This is a very long and tiring process, since I had no idea about a city bus in the beginning of the project. How does a city bus chassis look like? Where is the engine? Why the wheels are positioned like that? I had tried to find answers to all by asking some questions to experts and searching in internet. Finally I did what I believed in...
In order to enhance design flexibility inside the bus and also create a sustainable solution, I decided to use fuel cells and in wheel engines.
Now most of you would say fuel cell is not an energy source and that's why you cannot say it is sustainable. Well I say, if you make sure that it carries the energy from a renewable source, because of its efficiency, it is sustainable enough!
Finally comparing with conventional buses, this new package becomes more flexible, eco friendly, silent and more accessible because it lets full low floor design in it.
Package Configuration:
After trying some digital mock ups, and observing some existing bus structures ( Volvo 7700, Scania Omni Hybrid) I created a 12 meter bus with its front wheels placed at the corners.
It has a wide,flexible and full low floor design, which enables 2 wheelchairs and 2 baby carriages on board at the same time.
Layout Proposals:
Yes, I tried hundreds of them in illustrator...
Then tried some more detailed ones in full scale...
Full scale Tape mock-ups
First of all I studied the mid section of the bus where I placed two wheelchairs(black boxes) and their assistants. I placed foldable chairs at the wheelchair compartment on one side and single seats that face the aisle on the other side. This layout enables easy manoeuvrability for the wheelchairs during their passage.
The front section is more conventional. I decided to make it that way in order to facilitate orientation from front entrance. Here I placed double seats on one side and single seats on the other. This configuration creates a wide passenger passage.
The rear section is the flexible lounge that is equipped with foldable seats. During my user research, I observed that young passengers walk directly to tha rear of the bus. This flexible environment is suitable for these young ones and parents with baby carriages.
The reason why I placed the prams in the rear section is, whenever a pram comes unexpectedly, a young passenger can easily move and give his seat to the pram. It would have been a hazel for an old one to do the same thing. I saw many old women giving their seats to prams and finishing their journey on foot.
Wheelchair Securement Systems:
I tried to observe different kinds of wheelchair securement systems in order to find the most suitable one.
Independence and safety have been the key features for me during the evaluation of each system. That’s why I found the docking system the most suitable one for public transportation, because of its reliability and ease of use by the wheelchair user him/her self without having help of another.
UDIG Wheelchair Securement:
During my researches, I found a study of standardization for wheelchair securement systems in public transportation. It is called UDIG (Universal Docking Interface Geometry) which is a very simple and feasible geometry that can be attached to wheelchair docking stations in public transportation vehicles. I think we definitely need a standard docking system and that'S why I strongly support it.
source: ISO 10542-3:2005
Ramp Structure:
I also observed the existing ramp structures in transportation vehicles and created a new one having some new features as well as the ones of the existing ones.
Part of the floor of the bus lowers down and the ramp slides out.
This system will reduce the occupied area in pavement especially for wintertime when it is covered and blocked by snow.
Colors and Contrast:
I divided the interior elements of the bus into two groups, background and foreground; and tried to use contrasting colours in these two groups.
I got help from the website lighthouse.org in finding out what colours are creating high contrast.
I tried different colour variations and finally decided to use the one on the right because of its high contrast as well as its good harmony.
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