Defect. Transportation Collaborative, Inc. (Transportation Collaborative) is recalling certain model year 2006-2015 Trans Tech Student Safety Transporter, ST Aero, and Roadster school buses manufactured January 1, 2006, to April 21, 2014, and equipped with certain Ricon model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, S5510 wheelchair lifts. The affected lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position.
Risk. If the bearings move out of position, the stowed platform may have excessive movement resulting in failure of the platform mounting. This failure could cause the wheel chair lift platform to fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, increasing the risk of injury for the lift operator.
Remedy. Transportation Collaborative will notify owners, and owners will inspect the link arms for damage or for displaced bearings. The platform will be inspected for cracks. Any damaged parts will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Transportation Collaborative customer service at 1-845-988-0419, or Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884. Note: These buses and wheelchair lifts were subject to a similar recall in 2014. All vehicles that received that recall remedy are still affected by this recall as well.