01332937

Component

This study was conducted to determine the impact of lap/shoulder seat belts on the capacity of Alabama school buses. The analysis was based on detailed data for 2,222 buses (30% of the state fleet), provided by school system transportation supervisors. Four seat configurations were analyzed. They represent the most common current configuration, 3 seats on each side of the aisle and 12 rows (3/3-12), loss of a row of seats (3/3-11), loss of one seat per row (3/2, 12), and loss of both a row of seats and a seat per row (3/2-11). University Transportation Center Alabama (UTCA) researchers determined the capacity for each configuration for each bus using current pupil loads to determine the number of buses that would be overloaded once the belts were installed. The results, with 2% accuracy, were: 3/3-12 configuration: 3% of buses overloaded 3/3-11 configuration: 16% of buses overloaded 3/2-12 configuration: 7% of buses overloaded 3/2-11 configuration: 20% of buses overloaded Even though 3% to 20% of school buses will be overloaded, many individual buses will be carrying only a few excess pupils. These small overloads might be handled by transferring pupils to other buses, adjusting all bus routes, specifying longer buses for new purchases, or similar actions. This study is the first time capacity loss was determined by applying current pupil loads to individual school buses for four seat/row configurations. The study also evaluated the effectiveness of flexible seats through in-bus observations of pupil use and a telephone survey of school systems with experience using the seats. This project recommended that if seat belts are installed, transportation supervisors analyze their fleets to identify the type of seat configuration that best fits their pupil base. Then they can select bus manufacturers and bus models that minimize loss of seating capacity while meeting their pupil transportation needs.

01329018

11-1870

English

15p

2011

Transportation Research Board 90th Annual Meeting

DVD

Figures (1) ; References (9) ; Tables (5)

Highway safety; Passenger transportation; Public transit; School buses; Seat belts; Students

Overload (Veh)

Alabama

Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2011 Paper #11-1870

TRIS, TRB

Feb 17 2011 5:57PM