U.S. Brings Glamour to the Bus
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WHAT America calls the " Bus of Tomorrow" has been designed by a well-known industrial artist, Alexis De Sakhnolisky, and built by Mack Trucks Inc., at their bus research laboratory at Allentown, Pennsylvania. It has glass cant panels, the side windows are 5 ft. long, and the rear windows are curved. Blue-tinted glass is used throughout.
The centre of the windscreen dips at the waist to improve the driver's view.
The specially designed seats are larger and have higher backs than the normal. The piping on the cushions is crosswise to allow passengers to rise from their seats with greater ease. Foam rubber is used throughout and the arm rests on some of the longitudinal seats have a double amount of foam rubber. A half-round foam-rubber "crash pad extends the length of the bus under the windows.
To make the rear more attkactive, and to encourage people to moVe in that direction, the seats have been placed around the sides to form a "lounge." Different-coloured upholstery has also been adopted and there is an edge-lit Lucite mural behind the rear seats which has as its theme Manhattan at night, Forward-facing seats are mounted on single central round pedestals which allow exceptional foot room. Fitted on the pedestals are concealed lights with pink lenses. They eliminate the shadows under the seats and are flattering to woirien.
Lighting is provided by Luminator fluorescent units on each side of the roof ventilating duct.
The colour scheme is a combination of muted tones which include a warm beige for seat tops, crash pad and side panels; a greyish pink for the rear compartment and driver's seat, and greyish light blue for the longitudinal scats. The floor covering is of two shades of mottled tan and brown tiles.
Touches of luxury include a white telephone handset for the driver, and satin-gold finish for the stanchions, seat pedestals, instrument-board bezels and steering-wheel horn ring.
The outside is paintep in a solid warm metallic bronze, set off by a white roof and satin-finished mouldings and trim panels.