Evacuation of bus

When is evacuation necessary?

Evacuation should be initiated when the bus is no longer a safe place for passengers. Typical situations include fire, collision, risk of overturning, or gas leakage.

Emergency exits

A bus has several emergency exits which should all be marked and accessible.

All emergency exits must be able to be opened from the inside without tools. Emergency hammers should be placed by marked windows.

Evacuation procedure1. Stop the bus in a safe location, turn off the engine, and engage the parking brake.

2. Assess the danger and choose which exits are safe to use.
3. Give clear and calm instructions to the passengers to leave the bus.
4. Open all available emergency exits.
5. Assist mobility-impaired passengers, the elderly, and children to exit first.
6. Check that the bus is empty by going through the entire bus.
7. Gather all passengers at a safe assembly point at a good distance from the bus.

Passenger Count

You should keep track of the number of passengers on board. On a coach with advance booking, you have a passenger list. On a regular bus, it is more difficult, but you should have an approximate count so that you can confirm that everyone is out after the evacuation.

Evacuation Drills

• The transport company shall ensure regular evacuation drills.
• The driver shall know the location of all safety equipment and be able to instruct passengers.
• Drills provide faster reaction times and safer handling in real incidents.

Further reading

• Read about passenger safety for safety equipment and first aid.
• See rules for buses in traffic .
• Practice with a free theory test for buses.