Research: Low-Floor Transit Buses

Info reference: TCRP Synthesis 2 - Transportation Research Board, National Research Council

Low-Floor buses are relatively new to North America. They've been used in Europe for a long time and have slowly made there way to Canada and the USA over the past 15 years. High-Floor buses actually provide more passenger capacity but are more difficult to board and exit.

Low-Floor buses primarily address the problem of difficult access (boarding and exiting).












Key Points:
- A way to provide more user-friendly access for ALL passengers - adults, people with disabilities, seniors, children, parents with strollers, people with packages.
- remove unreliable wheel chair lifts, replace with ramps
- reduce stop dwell times by achieving faster boarding an exiting times
- rear of the bus more inviting for standees
- passenger feedback overwhelmingly positive
- boarding/alighting easier and faster

Drawbacks
- fewer seats for passengers (5-7 seats less, depending on actual bus size and configuration)
- time to maneuver a wheelchair to a secure location take a bit longer
- comment: insufficient space for most persons who user walkers, wheelchairs, guide dogs, and other mobility aids to enter and travel down the aisles (thus, seating for these people are at the front of the bus)

Potential areas for Research
- increase passenger seating capacity (deals with bus structure, axles etc)
- reduction in dwell times (boarding, fare collection system)
- development of level-boarding systems (raised platforms to level with the bus)

Questionnaire about passengers:
1. Do pasengers have difficulty in reaching the fare box?
2. Do passengers have difficulty with the interior steps?
3. Do passengers object to rearward facing seats?
4. Is there a seat availability issue/concern?
5. Do passengers have difficulting in using the seats on pedestals?
6. Any noise issues (ie. engine)?
7. Do passengers find the window view satisfactory?
8. Are teh wheelchair securement locations satisfactory?