Department of Transportation suggests the average bus passenger is heavier now
Share Now on:
This final note today. The Department of Transportation wants to change the way it writes the rules for buses, specifically to reflect the fact that Americans weigh more than we used to. Buses are tested now for safety and structural integrity, assuming an average passenger weight of 150 pounds. The government wants to up that to 175.
Good magazine first noticed the proposed change. They also discovered that the current standards were based on weight data collected back in 1960. Expanding waistlines also create a volume problem. The government wants to increase the floor space used per standing passenger from 1.5 square feet, to 1.75.
Stories You Might Like
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
