Bus stops can be very dangerous. Every Transit Operator intuitively knows this, and data from the US National Transit Database bear out this observation. A bus stop is the single point where buses, riders, motorists, commercial drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists interact closely, creating countless opportunities for low-speed collisions and pedestrian-vehicle incidents.

According to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), a quarter of all bus-to-person collisions nationwide occur at the bus stop. Those numbers climb quickly when you factor in accidents that do not directly involve the bus, such as situations where a rider is struck by a motorist while crossing the street after exiting the bus.

When researchers examine accidents and other incidents at or near bus stops, they find that the Transit Operator was not at fault. That said, the Operator is often the person with the greatest potential to reduce the likelihood of anyone getting hurt in the vicinity of a bus stop. Many transit agencies are finding that simulation-based bus driver training can be a powerful tool for increasing roadway safety at bus stops.

Skills and Vigilance Required for Different Types of Stops

Mass Transit Operators make countless stops during each shift. These require situational awareness and technical skill, and each operator’s attention and vigilance are tested during hours spent on the job.

Broadly speaking, there are three types of bus stops, each challenging in its own way:

Mid-Block Stops

Mid-block stops are bus stops that are not near an intersection. They are the least dangerous bus stops and generally the least likely to be the site of an accident or vehicle-to-person collision.

That said, they often also require the greatest technical skill. Stopping the bus mid-block may mean maneuvering around rows of parked cars or into a bay. That creates the potential to contact stationary objects while entering, or to be struck by another vehicle if the bus isn’t positioned properly. Operators need to be good at establishing their pivot points, maintaining vehicle alignment, and proper positioning with sufficient space to pull out once passengers finish boarding and alighting.

At mid-block stops, where the driver stops the bus squarely in the driving lane, the driver needs to be especially mindful that motorists understand what the bus is doing so as not to get rear-ended or clipped by an inattentive driver. Of course, there is always the possibility that passengers will act in an unsafe manner as they exit or attempt to board the stationary bus.

Far-Side Stops

Far-side stops are those where the bus stop is just past an intersection. They pose a greater risk of accidents. Strictly in terms of driving skills, far-side stops are less challenging than mid-block stops. However, they demand significantly more situational awareness and a great deal of attention to how motorists might misunderstand the Operator’s behavior. For example, if the bus signals a little too early, opposing left-turn traffic may cut in front of the bus, mistakenly believing it will slow for a right turn at the intersection. A following vehicle may rear-end the bus because the driver is unaware that the bus will slow down and stop on the other side of the intersection. There is also the possibility of a collision as the bus leaves the far-side stop and re-enters the flow of traffic.

As always, it’s possible that passengers might put themselves in a dangerous position as they exit or leave the bus stop. Because the stop is near an intersection, passengers might cut in front of the bus after alighting to cross the street. A passing motorist usually cannot see that a passenger is doing this, and has no warning that a person is about to step out from in front of the bus into the roadway.

Near-Side Stops

Near-side stops are stops where the bus stop is positioned at the intersection. They are by far the most dangerous for everyone. Near-side bus stops are associated with higher crash risks, especially those involving pedestrians.

In addition to posing all of the same technical challenges as other stops, they also demand a much greater amount of situational awareness. At a near-side stop, the Operator must monitor pedestrian and cyclist behavior keenly, how passengers leave the bus, account for reduced driver visibility, and predict what other motorists may be planning to do next. For example, motorists may decide to take a quick right turn in front of what they think is a “parked” bus, leading to a T-bone collision as the bus pulls out. A turning motorist can strike a passenger who just got off the bus and cut in front to get onto the crosswalk. Likewise, distracted or hurried pedestrians might rush out to cross at any time, as could unwary cyclists.

Using Simulation to Make Bus Stops Safer

According to William Cameron, Director of Safety and Training at Paul Revere Transportation, vigilance is really the key issue in all of these situations:

“Operators are well trained to handle all of these situations,” Cameron explains. “But you just do so many bus stops each day. That’s where complacency comes in. Late in the day, you’re thinking about what’s for supper or things you have to get done at the house once you get home. You’re not establishing the pivot point or really watching how the traffic is behaving, and the next thing you know, you’re banging your mirror on a tree branch or signaling too early, or worse.”

Cameron has spent decades in Transit Operator training with various organizations, including the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). During that time, he’s found that simulation training is extremely effective in helping drivers learn the necessary observation and technical driving skills. More importantly, simulation training helps them create habits that keep everyone safe when complacency begins to chip away at vigilance.

That said, Cameron would never suggest that an immersive vehicle simulator will solve the problem alone. A good simulator is one element of a comprehensive toolset that allows instructors to tailor lessons to their agency’s specific needs and consistently evaluate Operator performance during training and retraining.

FAAC has a long history of providing comprehensive hands-on immersive simulation solutions, and is especially noted for innovations in mass transit Operator training. In 1999 FAAC introduced the first immersive bus transit training simulator, which was later named among the top 100 safety improvements of the last 150 years by APTA.

Ready to get more out of your Operator training programs? Let our team of experts help your team of trainers make the roads safer every day.