STEM Bus

This article is about the PLKCKY Stem Bus.

In 2015, five IB students won the First Runner Up in a science project, named "Inspecting Empty Bus Seats" (translated from Chinese)

On 11/10/2018, KMB donated a Volvo B10TL (known as Volvo Super Olympian) 12m bus to CKY for STEM purposes.

## Information About the Old Bus

* **License Plate Number:** JF8263
* **Fleet Number:** 3ASV30
* **Previous Assigned Bus Depot:** Lai Chi Kok (L)
* **Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)**: YV3S1E115XC050123
* **Registered:** 1999-10-11
* **Retired:** 2017-10-10
* **Body Type:** Walter Alexander ALX500
* **Gearbox:** ZF Ecomat 4HP590
* **Engine Model:** Volvo D10A-285 (Euro 2)
* **Seats:** Lazzerini Seats, 2+2 Configuration
* **Upper Seats:** 59
* **Lower Seats:** 33
* **Standing Capacity**: 40 people
* **Total Capacity:** 132 people
* **Television**: Roadshow/Newtvision/M-channel/Buzplay
* **Headsign / Destination Indicator**: Plastic Destination Plate
* **Next Stop Announcing System**: Shanghai Canrun BM-2000-KMB, Manual

## Events Leading up to Donation

The donation of the bus was due to a project completed by a group of students. The original project was different from the final one. The first project failed at a science fair, and they decided to work on a new one. They noticed a problem with the local bus system: people get injured trying to climb the stairs to reach the upper deck, which might not have seats for them, so they installed pressure detectors that detect if a person is sitting on a seat. If so, a light will light up on a panel on the lower deck. This would reduce the need for people to go up to the upper deck to see if there are any available seats.

## Current Status

The vehicle is now currently parked right (hillside) of the swimming pool, north of the Fourth Stairwell and The Building. It was installed with two 1m2 solar panels, believed to supply electricity to the battery of the STEM Bus. The engine and gearbox of the STEM Bus were removed and replaced with DaiKin Air Conditioning Units. It had the livery of a dark blue background with faint stars and pictures of students from the 2018–2019 school year, completed marginally before the Open Day. It was replaced with a sky blue coloured livery later sometime in 2019–2020 because the old livery was losing its colour. In the term year 2021-2022, a new/revised livery is applied. In the term year 2022-2023, a green livery is introduced based on plants and animals theme.

The vehicle now has the license plate number 'KMB 2019'. The original idea of the plate is 'KMB FUTURES' which means it is KMB's contribution to nurture student's future development.

The refurbished interior includes several unknown machines, and some Design and Technology products from Year 8. Science Symposium projects posters are also stored here. There are approximately 8 wall socket plugs and zero Ethernet ports. There are also several STEM projects on display inside, such as a sensor for road lights, along with 3D printed products, for example, the 'Stormtrooper Astronaut'.

## Trivia

This is also the first Volvo Super Olympian delivered to school through the 'Used and Retired Bus Programme' that is established by KMB in late 2016.

The steering wheel still works. Turning the steering wheel forcefully will make the front bus tyres to rotate with a high-pitched screeching noise. This is not recommended on the tyres as it may draw attention and/or burst.

The emergency exit buttons no longer work and are covered on the outside. However, it is still visible inside, which may cause confusion during emergencies. Doors can be opened strategically by pulling and rotating the handle with force. At the back of the STEM Bus, there are wires that extend into the ground, which means the STEM Bus would stay there for a very long time.

The Year 6 and Year 7 students have entered it a few times for STEM lessons. The STEM Bus is open on Fridays for senior secondary lunchtime and presumably junior secondary lunchtime too. Air conditioning is opened during these time periods.

The bottom floor has tables on both sides with various STEM projects on them. The top floor has the original bus chairs for the front area, approximately two-thirds of the top floor that have the STEM project that caused the donation of the bus installed in them while the back one-third has rotating white chairs. There is a cupboard in the front, on the right side (from the back) that has boxes of Beyblade parts, launchers and arenas, available for students to play with during a special Beyblade session in friday. The boxes also contain several large Lego bricks.

A book about the donation of several other buses has been made by KMB and is available for reading in the STEM bus.

## School Response to The Donation

The STEM at CKY community on Facebook has responded with the post as follows:

*We are very grateful to receive the bus donation from KMB 九巴專頁!*

http://www.kmb.hk/en/news/press/archives/news201810122708.html

*//Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School will convert the bus into a Sustainable Development Research and Exhibition Centre, with solar-powered lighting and air conditioning. It will also function as a learning resources centre for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education, enabling collaborative projects that arouse students’ curiosity in solving some of the problems of tomorrow's world. The STEAM centre will exhibit the “Bus Vacant Seat Detecting System”, which was inaugurated by the students and awarded First runner-up (Junior Invention session) in the Hong Kong Secondary Science Project Competition (HKSSPC) 2015.*

*Principal Dr Lau Siu Ling expressed her thanks to KMB for its generous donation and said that the scheme will enable students to appreciate the importance of integrating innovation with sustainability. "This bus reminds us that learning never stops and that it creates a wonderful opportunity for our students throughout their journey of discovery. The bus will highlight how, with some smart and creative thinking, tremendous value can be gained from the resources that we currently have. Utilising this new space to encourage our students to solve STEAM problems with innovation and sustainability in mind will help pave the way for a brighter and greener future. We will name the bus "STEAM Bus 2.0" and the number plate of the bus will be "KMB FUTURES" in honour of the Kowloon Motor Bus Company and its generous contribution to the future of every student in our school community."*

Link to post: https://www.facebook.com/STEMCKY/posts/337941953625358/