Maximize Space

Double-decker buses, in London, can hold quite a few people.  At the garage where I'm based, the older models in our fleet hold approximately 70 people.  The newest models hold over 90.  Passengers board at the front doors and exit from the rear doors.  Once most of the seats are taken, people begin standing.  Often a problem develops, as more and more people board the bus.  Passengers tend to bunch up, towards the front.

The two, main contributing causes for the passengers bunching near the front are the fact that passengers on the lower deck can't see if there are empty seats on the upper deck and that passengers standing in the middle of the lower deck don't move towards the back, as more people board.  The first problem I can often help with.  Most of the buses in the fleet are now equipped with CCTV cameras which show the upper deck on a monitor in the driver's cab.  Some older buses have a mechanical, periscope system, which lets the driver have a view of the upper deck.  As the lower deck starts to have a number of people standing, I try to check the upper deck for open seats.   If there are open seats upstairs, I play a recorded announcement which says, "seats are available on the upper deck."  Often, even after I play this announcement, many people remain standing, on the lower deck.  Many older passengers are too infirm to climb the stairs to the upper deck, which is understandable.  Several of the seats on the lower deck are labeled as priority seating for the elderly.  Those who are not elderly often remain on the lower deck, because they plan to get off in a few stops and they figure it's easier to stay downstairs, near the exit doors, rather than go upstairs just to come back down in a few minutes.

The second problem I also try to help with.  I have another recorded announcement, which says, "please move towards the rear of the bus."  When boarding passengers, where there are people standing on board already, I play this announcement, often several times.  That doesn't always result in people moving towards the back.  I don't know if they just don't listen, or if they are too busy talking to pay attention, but if they don't move down, I'll often turn on the public address system and shout, "please move down as far as you can, so people can get on."  That usually gets some result.  Still, I will often look in the mirrors that let me see the area by the rear doors and see that there is much more space between people than there is up front, where passengers are jammed together like sardines.  It would be helpful if people took it upon themselves to move down, during busy periods.  If there are seats upstairs and you are fit enough to climb to the upper deck, take one of the seats upstairs.  This frees up space for the elderly, or for more standing passengers, downstairs.  Also, when people get off, from the rear doors, thus freeing up space, move down, so more people can get on, up front.  If everyone does the reasonable thing, together, we can maximize the number of people who can ride on the bus, which maxes the bus system more cost effective for all of us.