ERGONOMIC SCHOOL BUS DRIVER SEAT DRIVERS
ERGONOMIC SCHOOL BUS DRIVER SEAT WINDOWS

Along those lines, Mellberg says the two color choices for the interior - gray and beige - also help to create a more positive atmosphere. He says the increased interior illumination could help to improve the mood of students and reduce the likelihood of behavioral problems. Mellberg says the C2 has larger passenger windows, allowing more light into the bus. There's also enhanced visibility for the passengers. 'In addition, the interior “A” pillar areas are painted black instead of school bus yellow to reduce glare/reflective light, and the dash and surrounding gray-colored areas are coated with a low-gloss paint to minimize driver eye fatigue from glaring objects.'

'The driver sees what we call the fence line of the window at the cowling, which also has been lowered,' he explains. Mellberg says Thomas engineers reduced the dashboard instrument panel brow to minimize its visual presence.

ERGONOMIC SCHOOL BUS DRIVER SEAT WINDOWS

The large, curved windshield allows more upward visibility, and loading zone visibility left and right of hood center is improved thanks to innovative “A” pillar windows and a window forward of the entrance door below the right “A” pillar window. Engineers reduced the forward hood height, allowing a typical driver to see the ground over the center of the hood at approximately 10 feet from the front bumper. With its C2, Thomas has improved the visibility footprint found on a typical Type C school bus. 'This enhances the driver’s ability to see across the entire road during inclement weather.' 'We also changed the wiper pattern to add significantly more wiped area,' says Ray. eliminated the center bar in the windshield by using one flat sheet of glass. Other bus manufacturers also have been focusing on improved visibility. The two-panel door is 27 inches wide and 78 inches high. In addition, the Vision has an outward-opening tempered-glass service door that enhances the driver’s view of the loading and unloading area. This innovation allows the driver to see into a critical safety area near the right front wheel. The Vision also features a laminated glass panel with a wide-angle lens positioned slightly ahead of the service doors. in Fort Valley, Ga., say they were able to increase with a highly angled hood the driver’s range of sight by up to 20 inches compared to competitors' buses. In its Vision conventional bus, engineers at Blue Bird Corp.

ERGONOMIC SCHOOL BUS DRIVER SEAT DRIVERS

'Interestingly, one of their biggest requests was for a place to put trash or to store their personal items,' Mellberg says, adding that this request was addressed in the C2.īecause the ability of the drivers to see as much of the road as possible is critical to safety and comfort, bus manufacturers have been modifying the design of windshields, hoods, side windows and other elements that affect visibility. 'We took photos of each driver in the adjusted position, explained the features of the interior surroundings they were in and interviewed them regarding their likes and dislikes of these features,' he adds. Then they were seated in a bus and asked to adjust the seat and steering column to a comfortable position. The drivers were weighed and measured for height and asked their ages and years of school bus driving experience. 'We interviewed small groups of five or six at a time for about half a day each,' Mellberg says. 'We measured real bus drivers that was the key thing.' 'Your average bus driver is not your average American,' says Randall Ray, platform marketing manager for Warrenville, Ill.-based International Truck and Engine Corp., parent of IC Corp. From these measurements, a group of 28 'virtual' drivers of all shapes and sizes was generated for use in computerized ergonomic simulations. These drivers provided 34 measurements, including height, weight and length of arms and legs. in Conway, Ark., was designing its 2005 CE conventional bus series, it received input from nearly 1,500 bus drivers from around the country. Even something as subtle as a lack of storage space for a purse or other personal items can lead to overall discontent. A driver who is comfortable behind the wheel is a lot less likely to leave the job than one who is constantly complaining about the driver’s compartment. They’re also critical to the ability of school districts and contractors to keep their turnover rates to a minimum. These improvements are critical to the comfort and well being of the driver and to the safety of the passengers. But subtle enhancements to the driver's area, in the way of improved ergonomics, are regularly made by school bus manufacturers.

Ergonomic school bus driver seat