FLEET MAINTENANCE SERVICES
First Student has invested in building a maintenance program that is centered in quality control, data capture and work efficiency. Advanced technology, industry-best training, skill testing and our relationships with equipment manufacturers, allow us to maintain a program built for continuous improvement and solutions that ensure a reliable fleet.
Bus vehicle inspections and repair schedules that address issues before they happen
Predictive analytics, live technician support and parts management systems that work
ASE Certified technicians and incentive programs that encourage professional development
Purchasing power, efficiencies and procedures that drastically reduce bus maintenance costs
Maintenance Expertise Boosts Transportation Efficiency in St. James Parish
experience & impact
Miles driven every year
of First Student shops are classified as lean
ASE Blue Seal Certified Shops
ASE certification across 1,200 qualified technicians
INDUSTRY-LEADING EXPERTISE AS A STAND-ALONE SERVICE
First Consulting provides your district with the industry’s most advanced fleet maintenance solutions, customized to your specific requirements. Our flexible program options ensure you pay only for the services you need. Whether your fleet requires a well thought out replacement schedule, expert care from ASE Certified technicians in a LEAN certified shop, or a thorough analysis to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, our team is equipped to assist you every step of the way.
program options to meet your needs
Our maintenance consulting service options provide flexibility to tailored to meet your needs and budget. With First Consulting’s maintenance options, you get choice and flexibility. We can help you improve the performance of your fleet, reduce costs and even replace aging fleets.
Our top maintenance experts will evaluate your maintenance program and identify efficiencies and cost savings.
District Managed Provider Managed
Our technicians provide full-service maintenance for your existing fleet at your shop or one of our LEAN-Certified locations.
District Managed Provider Managed
Vehicle leasing allows you to upgrade your fleet, plus get top-tier maintenance and fleet management. We can even purchase your old vehicles.
District Managed Provider Managed
Frequently Asked Questions
What prompts a school district to consider Fleet as a Service?
Fleet as a Service is a great option for districts who have technician shortage, limited capital budgets, an aging fleet, or escalating maintenance costs. Fleet as a Service provides them with an updated fleet of new vehicles, maintained by ASE Certified technicians, with a predictable and consistent monthly fee. They can relieve capital expenses by leasing vehicles while also relieving management burdens of technician staffing and parts management and purchasing. It’s a great option for making costs lower and more predictable while improving fleet performance.
What do I do with my old fleet?
At the beginning of our partnership, we will assess all of the vehicles in your fleet for safety and performance. Based on the assessment and district preference, there are a few options. We can purchase vehicles from your district and take over maintenance of those vehicles, we can purchase your vehicles and replace them with new/newer ones, we can continue to maintain your vehicles and we can take vehicles out of service and replace them on an agreed to transition plan. In most cases districts choose to employ a combination of those options based on the condition of the vehicles in their fleet. In all cases, districts make the final decision of which vehicles they want to sell, which they want to maintain ownership of and which they want us to replace – we’ll maintain a combination of leased and district owned vehicles if preferred.
Do my technicians remain employees of the district?
We’ll happily hire your existing technicians and provide them with additional training, professional development opportunities and our local benefits package. If you are short any technicians, we’ll use our dedicated technician recruiting team to fill any open positions.
What about my union?
We are very familiar and supportive of unions! Today, our existing shops are 70% unionized. We’ll recognize your existing union and implement any union practices and standards you are satisfied with or implement our existing local unions where necessary.
Why should I make the change?
Making the change to fleet as a service has multiple benefits. The three main benefit categories are cost, fleet performance and management. Impacts to cost come from proper maintenance schedules and parts management as well as a reduction in parts cost and vehicle cost due to the volume purchased across our company. Fleet as a Service also provides districts with an initial cash influx from the purchase of vehicles. Fleet performance improvements come from our industry-best maintenance schedule, the advanced ASE training our technicians receive and the replacement of aging vehicles in your fleet. Last, management of fleet maintenance is time consuming and complex. We have skilled shop managers with technology that ensures proper management of fleet maintenance. With our team monitoring performance and reporting back to you regularly with KPI’s you won’t have to worry about your program, you can focus your efforts on staffing drivers and developing programs in the classroom.