The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System’s bus operations program received a surprise visit from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in late July that resulted in no identified defects to its bus fleet.
“MTS’s programs, plans, testing, maintenance and vehicles scored perfect during CHP’s unannounced audit,” said Paul Jablonski, chief executive officer of MTS. “All the credit with this accomplishment goes to the thorough and detailed work by MTS employees in the bus maintenance division.”
State law mandates that CHP’s Basic Inspection of Terminals Program take place at MTS no less than once every 13 months. These unannounced inspections take two to three days at each division and require a minimum of 20 vehicles to be examined for any defects and vehicle code violations. The primary areas of the inspection are:
- Vehicle Inspections
- Vehicle Preventative Maintenance Records
- Controlled Substances and Alcohol, Use and Testing
- Drivers Hours of Service
- Department of Motor Vehicle Pull Notice Program
- Driver Proficiency and Training Records
Any and all defects identified are required to be repaired before returning the vehicles to service. If 20 percent or more of the vehicles inspected are placed out of service the transit system will receive an Unsatisfactory Rating and may be required to cease operations immediately.
MTS directly operates 273 commercial vehicles under the inspection program from its Kearny Mesa Division and Imperial Ave Division. The agency, as required by the regulation, has received an inspection at both terminals annually since the program was developed.
