D17.6. Code of Practice for New Design Options of the Exterior and Interior Design and Layout of Buses and its Interface with the Platform

Rapport, 2018

The EBSF 2 project has developed and tested, both in simulations and in field trials, different design solutions for (electric) buses and bus stops as well as the interface between the two. The results show that electrification can have a potentially huge positive impact on comfort, safety, accessibility, as well as the general impression of the public transport system. Simulations show that a number of design details impact efficiency and perception such as; large doors, big open areas around doors, absence of obstructions between door and seat/wheelchair position, etc.
Results also demonstrate the importance of considering carefully the interplay between bus design, bus stop design, and e.g. rules for boarding. Simulations are here an important design tool. The EBSF 2 project has furthermore demonstrated the the feasibility and potential of indoor bus stops. Overall, electric buses, almost completely silent and without local emissions, offer new possibilities to progress towards a bus system that is more integrated with the city and everyday activities.