FTA issues safety advisory for Nova Bus steering gearbox bolt failure

Nov. 23, 2022
The safety advisory impacts Nova Bus vehicles manufactured in 2018 and after with a Bosch steering gearbox affixed to the frame.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued a safety advisory requesting agencies submit information on potential steering gearbox bolt failures involving Nova Bus vehicles.

FTA is recommending transit agencies identify any Nova Bus models manufactured in 2018 or later that use a Bosch steering gearbox mounting plate assembly. The three 7/8-inch bolts that secure the steering gearbox mounting plate assembly to the vehicle frame, which if found to be loose or missing, can impede an operator’s ability to control the steering of the bus.

Nova Bus recommends a visual inspection to confirm the presence of the three bolts, a visual inspection to confirm the torque seal marks are not broken on the bolts, a torque inspection and retorque and to apply new torque seal marks to the bolts. Both FTA and Nova Bus are requesting reports be shared with them on non-conforming elements.

In a safety recall through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Nova Bus noted it considered the action a proactive measure, and it had not received any reports of injury or death associated with the defect. The safety recall was found to involve Nova Bus Low Floor Series (LFS) and LFS Artic vehicles, but FTA is recommending any Nova Bus vehicle manufactured from 2018 to 2022 be inspected.

Nova Bus issued a preventative delivery stop on Nov. 14, 2022, and notes any vehicle delivered after this date will have a permanent remedy for the defect. This permanent remedy consists of a hardware change limiting the maximum clamp load and different torquing strategy to increase the clamp load nominal value and also reduce the clamp load scatter.

Nova Bus and FTA are working to mitigate the issue and have identified seven transit agencies that could be impacted by the defect, but FTA recommends all agencies review their fleet to determine if there are additional vehicles that are affected.

Nova Bus is conducting an investigation and is expected to issue a formal service bulletin to customers at the completion of this investigation.

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The FTA Safety Advisory can be viewed here.

Nova Bus's NHTSA Safety Recall Report can be viewed here

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content. 

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.  

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.