# Seat belts to be required on large buses



## rickycourtney (Nov 20, 2013)

From the AP:



> New tour buses and buses that provide service between cities must be equipped with seat belts starting in late 2016 under a federal rule issued Wednesday, a safety measure sought by accident investigators for nearly a half century.
> 
> Beginning in November 2016, all new motorcoaches and some other large buses must be equipped by manufacturers with three-point lap-shoulder belts, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. The rule doesn't apply to school buses or city transit buses.
> 
> An average of 21 people in large buses are killed each year in crashes, and nearly 8,000 others are injured annually, the safety administration said. Seat belts could reduce fatalities and moderate-to-severe injuries by nearly half. About half of all motorcoach fatalities are the result of rollovers, and about 70 percent of those killed in rollover accidents were ejected from the bus.


Full article here.

This will be a major change for smaller carriers including tour operators and the Chinatown buses. The major inter-city carriers including Greyhound and Megabus are already only buying new buses with seatbelts. Greyhound is also already in the process of adding new seats with seatbelts onto it's motorcoaches.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Nov 20, 2013)

Ricky, you seem really interested in buses now. Good thing these operators will be required to install seatbelts. Greyhound's doing it already, but no all the passengers use them.

Personally, as a frequent rider myself, I'd say seatbelts aren't that useful when you're awake, but very useful when you want to sleep. That's because when I'm awake, then I can feel if something''s about to go wrong and I can brace behind the high-backed seats, which negates the use of seatbelt to prevent sliding forward. When I'm asleep, I can't do any of that, so seatbelts would be great.


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## rickycourtney (Nov 21, 2013)

I would say that I'm an advocate of all forms of public transportation (trains, planes and buses).

On my most recent trip on an Amtrak California Thruway Motorcoach the buses were each equipped with seat belts. I wore them. You're right, they're nice when you fall asleep (plus I was able to rest my head on the seatbelt webbing).

It was smart for Greyhound to buy high backed seats to keep passengers compartmentalized in a crash, but in the article it mentions "About half of all motorcoach fatalities are the result of rollovers, and about 70 percent of those killed in rollover accidents were ejected from the bus." High backed seats and bracing yourself won't keep you from being ejected or injured in a rollover accident.


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## SubwayNut (Nov 21, 2013)

In England buses have been required to have seat belts for at least 6 years. The last time I was there I found myself riding National Express and the driver actually said (paraphrasing) "Please fasten your seatbelts I don't want to get pulled over."


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## AKA (Nov 21, 2013)

My wife is on a tour bus now. She just called to tell me that the bus has seat belts. Somewhat lower at the shoulder and not very comfortable. This bus looks to be very new. Operated by a local tour co, here in northern Ohio.


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## railiner (Nov 21, 2013)

We have had seatbelts on all new buses purchased from 2009 on. In addition they are a modified version of school bus 'containment' design, that will protect passengers even when not using the belts....

The downside is a few complaints from smaller senior's on charter-tours, that they can't see forward anymore....


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## Swadian Hardcore (Nov 21, 2013)

Someone sent me a PM a while back saying he was unhappy at Greyhound's very-high-backed seats, he could not see forward at all. For your safety, sir!

This might just mean the deaths of more irregular bus operators, which are often too stupid to read the laws.


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## fairviewroad (Nov 22, 2013)

So are people actually required to use them? Or are these provided for usage by passengers only if they want to?

And, is there a "seat-belt" light as in airplanes? (Obviously it would be "on" the entire time the bus is in motion)


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## Swadian Hardcore (Nov 22, 2013)

fairviewroad said:


> So are people actually required to use them? Or are these provided for usage by passengers only if they want to?
> 
> And, is there a "seat-belt" light as in airplanes? (Obviously it would be "on" the entire time the bus is in motion)


I see that you haven't ridden Greyhound lately. You're not required to use them, just use them if you want to.there's no seat belt light and I don't see how they could install one into the current modules of the D.


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## rickycourtney (Nov 22, 2013)

For liability reasons, I wouldn't be surprised if Greyhound creates a standardized safety spiel, similar to the airlines, that drivers will be required to give as they depart major stops.

The last trip I took on an Amtrak California Thruway Motorcoach the driver did a safety spiel as we left Newhall on our way to Bakersfield. He welcomed us aboard, gave his name, told us how long it would take to get to Bakersfield, described the operation of the 3 types of emergency exits and said something to the effect of "you are free to use the restroom located in the rear of the coach during our trip, but while in your seat please keep your seatbelt fastened."

Also, the bus had real overhead bins with doors as opposed to the open racks with bungee cords that many buses had and got a chuckle when we arrived in Bakersfield because the driver asked us to "be careful when opening the overhead bins as contents may have shifted during our trip."


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## Swadian Hardcore (Nov 22, 2013)

Greyhound uses the rope parcel racks in order to accomodate more carry-on luggage. When you have sealed door parcel racks, then the luggage has tofit entirely within otherwise the door would get jammed. With rope parcel racks, it can stick a bit out and won't make a difference.

Usually Greyhound drivers say something like this, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome aboard Greyhound Lines Schedule xxxx to xxxx, stopping at xxxx, xxxx, and xxxx. Please, no smoking or alcohol comsumption onboard. Please use earphones when listening to music and refrain from causing noise that might disrupt other passengers. Next stop will be xxxx at about xxxx. We will get to xxxx (final destination) at about xxxx. Thank you for Going Greyhound."

As you can see, nothing about seatbelts or emergency exits.


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## fairviewroad (Nov 22, 2013)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> fairviewroad said:
> 
> 
> > So are people actually required to use them? Or are these provided for usage by passengers only if they want to?
> ...


No, I haven't. In the past 5 years, the only inter-city buses I've used have been BoltBus and Amtrak Thruway, both in the Northwest. I don't recall

seeing seatbelts on either of those services, but it's possible even that's changed by now.

I'm guessing many people won't use them unless required, though enforcement would pretty difficult since there is no equivalent of a flight attendant

on a bus, so the only person who could enforce would be the driver prior to departure. OTOH seatbelts are required in automobiles and there's no

one there to enforce it, either.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Nov 22, 2013)

If you live in the Northwest then it's probably a good idea not to ride Greyhound. All Greyhound buses based from Seattle (excluding BoltBus) are the horrid G4500's that are no good until they get rebuilt. And Seattle-based G4500s will be the last to get rebuilt, since Greyhound dosen't have much focus on the Northwest, presumably due to poor revenues.


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## Shawn Ryu (Nov 22, 2013)

What is the point? Passengers arent going to use them and cops arent going to enforce it.


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## railiner (Nov 23, 2013)

The important point is that they are there....driver's will be mentioning that it is a good idea to use them, in their announcements. As time passes, more and more passenger's will realize the benefit they offer, and just like in automobiles, usage will continually increase...

It is also technologically possible to install something like a blinking LED light aimed at the seat occupant that will only go out if the belt is worn, if it ever comes to that....

And if it ever becomes a requirement by the government, an interlock could be installed that would prevent the coach from moving initially, if all belts are not worn. I am not advocating any such thing, and it is unlikely that it will happen anytime in the near future, but the technology is out there when and if.....


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## SarahZ (Nov 23, 2013)

I would use them. I always feel weird traveling without a seat belt. Also, as others have pointed out, it's nice to use the shoulder harness as support when sleeping. That's how I sleep in a car.


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## railiner (Nov 23, 2013)

rickycourtney said:


> For liability reasons, I wouldn't be surprised if Greyhound creates a standardized safety spiel, similar to the airlines, that drivers will be required to give as they depart major stops.
> 
> The last trip I took on an Amtrak California Thruway Motorcoach the driver did a safety spiel as we left Newhall on our way to Bakersfield. He welcomed us aboard, gave his name, told us how long it would take to get to Bakersfield, described the operation of the 3 types of emergency exits and said something to the effect of "you are free to use the restroom located in the rear of the coach during our trip, but while in your seat please keep your seatbelt fastened."
> 
> Also, the bus had real overhead bins with doors as opposed to the open racks with bungee cords that many buses had and got a chuckle when we arrived in Bakersfield because the driver asked us to "be careful when opening the overhead bins as contents may have shifted during our trip."


I had to smile a little when I read your post....

We used to have a driver based in Syracuse, that was a furloughed commuter airline captain.

I suppose his frustration of having to go down from flying commuter airliner's to driving buses showed in a way.....he made the most extensive announcements I have ever heard....for example, when on 'final approach' to the platform in the Port Authority Bus Terminal, he would ask passenger's to "please return your seatbacks to their full upright position, to facilitate exiting the coach"......


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## Swadian Hardcore (Nov 23, 2013)

Hey, Greyhound publically applauded the new seat belt requirement: http://www.greyhound.com/en/newsroom/viewrelease.aspx?id=551&year=2013. That's something interesting, it's hard to see companies publically applauding new federal regulations.


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## railiner (Nov 23, 2013)

That's no surprise, considering the benefit not only to the passenger, but the carrier.....


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## Swadian Hardcore (Nov 23, 2013)

railiner said:


> That's no surprise, considering the benefit not only to the passenger, but the carrier.....


What's the benefit to the carrier? Less fatal accidents? Does that really warrant publically applauding it?


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## railiner (Nov 23, 2013)

It is good PR, for one thing....shows that they support something that will improve passenger safety. In addition, it means that competing carrier's will have to bear the same costs as they do, leveling the playing field expense wise, so to speak.....


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## tp49 (Nov 23, 2013)

It benefits the carrier when it comes to liability purposes as well.


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