crs1026
Superstar
^The prevalence of backpacks is an interesting case study. It’s a case of designers having not changed their paradigm despite changes in the user population. Backpacks were a lot less common even 25 years ago. They present huge challenges for all forms of transit, which still assume that customers especially commuters had perhaps a newspaper and maybe a flat, flexible briefcase. Courteous riders take packs off their backs, but they remain unwieldy. Pretty hard to stuff under one’s feet when the seats are so tight. Bulky even if held by hand, put the on the floor under crowded conditions and you may not be able to bend down to retrieve it.
Overhead racks, anyone?
I find that people just generally haul more ‘stuff’ around with them these days. Even baby strollers have grown in size, so while there may be more space allocated on low floor vehicles than the older models, it is used up very quickly.
The quad seats may not be optimal, but I still find there is more ‘circulating’ space on a Flexity than on a transit bus. On today’s buses, the space between the front wheels is a pinch point - even a couple of standees in that space means one has to push aggressively to get past. If the people in the “accessibility” zone have walkers or buggies, the pich point extends right to the rear doors. And the “back porch” area with steps is not standee friendly. At least Flexities have more handholds and leaning spaces where one can try to squeeze out of the way.
I don’t have a better design, but there must be one.
- Paul
Overhead racks, anyone?
I find that people just generally haul more ‘stuff’ around with them these days. Even baby strollers have grown in size, so while there may be more space allocated on low floor vehicles than the older models, it is used up very quickly.
The quad seats may not be optimal, but I still find there is more ‘circulating’ space on a Flexity than on a transit bus. On today’s buses, the space between the front wheels is a pinch point - even a couple of standees in that space means one has to push aggressively to get past. If the people in the “accessibility” zone have walkers or buggies, the pich point extends right to the rear doors. And the “back porch” area with steps is not standee friendly. At least Flexities have more handholds and leaning spaces where one can try to squeeze out of the way.
I don’t have a better design, but there must be one.
- Paul
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