(05 Aug 2022, 8:45 am)xpm wrote Go back to pro-active rather than reactive maintenance - annual PSV shouldn't be the only time buses get real meaningful maintenance.

Stop buying parts based on the fact they're the absolute cheapest possible - replacing an ABS Sensor 3 or 4 times more often because it's a few quid cheaper is a false economy.

Absolutely. The annual PSV/MOT is the minimum standard a bus (or any other vehicle) needs to meet in order for it to be roadworthy. Failure to maintain this standard means the operator potentially risks sanctions to their operators licence if the vehicle fails either a roadside test or a depot audit by the DVSA (PG9). Buses are usually inspected on a 28 or 35 day basis, depending on operator, and of course, things can fail in the interim period; but minor problems can lead to major faults down the line and firefighting maintenance issues with temporary fixes from one inspection period to the next is not the solution. If maintained correctly, a bus should fly through its annual test without any effort. If an operator is using the annual test as a means of getting the vehicle up to the minimum standard required, then it makes you wonder how roadworthy the vehicle is at any other time.