Motorcoach and School Bus Fire Safety Analysis

https://doi.org/10.21949/15029802016Final reportPDFTech ReportFMCSA-RRR-16-016;DOT-VNTSC-FMCSA-16-02Fire extinguishing agentsFire detection systemsBusesSchool busesTransit safetyInspectionRisk assessmentmotorcoachschool buspassenger carrierfire safetyrisk analysisfire detection systemfire suppressionsystempassenger vehicle inspectionmotorcoach maintenanceUnited StatesUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Office of Analysis, Research, and TechnologyMeltzer, NeilBeaven, LaurenCanas, NelsonIstfan, NadeemPhillips, BrittJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Office of Analysis, Research, and TechnologyAGR-PASSENGERS-PASSENGERSAGR-PASSENGERS-Intercity BusNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-SAFETY AND SECURITYNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Highway SafetyVolpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference Center;United States Federal Motor Carrier Safety AdministrationThis report documents a motorcoach and school bus fire safety analysis performed by the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe) for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This report aims to: 1) identify the causes, frequency, and severity of motorcoach and school bus fires in the United States, and 2) recommend ways to prevent or reduce the severity of these incidents, especially through improving the effectiveness of vehicle inspection practices. This report succeeds Volpe\u2019s 2009 Motorcoach Fire Safety Analysis (henceforth referred to as the 2009 study), and has been expanded to include school bus fires. The 2009 study established a database of spontaneous motorcoach fires collecting information from U.S. Government, industry, and media sources and analyzed the safety risk of motorcoach fires. The study also sought to identify potential measures for risk reduction. The current report updates and expands on the 2009 study to include all motorcoach and school bus fires.84