Metro Magazine

APR 2013

Magazine serving the bus and rail transit & motorcoach operations since 1904

Issue link: https://metromag.epubxp.com/i/116664

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 47 of 61

SEATING the life of the bus. Te standard bus is designed to last between seven and 12 years — so are our seats." While lightweight products can improve fuel economy, some customers have noticed it occasionally comes at the cost of durability. But, companies a now trying to produce are seats that marry the two features. th 4ONE's new Gemini, for example, is a G lighter-weight e ergonomic seat that's also high in strength because of its calculated design. "Te latest trend in the transit market is defnitely providing options that nite Greater hip and knee room is another one, as are bike racks and stroller parking." Perhaps these new needs stem from a recent infux in discretionary riders, adds Melleady, who has also noticed a strong trend among transit agencies to accommodate and appease this ridership group. "Attracting a new ridership group that we haven't historically seen comes with the challenge of balancing comfort and passenger amenities without sacrifcing the capacity in that vehicle," he says. "The traditional school bus style benches won't do anymore." Kiel gives customers the option of high-gloss vandal-resistant surfaces or stainless steel. Amaya-Astron's A-2Ten is named after the federal motor vehicle safety standard for seat belts. maximize fuel efciency without compromising the longevity of a seat's lifecycle," says Melleady. A FLEXIBLE SPACE Flexible seats or seating arrangements allow a transit agency to increase space in a necessary situation. American Seating's newest product on the market is an individual flip-up seat model that can be applied to both the Insight and Vision seats. It ofers a more fexible build to accommodate the increase in carts and strollers that transit authorities are seeing brought onto buses, according to Miko. "Our company goals, when it comes to designing transit seating, are to stay on top of the trends and to provide customers with products that help solve needs as they come up in the industry," she says. With more adaptive and customizable layouts, manufacturers are able to give customers the fexibility they need to suit their particular ridership. Freedman's modular Go Seat, which was introduced a year ago and is currently in full production, allows the customer to build up or down depending on their needs. Components such as grab rails, head rests, diferent types of arm rests and cushions can be added at their discretion. "Although it's mainly for medium-duty buses, it can also be ftted for a variety of vehicle types," says Cohen. Freedman also works with individual transit agencies to develop sewing patterns and seat designs for customers who want an exclusive look. "We also tailor to individual companies a lot of the time," says Melleady. "The industry dictates what we continually modify and change in our products. Some customers want more seating room, while others want more standing room. 46 < mETRO mAGAZINE APRIL 2013 ANTI-MICROBIAL ON THE RISE Reducing the spread of germs to improve the overall sanitation of a publicly used vehicle is a large concern that has taken priority recently and will only continue to escalate. The reason for this trend seems to stem from recent outbreaks of bedbugs, staph infections and other diseases of that nature that can be transferred from surfaces, according to Miko. "Tis may include a trend toward vinyl or no fabric at all on bus seats," she says. But for now, anti-microbial fabrics, and recently, anti-microbial handrails seem to be the solution as manufacturers are reporting increased demand for these products from agencies. "We're seeing a lot of people wanting anti-microbial, antibacterial characteristics in the seat cover, whether it is vinyl or cloth," says Cohen. "Additionally, on some of our products now — the Go Seat included — we're ofering sanitized grab handles, which are molded with a special lab-verifed material so it won't harbor or perpetuate the growth of microbes or bacteria. Tis trend has grown within the past year." Tese Freedman seating products have a label on them so the rider is aware. 4ONE's Gemini also ofers anti-microbial handrails that aren't found in a traditional transit seat. SEATBELTS IN SMALLER VEHICLES In the small to mid-size bus market, seat belts are becoming standard features. As these vehicles travel at higher speeds, and sometimes on highways, there's a greater need for this type of passenger protection. Freedman Seating is now ofering a new three-point seat, called the 3-PTA, with adjustable shoulder belts that allow the passenger to alter the height for increased comfort. metro-magazine.com

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Metro Magazine - APR 2013