A new academic report launched at Busworld recommends the development of a new European standard for collision safety in buses. The report, titled "Safety in bus transport in Europe," was presented by the Institute of Transport Economics at a seminar during Busworld. The report, commissioned by Public Transport Norway, provides an overview of safety measures in buses and aims to assist purchasers and authorities in establishing safety requirements for bus contracts and regulations.
The report's key recommendations include making several safety measures mandatory in bus transport, such as fleet management systems for smoother driving, safety culture measures, safety management systems, and crash protection for bus drivers. Currently, these measures are not legally required in bus transport, despite research showing their effectiveness in accident prevention. Additionally, there are no separate safety standards for buses, as they fall under collision standards designed for heavier vehicles. The researchers propose the development of a dedicated European standard for bus collision safety.
The seminar was opened by Norway's Minister of Transport, Jon-Ivar Nygard, who highlighted the need for improved driver and road safety in buses, especially in light of recent fatal accidents in Norway. All segments of the Norwegian bus industry, including public transport authorities, operators, unions, and regional authorities, are now collaborating to advance safety measures and engage with the European bus industry.
Siv Wiken, the chair of Public Transport Norway, emphasized the importance of increasing awareness about available safety measures to empower authorities and purchasers to demand the best and most effective solutions. Busworld, Europe's largest bus fair, plays a crucial role in promoting bus industry safety, with the event serving as a platform for developing safer security solutions.
The report was launched during the Driver Safety Seminar at Busworld, which featured speakers from various organizations, including the European Transport Workers' Federation, public transport companies from different cities, and major bus manufacturers such as Scania and Van Hool. The project was supported with a grant of NOK 350,000 from the Ministry of Transport's traffic safety program.