Interior Design Considerations For Transit And Shuttle Buses

by Robert Benninghoff, Bentech Inc.

Shown is a typical seat, modesty panel and handrail layout on a transit bus. (Photo courtesy of Bentech)

Working in the design and manufacturing of bus and rail car products for 45 years has taught me that the following interior considerations tend to repeat themselves when authorities write the design specifications for new bus purchases:

1. What is the principal function of the bus?
   Urban Transit, Neighborhood Shuttle, or Commuter Bus? Each has its own passenger design requirements.
2. Will the vehicles be new or refurbished, and what is the life expectancy of the buses?
   The life of the bus and bus interiors may greatly depend on the size of the maintenance department.
3. Seats versus room for standees?
   • Urban Transit Buses have more frequent stops requiring fewer seats, thus allowing room for passenger movement in and out of the bus. This layout tends to have more vertical and horizontal handrails including strap hangers. Passenger impact safety tubing covering the vertical handrails may also be a major consideration. These buses are typically 40 to 60 feet long.
   • For Neighborhood Shuttle Buses, I have noticed over the years that these vehicles serve two main purposes — moving passengers with wheelchairs to and from medical and shopping centers, and passengers with suitcases traveling to and from train stations and airports. Many buses designed to transport wheelchairs will include longitudinal flip up seats and buses serving airports and train stations generally include luggage rack assemblies. Handrail and strap hanger assemblies are usually based on the anticipated maximum number of standees.
   • Commuter Buses tend to travel 10-plus miles with few stops along the route. These buses usually have a large number of comfortable seats with space for passengers to use laptops, etc., with USB charging connections. These buses also tend to have few overhead handrails but may include overhead parcel racks.
4. Entrance and Exit Door Windscreens/Modesty Panels:
   The design and manufacture of these assemblies depend on how to maintain and clean the panels that are impacted by heavy traffic in the doorways. Typical materials used to make the panels are Arborite or Nevamar, laminated on to fire-rated plywood or solid phenolic. Several designs incorporate both modesty panels and windscreens, particularly at the back of bus exit door. Other designs provide more passenger leg room and ease of cleaning the bus.
5. Driver Protection Doors:
   Protecting drivers from assault and passenger interference has become a major consideration in bus design, particularly since the start of Covid. Supporting the extra weight of the protection door in the front of the bus requires very careful planning — especially if the bus authority is retrofitting the doors. There are two main options: Driver Optional Doors that can be latched open when not being used or Driver Mandatory Doors requiring the driver to close the door when the bus is in operation.
6. Other considerations:
   Passenger Assist Strap Hangers and Passenger Impact Protecting Safety Tubing are also important considerations for designing bus interiors. And, free WiFi is now essential in buses of all sizes and length of journey. Careful thought and consideration of passenger comfort and safety when writing specifications for new bus purchases can save enormous costs in retrofit after the buses are delivered.

Bentech Inc and Transit Fittings of North America are divisions of The Philadelphia Pipe Bending Company, which has been in continuous operation since 1880. Bentech specializes in the design and manufacture of bus and passenger rail interiors. Products include handrail and stanchion assemblies; polished and powder coated RJ/PV-series aluminum tube fittings; modesty panel/windscreen assemblies; driver protection doors and partitions; luggage rack and bike rack assemblies; passenger impact safety tubing; passenger assist strap hangers and more. Transit Fittings of North America specializes in the world-famous TL-series of stainless-steel tube fittings with both polished and powder coated finish. TFNA also manufactures polished stainless steel and powder coated handrails and stanchions for the bus and passenger rail industries.

Robert Benninghoff has worked with Bentech and TFNA for over 45 years. He has been involved with the design and manufacture of components found in many of the bus and passenger rail vehicles existing today.