Meeting Riders’ Needs for
Increased Cleanliness
I
By Doug Oswald
ssues 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
— even illnesses that they may contract
— in a public setting. If a seat
looks dirty, many transit riders will
choose to stand — or worse, stop riding
public transit.
Other than the fl oor, the dirtiest
surface in a transit vehicle is the
seating upholstery, which can harbor
harmful bacteria.
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.
Quite oft en, 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.
The Latest Technology to
Evaluate Seat Comfort
Field testing through digital ergonomic
analysis (also known as pressure
mapping) is changing minds and
proving that non-upholstered 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. More
important than a thin layer of foam
and fabric on a seat is the contour,
pitch and back angle of 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”).
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.
14 | Expo Daily | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | OCTOBER 9, 2017
Other Options for
Germ Reduction
Other options for germ reduction on
seating upholstery include fabric additives,
maintenance and alternative
materials. New fabric treatments keep
fl uids from entering the fi bers as long
as the additive is suffi ciently 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.
Some transit authorities have
moved to vinyl upholstery that is
non-permeable 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 come in contact with
more than any other. In the end, it
comes down to what best meets the
needs of riders and maintenance staff .
Th ere are now options, from plush
padding to fabric- or vinyl-only, to
all-plastic without any upholstery —
which are each highly ergonomic and
very similar in comfort.
SEATING
Left, A transit seat
in service.
Digital ergonomic
analysis of an allplastic
American
Seating InSight
seat (top) versus
another’s seat
with fabric. Cooler
colors represent
less pressure,
warmer colors
represent more
pressure.
Doug Oswald is the
marketing director for
American Seating.
» Visit American Seating Co. at booth 3733.
