp. Micro Bird will send materials and all necessary instructions to each owner. This will be done free of charge. Meanwhile, the recall schedule for the frame extension adapter issue has not yet been determined, nor has the specific remedy. The manufacturer plans to release a recall schedule soon, and owners can contact Corp. Micro Bird for more information.
