Comparison of Whole-Body Vibration Exposures When Operating a City Bus with an Active, Passive and Static Suspension Bus Seat

Abstract

Municipal bus drivers have a high rate of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMDSs) and Whole Body Vibration (WBV) has been shown to be a risk factor associated with WMSDs. Recently, active suspension seats, which cut WBV exposures in half relative to the current, industry-standard air suspension seats, have become commercially available for use in buses. This study compared WBV exposures while bus drivers operated a municipal bus over a standardized test route using three different types of seats: 1) an active (electromechanical) suspension bus seat, 2) a passive (air) suspension bus seat, and 3) a static (suspension-less) bus seat. Similar to their performance in semi-trucks, the active suspension seat reduced bus driver WBV exposures between 35% to 61% relative to the passive suspension and static seats. Based on these preliminary results, the active suspension bus seat appears to have the potential to substantially reduce a bus driver’s exposure to WBV.