Editor’s note: This op-ed for Bus & Motorcoach News is written by Roger Brereton, an engineer with Pailton Engineering.
The main character from the 1970s British sitcom “On the Buses,” a driver called Stan, was always trying to get off work with various hare-brained schemes. Hardly surprising, when you learn that during this era work-related health problems forced bus drivers to quit driving long before retirement age.
Thirty years ago, drivers not only had to drive the bus and navigate heavy traffic, but they also were responsible for tasks such as supervising passenger loading and unloading, selling tickets, and providing passengers with various kinds of information, all while sitting in an often ill-fitting workstation. Numerous studies have shown that this combination of psychological and physical stresses cut many a driver’s career short.
Since then, bus design has changed significantly, and drivers are now supported by technology. For example, as a passenger today, you can tap your travel card to buy a ticket, enjoy live travel updates on a digital screen and even charge your devices via USB. Modern buses are a world away from their ‘90s counterparts, but much of the development has focussed on passengers. What about the drivers?
Still suffering
According to a 2024 RMT survey, drivers are still suffering at work. In fact, four out of five drivers or 78% of them, say their jobs caused musculoskeletal problems such as back pain, shoulder pain or neck pain. If you ask them what the problem is, 19 out of 20 or 95% of them, say the driver cabin could be designed in a more ergonomic way to reduce the risk of discomfort and pain.
It’s no wonder the industry faces a staff shortage. The United Kingdom government is even relaxing rules on 18-year-old drivers to bolster the workforce. But what is the industry doing to make the role more attractive?
Manufacturers must not be laid back when it comes to driver comfort. Workplaces in general must be comfortable to improve wellbeing, but with passenger safety at risk if a driver becomes distracted, it’s especially important for motorcoach drivers.
Seat design, for example, has evolved over the years to reduce driver fatigue and increase comfort. Seats are now fully adjustable, often heated, insulated from vibration, and feature lumbar support. Controls are also more ergonomic, with switches within easy reach and grouped according to frequency of use.
One cabin feature that’s often overlooked is the steering column. Unlike domestic cars, which usually have just one or two drivers, buses are regularly driven by multiple people, so they require frequent adjustments to the cabin settings.
Today, most steering columns are adjustable to some degree. However, the RMT survey results suggest that drivers still find themselves forced into awkward postures.
A greater range of adjustability would help. For example, a tilting head steering column that allows the driver to fully customize both the reach and the angle of the steering wheel might help ensure a comfortable and ergonomic driving posture that minimizes shoulder, back and neck strain.
Automated comfort
Additionally, drivers who are pressed for time at the beginning of a shift will benefit from an electric column with a memory function, so that the steering wheel instantly adjusts to a driver’s favorite position at the touch of a button. If connected to the seating, the seat could also adjust to their preferred position. This would eliminate the need for manual or repeated adjustments every shift, saving valuable time and ensuring maximum ergonomic benefit.
A column designed to make adjusting the height and angle of the wheel quick and easy — or automatic — also would ensure a comfortable posture throughout every shift, reducing the risk of fatigue and discomfort.
The cabin in modern buses is isolated from the rest of the interior with plexiglass, initially intended to protect drivers from unruly passengers. More recently, this protected drivers from illness during the pandemic. Additionally, dedicated climate control ensures a comfortable working temperature for the driver regardless of passenger cabin conditions.
Some buses feature blind-spot monitoring systems combined with lane departure warnings and automatic emergency braking. Live information about the vehicle is clearly displayed on an LCD screen within easy eyesight of the driver.
Buses are even safer for people outside the vehicle. Zero tailpipe emissions buses, such as electric or hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles, improve air quality and reduce pollution.
Although many of the features described above are common for new buses, bus drivers in rural areas are often stuck driving much older buses. Because of these buses’ more basic cabin design, their drivers are at greater risk of injury. Hopefully, these buses will soon seem as out of date as some of the jokes from “On the Buses,” and drivers will no longer be spending so much time recovering from back and neck pain.
Roger Brereton is an engineer with Pailton Engineering, which designs and manufactures steering components and full steering systems for the bus and coach sector.
