Has Anyone Made a Hatch/ Cover for their Stairwell?

[Dockle-Doo]

Hello All!

I am researching ideas on how to cover my stair well when I am parked or driving. This would be to keep pets, or my aging self from tripping and falling down the stairs. (HELP! I've fallen and I can't get up!)

Any ideas, links, or instructions would be greatly appreciated.

I'm also looking for ideas on passenger chairs. I saw somone posted on pinterest a folded passenger chair that when folded went into the old heating compartment in the front of the bus. Does anyone know about that on this site?

I'm open to all ideas!

[DeMac]

A few members have. I one member off hand is Form&Function who did that a couple years ago.
Check out his thread:
Airplane Bus, Stair Trap Door
(photos in post #26)

[musigenesis]

Would you want your step well covered with a trap door or some such in case of an emergency, like your bus was on fire and you were inside?

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

havent heard from them in quite a while but a member here had a hinged plate that went over the stairwell for the passengers feet to rest on from the passengers seat.
try looking up onenationundergoat.

[TheHubbardBus]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger bus 223

havent heard from them in quite a while but a member here had a hinged plate that went over the stairwell for the passengers feet to rest on from the passengers seat.
try looking up onenationundergoat.

Pretty much exactly what we're doing, but we haven't done it yet.
When we do it will serve as a partition like the oem panel did when up, to prevent falling down the steps from behind. When down, like you said, a place for the passenger (captains chair aligned with first side window) to put her feet and for safety block off the stairwell completely.

Haven't had a fire yet, but have accidentally tumbled down the steps once, and almost done it many times. IMO covering them up when not being used is a huge plus for safety. If there's a fire and the time it takes to lift this panel is too long, we're dead anyway. No reason you can't leave it up at times like when sleeping if that's a concern.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

my wifes shorty has a full wall behind the drivers seat for bus electrical from collins and the passenger i built a 36" tall knee wall right there and i tried to convince her that she is going to want a full wall across the drivers area so the dash A/C alone can keep up.
but either way she travels solo and its just the drivers area and only easily accessible door other than the drivers door where you have to climb over that seat.
i think she will eventually put up a curtain when driving and ask me to finish a wall and door across there at some point.
but she has suprised me before as a south texas redhead farm girl.
her skin dont like the sun but she will jump right out in the heat when she wants something done and i know she has no problem with letting the windows down.

[HamSkoolie]

Yep like others have said.... a hinged plate.


Ours will be hinged at the left side floor level on entry and "land" on a supporting rail along the right side on entry with the hand rail that is normally attached to that little metal wall attached to the plate so that when it is locked in the up position it acts as a hand rail and when in the down position it is out of the way.
We're also converting our door to a one piece that opens outward so emergency egress is not impeded though it'll be a little jump.
Underway it will be lowered to provide:
Floor for the passengers feet
Impediment to law enforcement entering during a traffic stop (open door
but leave to plate down.
Passenger chair to slide forward & be more closely aligned w/ the driver
When parked it will be up providing:
Handrail
storage for a couple pairs of shoes

[Corbi]

I needed extra room when traveling with my dog Bandit. I used a precut 3/4 in plywood and a folding kick stand for support. I later removed the stand and added a stop to the stair well itself.

[TrailsBy11]

I used two oak stair treads cut to lay over the opening. I would remove them when not actually being used.

When parked I'd use that area as storage or as the occasional potty area, because I usually use the rear door as my entry and exit route.

[Hutchy]

My idea is to make some steps for the back side door in the shape of the front entryway stairs so you can flip it over and store it there like tetris style when driving and it will be a passenger footrest. My passenger seat is right on the edge of the stairwell.

[shorthair]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Would you want your step well covered with a trap door or some such in case of an emergency, like your bus was on fire and you were inside?

Good point, if I have to run 🏃*♂️ for cover I don't want to have anything in the way to slow me .