What do all the buttons do?? | MCI J4500 2019
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- čas přidán 18. 05. 2021
- There are a lot of buttons on the drivers dash board of a motorcoach. What do they all do? In this video I will go over what each of the buttons do on the dash of a 2019 MCI J4500.
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Link to one of my earlier videos "Evolution of the MCI J 4500"
Enjoy the video.
As a person who is blind from birth and has had a curiosity in how the current crop of highway coaches are controlled, thanks for doing this video and explaining what each of the buttons and switches do. I haven't made my way to the drivers seat and touched any of the buttons since I was about 10 either but, I've have been tempted. I remember when starting the buses required a toggle switch and a starter button, back in the 80s and from what this video tells me, this is a far cry from those simpler times.
Haw did you. Right it?
@@Jackfitz595 yes, to and from school twice a week. I went to a school for the blind in Brantford Ontario and I live in Toronto! At some point, I had become interested in what buttons, switches and levers did what. This was back in the 1970s and 80s, when the buses sounded different then they do now and the doors were controlled, manually with a swinging lever to the right of the driver.
Transit coaches still need that toggle switch as well as the starter button
@@BlindGordie the buses sounded different because the Detroit Diesels back then were all 2 stroke engines versus everything modern is 4 stroke (better emissions and fuel mileage)
😮
The last time I drove a newer J was just before covid. After not having driven a J for a year, upon getting back into the drivers seat, I couldnt figure out why the ignition wasnt turning over. A senior driver yelled out "DID YOU TURN ON THE **** STEP LIGHT SWITCH??" It was at that moment, after driving for over 24 years, I felt like a noob again LMAO
1:17 I'm starting to believe that James first finds funny video clips while watching Star Trek, and then writes his videos around those clip inserts... 🤔
How things have changed. I worked two summers as a student with a wide range of buses. The MCI 4, I got to drive once a week on a long overnight run. I prided myself at shifting smoothly. Older drivers would sit in the back riding into the terminal. Sitting over they transmission they could hear every click of the gear teeth. They then gave you a personal opinion on your driving as they left the bus. LOL
I love buttons and switches. I love retrofitting my vehicle to control the auxiliary battery charging, phone charging (for long trips), the rear facing amber emergency light and a couple of 12 volt auxiliary power outlets. Never got around to putting on the fog lights with switch, since newer headlights have a taller light dispersion pattern. Great video. Getting more like an aircraft with each model.
I drove a J4500 for 10 years, by far the best ride in the industry.
I’m from Peoria. I too as a kid was excited to get on the Peoria Charter Buses. Love seeing my hometown on videos ❤ great video
I have been driving Motor Coaches for a few years, I still learn new things everyday. I enjoy your videos. Safe Travels
Thanks Matthew! I really appreciate it! I learn more from reading people's comments!
My guess on the dual turn signal indicators..
Depending on the position of the steering wheel and seat height, those indicators might be blocked from view. So with this setup, they should always be visible.
Coming at this from an aviation point of view, redundancy is always good. Brandon they didn't take out the historic panel, too expensive ;)
or it could be USDOT law to have a physical indicators (i say that because my Audi Q7 had the same thing.. it had a digital screen for gauges and what not.. but for turn signals and check engine lights and so on there was a back lit panel)
@@chaoszombie9995 My driving lesson car had a similar thing. My driving instructor mentioned it might have had something to do with the bimetallic relay that make the blinkers work: if a light fails, the computer might not pick up on that in the same way (other than showing a caution of a broken bulb) whereas the blinker indicators that are actually in the same circuit with the actual indicator bulbs will blink faster when a bulb fails.
I think some of the Scania Irizar coaches we have here also have it, they show it on the dashboard as physical indicators and on the screen. Whenever there's a malfunction (no matter how minor, caution, warning or severe warning) the screen blanks to show the fault found, so it might be that some screens blackout those indicators upon a problem.
That big horn made me giggle 😆 pretty wild that a bus has that
I'd like to get that big horn for my Subaru. :-)
we affectionately refer to it as the ASSHOLE horn ...... because when someones being an asshole, you give them the BIG horn LOL
@@stevevoteary2138 I wish I had that on my school bus for losers drive past me at high speed when my red stop lights are on
@@MegaGeorge1948 lol
@William Hackett nice
When I was little my dad always dives a motor coach and I was very curious lol to see what everything is and now I know everything thank u so much
I will say mate, I had the same urge to press all the dash buttons and also go through the on screen menu in the middle of the gauge cluster when my new Scania's arrived and entered service. Another great video mate.
Thanks Matt the Aussie! Thanks for the pictures once again. I used one for this intro!
@@MotorcoachWorld You're welcome, glad you enjoyed the pictures.
Regarding the LED Instrument panel: If you encounter a condition where the gauges do NOT display after you start the bus, We've had success at Bay Bus in Green Bay by doing this: Shut the bus down, walk back to the main power switch above the batteries and cut the power. Wait about 30 seconds. Power everything up. Restart the bus.
I love that you're wearing a New Flyer hat, my uncle has been a painter (he's now a foreman and supervises) at New Flyer Winnipeg for probably 25 years. He's touched essentially every bus out of there for a long time
That is awesome! I love New flyer city buses. Love their logo even more.
Nice... you know I'm drooling watching this. Not because of the button explanation, but because of the bus features/appearance 🤩😍. Would be a huge step up from the '98 MCI that I've been driving lately 😖
Hey Mica. Thanks for the comment. What are you driving? A D model? You know... I know that 2019 j model in this video is far more advanced in almost every way than those old D models I used to drive... But there are times I would give almost anything to be able to get behind the wheel of a DL3 again...
@@MotorcoachWorld can you expand on that a bit? Are there certain driveability or ergonomic qualities that the older model has compared to the newer J, or are you speaking mainly just from a nostalgic point of view?
@@rgiaco777 yes I'm actually doing a video soon about 10 things I like about the MCI J4500 cockpit. This video was just about the dash buttons
@@MotorcoachWorld I think it's a D model, but not 100% sure. It's very basic compared to the new ones. That being said, I did manage to learn a few things from this video; for example, what the engine override does.
I've been driving the yellow charter bus this week, but starting this weekend will be back in the coach driving a women's hockey team for the next week
Hello
I really enjoyed the video! I also drive a school bus, but driving a motorcoach is way more cool than a school bus!
Love the buttons! Now I really want to drive one! Yes, I have a license with proper endorsements. Thank you for the awesome video.
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
I have found on some trucks and buses that the doubling up on things light turn signals might be from some lower spec equipment might only have a standard gauge package without the video game display that the top end spec equipment might have. Instead of using a different light package for the higher end displays they just have two turn signal lights. Perhaps the "Greyhound spec" buses still utilize the older round gauge dash panels that still need the extra turn signal lights? Kind of like having a blank switch cover for some of the accessories that cost extra and are deemed not needed in certain applications. Great video!!
I was hoping you'd go through the seat controls. You still get a thumbs up.
Thanks man! You are right. I totally forgot to include the seat... You know, that may be for another video ;)
I don't know specifically for Js, but some buses have different driver seat options. So it may differ from bus to bus
@@adamdion7574 I didn't know that.
@@a-totally-random-person At my job we have both gens of Js, and both have different driver seats, so it also depends on the year.
Both our more recent Prevosts and MCIs have the same ISRI driver seats, though
Definitely gonna be scoping out the button the next time I board a bu... motor coach. This was cool!
Another great video! The exterior light flicker button is very cool - I love how thoughtful the designs are to how drivers actually use features. Also, amazing watching your channel grow, James! Huge following now.
That was super cool to see. I didn't realize how many new features were built in. Thank you!
Wow that’s a lot of switches 😱. I wonder why MCI and other coaches decide to use a round Parking Brake Knob instead of the standard Yellow Diamond parking brake knob that is used on trucks and school busses.
Some of the clicks when the ignition is switched on are the ABS modulator valves performing self tests. On older MCI coaches the gauge clusters were also noisy when switched on self testing.
I drive a truck and I've always wondered what the "engine shutdown override" button was for. Also, I never knew what to call the "flicker lights" button. haha thanks for the info. From one professional driver to another.
LOL thanks Matt. Glad my videos can help!
Remember the “Trans Brake” on the older MCI coaches? You would run it and hope it slowed you down before over heating the trans
Thank you for listening to me when I commented about the music being so loud in one of you other videos.
Your doing a fantastic job with production and this content is awesome, thanks so much for doing this! Keep up the hard work!
This is one of my favourite videos thank you for doing these !!
You're clips are great!!
An EXCELLENT job of describing everything!
For such a small channel the production quality is impressive, good job to you.
Now Im caught up. I had to watch the first bit I missed. Im amazed at how much things have changed. Lots of electronics in them, leveling buttons, tractions control. I remember having to go and manually adjust tag axle pressure (dump and increase) if I got stuck. Its nicer doing it from inside but being young at the time, I felt the like BOSS doing all these things.
And the billie club lol. We whacked the tires with it. Swinging it around while doing our pre-trip. I ttoally forgot about the billie club! I dont think thats done anymore.
Great video! Love seeing buttons and buttons and buttons!
Thank you very informative. This helped me appreciate the enormous responsibility the drives has. Well done .
@12:26 dual signal indicators is good for those individuals that have different seating positions where the steering wheel blocks the indicators.
11:05 love the part with the horns
I like the light flickering button, and the two different horns. Never knew, that's why I love your videos.
Most semi trucks have all that too!
I definitely want to know more about that fire suppression system!
Great job. I have watched several of your videos and have really enjoyed them.
I can see having the redundancy on the turn signals in case the main screen is off but the hazards are on in case of an emergency that way you could verify operation of the lights on the dash.
That makes sense, but why didn't they delete them from the digital dash then?
You didn't mention how to change the colors of the ceiling lights. Or maybe I missed it. That's a favorite feature for school groups or sports teams, especially if you can match their team's colors! And I don't believe anyone has copied that feature yet -- that's an MCI exclusive.
you are correct, I did not mention that. Not all late model J's have that feature. So i left it out because its not a function that comes with the standard package.
There some changes in the last 10 years on the J4500 since I worked on them last your channel brings back memories I remember Vanhool changed switch locations more
Hello, bus driver from Sweden here.
You have a lot of buttons and features that we don't have.
The biggest differences I noticed is that almost all your buttons have text on them while our doesn't and also that your 2019 coach look like an antique with all the old looking buttons and switches compared to our coaches and city buses from Volvo.
We also have Van Hool coaches and they look almost as old as your dash with buttons scattered around the place so I guess that's where they get their inspiration from.
Toggle switches are best. They never go out of style. Certainly in a busy environment, like down town driving and aircraft cockpits.
My university's previous shuttle buses (Scania K230UB) used coach bodywork (SC Chivalrous) that was modified for shuttle use by removing the underfloor luggage compartments & then lowering the cabin's floor at the front of the bus, also resulting in it's roof & windows being unusually tall and the bus handling more like a coach (i.e. greater inertia felt when braking & cornering, but road bumps were also more easily rode over). The individual passenger reading lights, switch buttons & even attendant call buttons were retained, though the buttons were deactivated and the reading lights are re-wired to switch on together with the gangway's lighting instead (probably controlled by the driver)
I knew what some of the buttons did on motor coaches but I didn't know everything that the buttons did, so thank you! It was a great video!
Looking forward to the video!! Keep up the great content!!
When I first sat in the driver seat of a mci coach.. I was mortified 😱😱😱😱..omg..I almost had an anxiety attack.
Love your channel
Thanks very much for that. It's always fun to know what the buttons 🔲🔳✅🔼🔽🔘 do. 😊
This was an awesome video. Now i know what to look for when i ride a coach again.
Good Evening. I just wanted to say. Happy Holidays to you and your family. Be safe 🙏
Thank you very much happy holidays to you as well!.
Thanks for showing me all the buttons.
Nice production values. Likes the cut-ins from other shows. Good sense of humor. If I may make a suggestion: Some controls would benefit from not just "how this works" but adding WHY I would use something or what the implication is of using it. You started down that road with the engine-pre heat. You did a nice explanation of the rabbit and stairwell. I was hoping for a little something on Raising the back end. Overall: Informative and nice work!
Great restraint on use of Star trek analogies!
There wasn't as many of them in this one LOL. I take it you're not a fan of them?
"unless.... it's a VanHool." True dat! I'm just starting to earn my operator stripes. Of course, my first real driving gig is a VanHool. Gotta love Dutch hieroglyphics. The crazy thing is the layout for EVERYTHING changes depending on the coach you're driving.
12:30 into this video, l notice on some buses when the hazard flashers are on, all lights don't blink at the same time, a set will blink at a certain interval at a different rate from another set, example being the tail set will blink slower then the amber set on the side of the bus
thanks for the great video.A few things that were not covered were the level control that can lift the coach or lower the coach.The mode button will let the bus go into economy shift mode.The entry door button.The reading light test button when pressed and pushing the brake pedal will illuminate all the exterior lights on the coach to test to make sure they work,great for pre trip and post trip inspections.on newer coaches there are paddle switches under the steering wheel for diagnostics on the dash
It’s amazing how many “professionals” don’t know about high idling their diesel engines to prevent cylinder washdown by poorly atomised fuel. I see the odd video of guys running for extended times at low idle. Any truck I drove always was set to high idle whenever I parked. Let them find out later how they ruined their engines, I guess. But around $20,000 for an inframe is a hard pill to swallow.
Thank you for this video. Very interesting. Big THUMBS UP!!
Ah! I remember those days of when kids would play with the controls on the bus. I like the blue lights as they help keep the aisle lit at night but the amount of glare on the windshield is very limited. I know that some disability organizations call discrimination "stupid" when they see a motorcoach company not having any buses without a wheelchair lift. I know that MCI did answer the call by making a new bus with the J4500 shell but have installed a low-floor section for 2 wheelchairs. So here is another good video suggestion. If a disability organization wants to make a trip using a motorcoach and the organization may have a client or two that happens to be confined to a wheelchair, what is the best way for an organization like that to approach this question?
Great video 🤗🤗🤗😃 love the humorous bits too 😀
I still miss the big toggle switches. My Olivia doesnt have them, but she has some nice feeling chunky buttons. PS, Loved the Star Trek memes LOL
thats more buttons than what we have in our Semi Tractors at work, we dive the 2020 Freightliners Cascadia.
That’s a supper cool video !!! Love it ! I’ve always love buses this is amazing
The “Mode” button on the transmission control panel isn’t for “manual shifting”, It’s for diagnostic purposes.
If you want to manually control your gears, you simply use the arrow buttons
James, I am a fan of whatever you do. I love the video content! I've been here from the beginning, and just waiting for my bus shout out! LOL! !
I know you have. I think you were one of the first people to comment on my videos! Means a lot to me man! Thanks!
Thank you for this video. Some buttons here are very important...actually all are important. Now the display of the turning signals, I don't understand why did they do it. It reminds me of some manufacturers that had created body frames having double turning signals at the rear. Then we would see them alternating every time the driver wanted to signal his intention of turning.
Great video love the channel
Hey Allan C-B, I only drove the Dennis in the lot. It was a double decker that Greylines used for sightseeing. Back then we would park the morning extra run buses (MC9s) in that lot and then one drive back to our garage...so I was first one day, and asked if I could drive it around hte lot. They said sure. It was really weird, since you felt the tilt, and its a low floor so youre as high as a Suburban!
Commenting while chatting...gamer move
Great job! Hopefully I’ll get to drive an MCI someday 😆.
Hello Cindy how are you ?
I thought I was ready to learn about all the buttons, man was I unprepared for how many buttons there was.
Excellent presentation. I was waiting for you to mention the original J4500 then known as the Renaissance. 1999 I believe and we had three of them. It also had a "glass" instrument display. All the instruments were computer generated as in this video. The driver's blinds were controlled by the computer. The problem was that the computer would decide to move all the needles on the dials rapidly back and forth and the blinds would extend and then retract. The only solution was to stop the bus and turn off the engine, After waiting as long as it took to explain to the passengers what was happening, start the engine and proceed, hoping it wouldn't happen again. I believe that the system only lasted one model year.
Thanks for the tour! 😀
Talking about the "helm" and missed putting in a Lt. Sulu or Tom Paris clip (I would have had at least one Tom clip since this is a newer coach)......Otherwise great and informative video. Love the Trek clips at just the right time. Keep up the great work. LLAP
Thank you sir for this video!!!!
Late to the party today... was out and missed the premier! :( I enjoyed the video!
Ha no worries. I missed my own premier. Wanted to spend some time with the family.
very helpful, thank you.
love the star trek inserts.. just right.
i love your channel bro, I am now subscribed to you.
Hey thanks so much! appreciate the comment!
Have to say I have always wondered. Almost out of videos …I guess I’m going to have to check out the vlog channel 🤣
Very good explanations from an experienced coach drivers/owners point of view. I am wondering about the exit bars at the bottom of every passenger window. Does this mean the glass in the window is double glazed and is it a structural part of the coach body? Thank you for super informative videos. Neat easter egg tips.
All i was wondering when he said you can disable traction control is if it does burnouts
LOL!
@@MotorcoachWorld can you do a burnout in one of these tho?
Headed to the mercy store now!
JIM: "...unless it's a VanHool."
KEITEL: "...everything's in German!!"
ME: omg...
WIFE: "What's so funny? Why are you laughing?"
Timestamp 14:51.
isn't vanhool Netherlands?
Belgium
@@IBims1Mark Right Van Hool is based in Netherlands
@@IronBeatzMusic yeah.
Thank you for this video...its why I became a bus driver to know what those buttons do
Also as for the signal indicators I believe it's designed for visibility of the steering wheel being in the way of the lower signals, by seating position or driver height!
😃cool video mister!
The mechanics best friends.
Hey James, found your channel just recently, enjoying the content, I've also subbed. I live in Europe and I've just recently started my career as a bus driver (going on 6 months now). Your channel gives me a nice insight into road passenger transport over on the other side of the great pond. I also have a question for you, it's about motor coaches in North America in general. Why do majority of them have two-piece windshield? Is it regulation, or more for practical reasons, say if the windshield cracks it's less expensive to replace just the half that cracked? Looking forward to the answer. Best regards from Slovenia and be safe out there on the road.
Hey appreciate the sub and I'm glad to have another bus nut here. Welcome to the profession I love hearing from people in our industry from other parts of the world. I wish you a safe and successful career as a bus driver.
That is a very good question one that I really don't have a good answer for.
I have noticed that a lot of European coaches have a one piece front windshield.
I think to speculate, it's for economical reasons.
Our windshields get cracks a lot due to road debris and I think it's cheaper for manufacturers as well as owners to replace just half the windshield instead of the whole piece in the event that there's a crack.
The redundant turn signal indicators are a requirement of the FMCSA regulations, so in the event your digital dash goes out you can still see your turn signals. They are doing studies to allow for use of cameras in place of the mirrors too, so in the near future you may see all new vehicles without rearview side mirrors. I'm sure that's going to be coupled with the blind spot monitoring system to help prevent side swipe accidents. European coaches already use the cameras in place of the big, bulky mirrors and it seems to work really well. You should see some of the different types of coaches available around the world, it's really cool to see what other countries have been able to do with motor coaches. North America is starting to catch up a bit finally but bus travel across America still leaves lots to be desired (Greyhound is just awful. Period). Megabus seems to be a great option but service is still pretty limited. And whatever happened to Bolt Bus???? Remember the "Bolt for a buck" ad campaign?? Very catchy.
Lots of buttons
Lots of telling a kid don’t touch anything 😂😂😂
U forgot to mention that one flaw of the new design is that having the back up camera on the dash prohibits u from actually being able to see it when backing up while turning the wheel due to it crossing your view of the camera. You're not always backing up in a straight direction. Though i always prefer the GOAL method, its always nice to have the camera.
Great 👍 job
My favorite switch: the luggage bay lights for sure! I like to make my Tetris handiwork sparkle 🤣
Can you do a video on what your employer thinks of your CZcams channel?
Keep up the great work!
Hey thanks man! I guess i could. I would need to try to find more substance there to make the video not turn out to being 2 minutes LOL. The owner and CEO of Peoria Charter is very happy with my channel. most of the staff are as well.
@@MotorcoachWorld I would assume so. Because of this channel, I know Peoria Charter exists.
That steering wheel is practically identical to the Smart Wheel in modern Kenworth trucks. Interesting to know it's not a KW exclusive!
That same wheel is used on like every diesel pusher bus chassis based motorhomes also.
I think the redundancy of the turn signals on the dash could be due to the steering wheel position or if the sun was shining on the dash. I've had issues with the 'command center' in my husbands vehicle when the sun was hitting it and just couldn't see anything without moving to the back seat. I've also jumped into the seat after a driver and they're wheel position blocked the turn lights on the dash.
Great to see the evolution of the dash.
I also want to add that the University of Maryland's '21 J4500s are spec'd so that the vehicle's outside cameras show on the screen, either while the four-ways are on or while a turn signal is activated. In those cases, the turn signal indicated on the screen disappears, leaving the redundant physical illumation to indicate the... indication. Check out my channel to see what I'm talking about!
I never knew busses has this much buttons. Busses in my country doesnt have these. The only time I saw a bus with that much button was when we went to japan. The driver side of our tour bus has a lot of complicated buttons, and even a door separating the driver to the rest of the interior!
That’s something I wish every driver’s compartment had. (a door). Passengers not interfering with the driving. But I also understand they like a frontal view of the road.
awesome video - I didn't know buses had become so sophisticated . Is there any chance you could do this same type of video about the controls and the bus itself on MC 8's and MC 9's like the ones I used to drive back in the early 80's ?
I will see if I can make that happen. Its going to be hard to find Broll footage of that because we dont have one that i can use to shoot footage.
On our coaches, the aux heat switch runs electric resistance heaters in the passenger compartment. The engine block heater is a plugin. As well, at least on Greyhounds, the security switch is either marked fuel pump, or there’s a set of two identical switches somewhere on the dash, and you have to push and hold the redundant one. Where are the driver speakers? And one thing that erks me, is that they put on the wheel, three levels of engine braking (ours have switches on the panel to the immediate left of the wheel), and have clearance light interrupts, but does not have headlight interrupt for, as you said, letting another driver know they can come in, more courteously, at night. We have constantly on headlights (hate them) and so cannot just turn light selector from headlights to clearance lights to dim the headlamps, nor have we an interrupt for just the same.
Can you do a video about coaches and the DOT? I never see coaches stopped by DOT or pulling on scales at weigh stations. Thanks