United States Department of Transportation
i
Safety Study of Double-Decker Motorcoaches with Rear Luggage Compartment
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2017-06-06
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[PDF-2.29 MB]
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Abstract:Section 5510 of Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, 2015 (FAST Act) required the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study on the effects of attaching a luggage compartment to the rear of a double-decker motorcoach, with respect to safety of vehicle operations, fire suppression capability, tire loads, and pavement impacts. This report presents the results of that study. The study was conducted through a combination of analysis and tests with a double-decker motorcoach. The three conditions were a reference loading condition, a regulatory loading condition, and a maximum loading condition.
The reference or baseline condition had the load for passengers and luggage but no rear luggage compartment. The regulatory condition had a payload identical to the reference condition, but a rear luggage compartment was attached. In the maximum loading condition the motorcoach, with a rear luggage compartment attached, was loaded to its gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR).
The rear luggage compartment did not affect safe maneuverability over the range of conditions tested. There is an unquantified concern that the compartment could contain heat in a severe engine compartment fire and lead to breaching the rear window. The tires and rims have adequate capacity for their loads. States must enact limits on
tire and axle loads that are consistent with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regulations. The loads under all conditions may exceed some State limits with respect to the FHWA bridge formula.
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