Meeting riders ’ needs for increased cleanliness
By Doug Oswald
Issues that negatively impact ridership levels can harm a transit authority ’ s credibility – even threaten its existence . A leading concern among today ’ s transit riders is the cleanliness of transit vehicles . People have become increasingly worried about germs that they may come into contact with – or even illnesses that they may contract –
Figure 1 : A transit seat in service in a public setting . If a seat looks dirty , as shown in Figure 1 , many transit riders will choose to stand – or worse , stop riding public transit .
Other than the floor , the dirtiest surface in a transit vehicle is the seating upholstery , which can harbor harmful bacteria . In the worst of cases , there can be social and litigious concerns for riders and transit authorities .
To combat this issue , transit authorities can either move away from upholstered seating or drastically improve their maintenance program .
Over the past several decades , the transit industry has evolved from using heavily cushioned seats to more rigid seating while still maintaining fabric . However , a growing trend among major transit authorities is to specify non-upholstered seating – and this trend is starting to see great success . The perception that only fabric-covered surfaces create a higher level of comfort is fading .
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SEAT
While sitting upright on a flat surface , 75 percent of a person ’ s body weight rests on two concentrated areas – technically referred to as “ ischial tuberosities ” ( known to most of us as the “ sit bones ”).
All-plastic American Seating Insight ®
Figure 2 :
Non-American Seating seat with fabric
In the Figure 2 images , cooler colors represent less pressure ( absence of discomfort ) while warmer colors represent more pressure ( discomfort ). In this case , the all-plastic InSight seat proves to be more comfortable than another ’ s fabric-covered seat .
Pressure-mapping technology is commonly used by those specializing in the science of seating , but transit authorities can easily evaluate non-upholstered seats by retrofitting a bus with this option and evaluating rider feedback .
Other options for germ reduction Other options for germ reduction on seating upholstery include fabric additives , maintenance and alternative materials . New fabric treatments keep fluids from entering the fibers as long as the additive is sufficiently present .
Another method involves cleaning and rotating upholstered components within and between vehicles . However , this practice is only effective with a vigorous , ongoing maintenance program and does not offer real-time effectiveness .
Some transit authorities have moved to vinyl upholstery that is nonpermeable by most liquids , but vinyl can easily be cut or damaged and requires ongoing replacement .
Conclusion
Seating is the one component on a vehicle that riders touch more than any other . In the end , it comes down to what best meets the needs of riders and maintenance staff . There are now options , as shown in Figure 3 – from plush padding to fabric or vinyl-only , to all-plastic without any upholstery – which are each highly ergonomic and very similar in comfort .
Over the course of an 86-year history , American Seating has led the way in the transit seating industry . The figures above show the evolution of several American Seating seats , from thick foam seats covered with fabric , to just fabric , to today ’ s INSIGHT-PRIME + ® with no upholstery .
Quite often , the initial impression is that plastic seating surfaces will be less comfortable than fabric , but once a highly ergonomic plastic seat is given a fair try , the desire for fabric is quickly forgotten .
Figure 3 : American Seating ’ s Vision ® and InSight seating families
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The latest technology to evaluate seat comfort
Field testing through digital ergonomic analysis ( also known as pressure mapping ) is changing minds and proving that nonupholstered seats are just as comfortable .
Fabric ( and foam ) add a level of initial warmth to the seating surface , but non-fabric surfaces quickly warm up to body temperature . The contour , pitch and back angle of the seat are more important than a thin layer of foam and fabric on a seat .
BUSRIDE