The Rapid
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LOADING AND
iNLOADING of Buses
AVEHICLE that is continually taking up and setting clown passengers should be designed so that these operations may be done easily and quickly, with a minimum of inconvenience to those who are seated already or are continuing their journeys.
To achieve this object, attention must be given to the position and size of , entrance; the seating plan, especially its arrangement close to the main doorway, the width of gangways, and the unencumbered floor area as represented by entrance and staircase landings. The disposition of hand rails and similar fittings is also of importance.
As a door takes time to open and close, the doorless entrance is often preferred, a n d this type, either at the front or rear, has been in use since the inception of motor vehicles. The latest pattern of vehicle is t h e doorless front entrance double decker. if a door is to he fitted, then, whether it be of the sliding or folding kind, the essential feature Is that it shall operate smoothly.
Although an entrance need not be more than 1 ft. 7 ins, wide, the average measurement, even before the Conditions of Fitness Regulations were in force, was 2 ft 4 ins. During the past few years many singledeckers have been built with entrances ranging in width from 2 ft. 6 ins. to 3 ft.
It may be noted that 2 ft. 6 ins, is the legal minimum length for the platform of a front-entrance doubledecker and 3 ft. the corresponding measurement for a rear-entrance double-decker.
Given a wide doorway, the next requirement is a reasonable amount of floor space at the top of the steps or landing. In the case of a frontentrance single-decker with driver behind the bonnet, the floor is free from the front edge of the landing to the near side of the driving seat, which is approximately in line with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
The front-entrance bus, with forward control and a facing-forward seat for two persons opposite the entrance, has more landing space than the bus just mentioned, because this front seat is at least 6 ins, distant from the centre line of the vehicle.
The front bulkhead of the bonneted bus has an offset opening in it. The width of this is determined by the position of the driving seat feet of the occupants of the front near-side seat, also to ensure that they have sufficient leg room independently of the step well.
The best compromise is for this seat to be designed for only one passenger. Then there will be no difficulty in affording protection for the feet, with the advantage that there will be extra width of main gangway near the bulkhead opening. In fact, the width of gangway at this point will not compare unfavourably with that usually available between lengthwise seats.
The bulkhead on the near side may be panelled and glazed to the roof, or the window in the upper part may be omitted, a grab pole taking the place of tile top of the entranceway pillar: In any case, a rail is fixed on the outer side to ensure safety at the steps, with another rail on the inner side to assist the passenger to his or her seat.
With a rear-entrance single-decker facilities for entry and exit are easier to arrange, because there are usually lengthwise seats daver the wheel-arches. In some instances the rear platform has its full complement of crosswise seats, but often the off-side wheel-arch seat is extended to the rear, with or without a seat across the back of the vehicle.
Although facing-forward seats are preferred by most passengers, from theoperator's point of view, some longitudinal seats are desirable, because they save time, owing to the absence of inside positions which may be obstructed by. the passenger on the outer side.
The amount of freedom provided for the movement of the passenger in a single-decker is determined chiefly by the number of seats required in relation to the length of the body. With the double-decker. there is an upper saloon where any loss of seating capacity in the lower saloon may usually be made up.
This has been made possible since the introduction of the stability test, which is less restrictive than the seating ratios which • were imposed in some localities. At the same time, the owner does not always desire a maximum number of seats, The result has been a marked improvement in the design of the double-decker entrance, with a larger free landing space. This is achieved by concentrating the staircase-more to the off side. The stairs may be straight, with or without a raised landing, or of the right-angle pattern. In each instance there is more platform area between the _toot of the stairs and the outer edge of theplatform than with the spiral staircase.
Similar advantages may be obtained in the case • of a front-entrance double-decker, except that, as a rule, there must be a step between the -ground and platform and a covering above the clutch.
The desire to give the interior of the saloon a spacious appearance has led to the suppression of upright grab poles, even in buses, but it would be difficult to find a better means for assisting the progress of the passenger in a moving vehicle. Recently, the full length seat back handle has come into favour.