Experimental testing of longitudinal acceleration in urban buses

Abstract

Abstract A vehicle’s longitudinal acceleration is one the parameters that characterize a vehicle’s motion dynamics and used, among others, to assess the comfort of public bus passengers. Rapid acceleration and braking performed by urban bus drivers can be deemed by passengers as uncomfortable and dangerous in some situations, especially for standing passengers. This paper presents an analysis of a public bus’s longitudinal acceleration recorded during extreme acceleration and braking attempts. The experimental tests were conducted on dry and wet asphalt and concrete surfaces. The test results allow for the statement that lateral acceleration depends largely on the road’s surface and its type. The maximum longitudinal acceleration values during rapid acceleration, depending on the surface, are within the narrow range of 2.18-2.81 m/s2. During braking, a public bus’s minimum longitudinal acceleration was within the range of -5.58÷-8.54 m/s2.