Operations Journal

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A real conversation with our team about 40+ years of getting it right

Look, when you're choosing someone to transport your group, you want to know they actually know what they're doing, right?

We recently sat down with our transportation director and safety instructor (guys who've literally been doing this longer than some of our customers have been alive) to talk about what really happens behind the scenes at Pegasus Transit.

"Every Day, Every Bus" – That's Our Rule

"Every day, our drivers check out each bus they'll be driving that day. That's not just our standard – it's the law," says our transportation director, who's been overseeing operations for 29 years.

Here's the thing: if a driver operates two different buses in one day, they inspect both vehicles before driving them. No shortcuts. No exceptions.

What Does a Daily Inspection Actually Look Like?

Our drivers follow the same step-by-step process every single time:

The Walk-Around:

  • Check for obvious damage or broken windows
  • Make sure it's not leaning with a flat tire
  • Look for anything that just doesn't look right

Under the Hood:

  • Pop the hood (whether it's a little bus or big bus)
  • Check all belts and hoses
  • Inspect wires and connections
  • Test all fluid levels:
    • Transmission fluid
    • Oil (yes, they check the dipstick)
    • Power steering fluid
    • Brake fluid

The California Standards:Here's where we go beyond the basics. Our drivers don't just check stuff – they actually know what they're looking at. They can identify:

  • Where the alternator is
  • Whether it's a belt-driven or gear-driven water pump
  • Location of the air compressor on air brake systems

Why? Because understanding your vehicle isn't just about following rules. It's about making sure the person behind the wheel truly gets what they're operating.

Why Three Walk-Arounds? Because You Can't Check Everything at Once

"You can't check your left when you're checking your right," our safety instructor explains. Makes sense, right?

That's why our inspection includes multiple walk-arounds. It's systematic, and it works.

The Three-Step Process:

  1. First walk-around: General condition check
  2. Second walk-around: All lights and electrical
  3. Third walk-around: Final safety verification

Then comes the brake inspection:

  • Small buses: Just a couple minutes to check pedal feel and parking brake
  • Large buses: About five minutes because we're checking for air system leaks

Maintenance: By the Book, Every Time

California Law Requirements:

  • Professional inspection every 45 calendar days OR 3,000 miles (whichever comes first)
  • More often as needed

How We Track It:

  • Every vehicle has inspection stickers on the top left corner of the windshield
  • One sticker shows the 45 day inspection
  • Another shows oil change intervals (based on mileage)
  • Drivers can see when service is due and alert the shop

"We work together," our transportation director says. "If a driver notices their bus is coming up for service in a day or two, they let the shop know."

Real Experience, Not Just Certification

Here's what separates us from other companies:

Our Safety Instructor:

  • 40 years driving school buses
  • 34 years as a certified instructor
  • State certified

Our Transportation Director:

  • 29 years overseeing operations
  • Been with the company since 1982 (that's not a typo)
  • Worked together with current team since the early days

"We've known each other longer than you've been alive," they joke to our younger staff members. And honestly? That experience shows in everything we do.

Staying Current (Because Rules Change)

Our team doesn't just rest on experience. Here's how we stay up-to-date:

Regular Updates:

  • Highway Patrol advisory bulletins
  • Department of Education advisory bulletins
  • Monthly newsletters and email distribution lists

Ongoing Training:

  • Monthly trainers meetings (LA and Ventura County)
  • California Association of School Transportation Officials conferences
  • Agency roundtables with DMV, Highway Patrol, and Department of Education

Recent Example: A couple weeks ago, Highway Patrol announced increased speeding enforcement. Our team immediately sent out alerts to all drivers (not just for work, but for personal driving too).

Why? Because in California, you only have one license. Everything goes on one record.

When Things Go Wrong: We're Ready

Mechanical Failures:

  • Contact dispatch immediately
  • After hours? Call the on call person (usually Ruth, but Miguel works too)

Accidents:

  • School buses: Call Highway Patrol directly or 911 for Highway Patrol
  • Other vehicles: Local jurisdiction (Oxnard PD, Ventura PD, Sheriff's Department)
  • Keep trying to reach dispatch
  • Exchange information with other driver
  • Let first responders determine if anyone needs medical attention

Driver Monitoring: More Than Just Cameras

We do ride-along evaluations with every driver at least once a year. Plus, we're working on updated proficiency testing to make sure each driver can handle different types of buses.

Progressive Training Approach:

  • If camera system catches something: bring driver in for review
  • Depending on the issue: refresher training with various team members
  • Always try to turn incidents into learning opportunities

The DMV Connection:All our drivers are on the Employer Pull Notice System. We get updates when:

  • Someone gets a ticket (usually shows up within 30 days)
  • Someone gets in a collision (within 30 days)
  • Someone gets a DUI (shows up in a day or two)

And yes, this includes their personal vehicles. One license, one record.

Our Current Safety Record

Recent Audits:

  • ✅ CHP audit: Satisfactory
  • ✅ R&D audit (first quarter): Satisfactory

"So far, we're two for two right now," our transportation director notes with obvious pride.

The Bottom Line: It's All Teamwork

"It's not just us," our transportation director emphasizes. "It's shop, the mechanics, Ruth helping out making sure the buses are here for service, everybody."

Our Team:

  • About 65 total employees
  • 45-50 drivers
  • Maintenance staff
  • Dispatch team
  • Management

But here's something our transportation director wanted to add: "Since I've been here, I've really helped the shop out a lot. There's less our inspector finds wrong on the school buses because I know more about the vehicles, and I've been training and educating the mechanics. When our inspector comes out, everything's in order."

Why Choose a Family-Owned Business?

We've been doing this for over 40 years. Our leadership team has worked together for decades. We know Ventura County roads, traffic patterns, and what it takes to get your group where they need to go safely.

When you call us, you're not getting some corporate call center. You're getting people who've been perfecting this for longer than most companies have existed.

Ready to Experience the Difference?

Look, we could go on for hours about safety protocols and certifications. But at the end of the day, it comes down to this: we've been getting people where they need to go safely for over 40 years.

We're not the biggest transportation company. We're not the cheapest. But we're the one with four decades of experience, a team that's worked together forever, and the kind of attention to detail that only comes from being family-owned and local.

Contact Pegasus Transit today and let us show you what real experience looks like.

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