Passenger Seat

[bustangadventures]

Hey,

I have long been looking to buy and convert a bus. Would Ideally be looking for a 54 Passenger bus (roughly 30-35 feet long) to live in full-time. The thing I always have an issue with is the passenger seat. I would like them to be beside me rather than behind me. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what they have done to make the steps also a comfortable seat?
I have two main ideas. First is doing what is common on tour busses. At the top of the staircase, there is a fold-down seat where the tour guide sits. See photo below. This would be bolted to the existing steel wall so I would assume/hope there are not many issues with safety concerns.
Second idea would be to remove the steel wall and bolt a track system into the floor. This would allow the seat to slide forward over the staircase.
Obviously everywhere is different as to what laws allow but any suggestions or ideas?

[HamSkoolie]

Brian and Erin of Be Adventure Partners (BEAP) put their pax seat at the top of the stairs right next to the drivers seat. Made it a bit tight looking but works for them and they can even hold hands while driving down the road.


Juan of Beginning after Tomorrow (I think) installed a toyota Sienna seat on a sliding track that brings the seat back when stopped and forward when under way.


We plan to put our pax seat (hopefully sliding) behind a wooden "wall" that folds down to cover the entrance stairs so that the seat can slide forward and the pax still has a floor for their feet. When stopping the seat will be slid to the rear and turned to face the couch on the opposite wall, then the folding section brought up vertical and latched in place. The forward side of the floor/wall flip up will have a hand rail for entry use when vertical.



One thing to keep in mind is mounting of the seat belts. A seat with integral belts makes sliding/turning much easier but requires mounting framework that will withstand a crash without letting go. If you don't have the sliding/turning feature belts need to be secured to solid points of the bus body.

[BarnYardCamp]

Here's what I did. A seat from a van that I mounted on a swivel base purchased from a Ebay seller. My wife didn't want her feet dangling in the stair well so, with the seat slid back on it's track, she has a place to rest her feet. Slide the seat forward and it can then be swiveled to face the "camper" area.
So, my passenger (wife) will not be exactly beside me, but close enough to carry on a conversation and when needed, she can help navigate.

[Rucker]

My passenger seat is a swivel just like Barnyardcamp's, but behind the panel (so about 18" further back).

The other problem with those alibaba seats is they will not be comfortable for a long ride.

There's enough noise in my shuttle bus that we have trouble talking normally on the ride. I'm thinking of fixing that with electronics somehow. I can only imagine what noice a dognose bus might have.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by Rucker

I can only imagine what noice a dognose bus might have.

My bus is really not noisy at all. I can have a normal-volume conversation with somebody sitting in my passenger seat, with my window open and with the engine revving near 2400 RPM. I wish my engine was louder so it would drown out the @$#!% low-air-pressure buzzer.

I've read in a few places that the DT466e is relatively quiet, but I have no idea why that would be the case.

[cadillackid]

the CE style arent nearly as noiosy as a transit FE.. thos ARE Noisy busses..

[Rwnielsen]

I have a passenger seat like Barnyard too but it doesn't swivel. It's on a box on the wheel well right behind the stairs. You'd need bullhorns to have a conversation either way

[HamSkoolie]

Barnyard,
If you built a fold down that covered that stairwell your pax could have the seat forward and still have a place for their feet. It would have to fold up to use the stairwell when you're stopped but that would be easy enough.

[sportyrick]

How about moving your door to the middle of you bus and having your passenger seat permanently mounted? Check out sportyricks universal hauler and see how I did it.

[DeMac]

Do check out Sportyrick's_Albulm. His passenger side modification is factory perfect. Rick's door delete is my personal favorite modification.



If you're not yet commited, RE buses are relatively quiet, in the front. There's also more open space available next to the driver.





Shown above a standard 3 pax bus seat fits in the 3'x5' space between the stairs & driver.

[BarnYardCamp]

I could have used a couple pieces of 1" angle inside the top edge of the stairwell to support a "false" floor for the passenger's feet. That would have been easy...too late now since the floor is finished.
Had my H-cap door been further forward, I would have made it the entrance to the bus and eliminated the front doors...doing the mods that sport Rick did are well beyond my skill level...so I never considered that.

DeMac...the rear most seat that came with my bus was only 2/3 as wide as the other seats, plenty of space for 2 kids or 1 adult...should be easy enough to find and would make access to your steps easier.

[cadillackid]

I cant imagine the co pilot wanting to sit on a school bus seat for a long trip..


I was in a bus not too long ago that they had made a fold-down to cover the step well while on the road.. the bus was an RE thomas HDX. it folded down from from the dash (hinged was at front).. they made it powered so the rider in the seat could close and open it.. was super neat.. they figured in an all out emergency occupants could still get out of the busby jumping off the platform if it was stuck down..



the main issue they had experienced was that wasnt exactly the warmest seat as thomas HDX's dont have separate stepwell heaters(just a dash vent) and the bus door let in cold air.. so they installed an extra heater the passenger could control..



it looked pretty easy to build the fold down "door" (floor?)..

[DeMac]

Lol. I agree, a handi bus seat would fit nicely. The bench seat photo was taken for demonstration purposes only. Immediately after demonstrating, to wife, that the space between the stairs & driver is ample, I was instructed to remove the bench seat.

I'll likely copy Peterjk's co-pilot seat installation (as instructed).

Peterjk's Albulm

If she sees your seat, BarnYardCamp, I may have to find the correct seat bracket and seat. Will you share your souce for the swiveling seat bracket?

[BigDaddyO]

I haven't yet seen anyone do what I have planned.
I'm going to get a 2nd row, passenger side Fold-n-go seat from a 2011+ Chrysler Town & Country and bolt it next to the stairs. it's a simple lever pull and the whole seat should collapse up against the dashboard. I'll have to mount a plate to the bottom with the relocated the rear latches and swap the fold down lever to the inside. Only thing I haven't figured out yet is mounting the seat belt.

[DeMac]

Fold-n-Go
Like this?

RollsvilleMarina used used a rear seat from a 2003 Chevy Tahoe in this Jump Seat thread.
See post #56

See also, OneNationUnderGoat. They used a Mazda MPV seat & belt assembly in their Haulin' Oats (and goats) thread, details & photos in post #198

[BigDaddyO]

wow, YES! only, I'm planning on having the support structure attached to the bottom of the seat that would go over the full width of the stairs. when folded up it would just stick straight up.

[JainaEowyn]

DeMac, you may have just changed the trajectory of what shuttle buses I can consider! �� Couldn't figure out how to get a jump seat in like that, and this opens up a world of possibilities...

[DeMac]

Au, shucks.
I didn't do nuthin'.
Just typed "Jump Seat" into the search window, above. The bus builders did all the thinkin' & workin'.

[indigo_k]

I've been planning to install a jump-seat just like the photo you posted, though I don't expect to have a passenger riding up front with me often enough to make it worth the trouble.