“Comfort is a measurable standard, as opposed to a subjective judgment of what may constitute comfortable seating,” says Ray Melleady, managing director, USSC North America. The significant challenge in the design of driver seats is to arrive at a safe and comfortable solution that can accommodate a wide variety of body types. “From our work with Ford and Chevrolet, we have adopted 202A as the standard for the small and medium duty bus markets - even though it is not required.” “The 202A standard is law for any vehicle under 10,000 pounds GVW,” Cohen says. The standard provides for greater head and neck support. “Motorcoach drivers will often opt for a static seat with a height adjustment over a suspension driver seat that costs 30 to 40 percent more.”Ĭohen says the landscape changed when Ford and Chevrolet adopted 202A, a FMVSS standard 202A for passenger seating which establishes criteria for the height of the seatback. “This is less of an issue in motorcoaches, as those vehicles ride on much softer suspension systems typically over smooth highways,” says Dan Cohen, vice president of sales and marketing for Freedman Seating. This key fatigue factor typically requires a suspension seat mounted to an oscillating suspension that can absorb road vibrations through its own built-in air spring and shock absorber. “High-spine alignment is something we consider with all of our designs.” “They must be comfortable and offer improved concentration on the road,” Sieber says. Jonathan Sieber, director of sales, RECARO Automotive Seating, says seats must not cause bodily harm or damage the health of the lower back, the shoulders and entire spine. Seat vibration is a source of driver fatigue and can become a safety issue. In this case, the armrest lowers and slides back into a full lock position to keep the driver from leaving the seat. The HSM Driver seat, featuring Maximum Driver Protection (MDP), evolves from research on driver incidents, such as the driver doing something to slip or fall out of the seat and cause the vehicle to swerve. HSM has incorporated a dual retractor system with a restraint length up to 100 inches, to restrain the smallest to largest driver without having to rely on an independent belt extender. Though not mandated as yet, three-point seat belts are closer to a standard than an option in today’s motorcoach market. Much of the focus on bus safety currently points to seatbelts. Here are the key takeaways from our conversations. The companies commented on the regulations and procedures they adhere to, and the standards they establish themselves that allow their products to perform satisfactorily in these critical areas. RECARO Automotive Seating, Auburn Hills, MI - A division of the global Johnson Controls group, RECARO manufactures premium driver and passenger seating for every type of commercial bus. HSM, Hickory, NC - Formerly known as Hickory Springs Manufacturing, HSM has expanded by bringing in other companies to fully integrate its manufacturing of seating products for school buses, and push further into the small bus and transit markets. KAB builds primarily for construction vehicles.
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