By Dave Millhouser
ABC Companies

"Buses are too heavy to slide." A fateful declaration uttered by Okie, a 23-year-old bus driver speaking from his many minutes of experience.

Hours later, as a number of us sat in the bus garage, he returned from a ski charter. He came roaring up to the facility and we could hear the coach air brakes make a frantic chuffing sound -- reminiscent of a steam locomotive. Then there was silence.

Ten minutes later, he staggered through the door, covered with snow. "You guys were right," he said, "they WILL slide." We trooped outside to revel in the sight of his coach in a ditch. Okie wasnt from Oklahoma; the nickname referred to the solidity of his head.

Winter is an ugly time in the life of a bus.

Often, business is slow and owners feel compelled to take tough jobs for low pay. The work is hard on both drivers and equipment, and riskier than usual.

A few things learned over the years, often the hard way, may help. It might be wise to get drivers together now that the holidays are over -- to discuss driving and handling during winter conditions.

Buses WILL slide, and drivers need to be reminded of that fact. The extra weight of a coach may delay loss of traction but, when it happens, that weight makes it exponentially harder to stop or control.

Anti-lock brakes and traction control systems are helpful, but are no substitute for training and restraint. Once that jewel starts sliding, it becomes a sled. The problem is compounded if its an older coach without modern braking features (and, gee whiz, dont we prefer sending older equipment on these missions?).

The operator should know what features are on the bus hes driving, and what effect theyll have on handling and stopping.

Modern engines have so much torque that, on ice, they can spin drive wheels at idle and dig a tiny trench in ice that is so difficult to escape that it might as well be the Grand Canyon. Rocking often works but can damage the transmission and other drive train components if its done with too much enthusiasm. Driver understanding and training can cut the risk.

Differentials are clever devices most of the time but in slippery conditions (probably because theyre lazy) they transfer power to the wheel thats easiest to spin. If you have one tire on concrete and one on ice, guess which gets the power? This sort of thing can come to a tragic conclusion if the spinning wheel suddenly grabs pavement. Broken axles and gears can result.

Traction control may help but its best to remind drivers that full throttle and no movement always means something is amiss.

Even a parked coach can slide. Tires warmed by highway driving can melt the ice under a parked coach, and under certain conditions the bus can literally leap. It really gets your attention if youre leaning on it. Chocking the wheels with tire chains can prevent this nasty little surprise (regular chocks may slide).

Chains are like eating liver: most of us hate the idea, but its (honest) good for you. Some locales require them and have stations where authorities check to make sure vehicles are chained. Youll want to carry them, and instruct drivers in how they are to be installed.

I once saw a Greyhound driver stop at a Colorado chain station. He chained up his tag axle, and blissfully drove over Monarch Pass in a blizzard.

It goes without saying, tread is good; winter is not the time to skimp on tires. Fresh batteries and servicing the air drier and coolant never hurt. Salt is not a preservative; try to keep your engine compartment and undercarriage as clean as possible. Your coach will love you for it.

Most modern coaches have auxiliary heaters that act as starting aids. Make sure theyve been serviced and that your drivers know how to use them.

Dead batteries, frozen air systems and assorted other delights are going to happen. If youre venturing into new territory it might be useful to plan ahead. Find out what help is available in the area, and build a relationship before an emergency develops.

This is a once over lightly. Surely you can think of things I missed. Perhaps thats the point: before winter sets in, think things through and discuss them with drivers and mechanics.

One cold evening a young driver (who looks like me) dropped a group off at a ski resort, and drove the empty coach through the parking lot to an empty spot. He went into the snack bar to get a coffee, and the cashier asked if he intended to leave the bus there. "No," he said, "but I thought Id parked it out of the way." She thanked him for his consideration but thought he ought to know hed parked on a lake.

There is never a substitute for training and experience.

Dave Millhouser is an account representative for ABC Companies. Contact him at: dmillhouser@abc-companies.com.