Baggage, Axle Load, and Wheelchair Securement
At 08:20, you are loading a 47-passenger coach for a 6-hour charter. The group has 44 passengers and 3 crew members. In the baggage area there are 58 soft-sided suitcases averaging 32 pounds and 8 boxes of program materials at 45 pounds each. One passenger uses a 68-pound power scooter and carries two small oxygen cylinders. The coach's scale ticket, taken with full fuel but before passengers or baggage, shows 14,000 pounds on the front axle and 20,000 pounds on the rear axle. The front axle is rated 16,000 pounds, the rear axle 26,000 pounds, and the GVWR is 54,000 pounds. The rear baggage bay is the only bay with room for all the boxes; the forward bay is partly blocked by a spare tire. The passenger wants the scooter left in the aisle near the door because it is easier to reach. Departure is in 25 minutes.
1. Using the scale ticket and ratings, calculate the remaining payload on the front axle, rear axle, and total. Decide how to load the 58 bags, 8 boxes, and scooter. Show the arithmetic and identify the binding limit.
Read the worked answer
Start with the empty-scale figures and ratings:
- Front axle: 16,000 − 14,000 = 2,000 lb remaining.
- Rear axle: 26,000 − 20,000 = 6,000 lb remaining.
- Gross: 54,000 − (14,000 + 20,000) = 20,000 lb remaining.
Now add the people and baggage. Using 180 lb per person for 47 people gives 47 × 180 = 8,460 lb. Baggage is 58 × 32 = 1,856 lb; boxes are 8 × 45 = 360 lb; the scooter is 68 lb. Baggage plus scooter totals 1,856 + 360 + 68 = 2,284 lb. Gross remaining after people and baggage is 20,000 − 8,460 − 2,284 = 9,256 lb, so GVWR is not the binding limit.
The axle limits are. If all 2,284 lb went in the rear bay, the rear axle would be 20,000 + 2,284 = 22,284 lb, leaving only 3,716 lb for rear-seated passengers. That is about 20 passengers at 180 lb; a full rear seating area would exceed 26,000 lb. Putting all baggage forward also fails: 14,000 + 2,284 = 16,284 lb, which is 284 lb over the front rating.
So split the load. Clear the forward bay or secure the spare tire elsewhere. Put the 360 lb of boxes and several heavy bags forward-about 550 lb is a safe starting point-and keep most bags rearward. Then re-scale the loaded coach before departure. The rear axle is the practical binding limit because passenger seating also adds weight there. If re-scaling shows an overload, offload baggage to a second vehicle; do not 'guess' that it is close enough.
2. How should the power scooter and oxygen cylinders be handled, and what do you do about the passenger's request to leave the scooter in the aisle?
Read the worked answer
The aisle request must be refused. An aisle is an emergency egress path; blocking it near the door delays evacuation and can trap passengers. The scooter must go in a designated wheelchair/securement area or be stowed in a baggage compartment if the passenger can transfer to a seat and the scooter is not needed during the trip.
If the passenger remains in the scooter, secure it with a four-point tiedown attached to the bus's approved anchorages, set the wheel lock or brake, and use the lap/shoulder belt. Check that the securement does not block the door, aisle, or emergency exit. Do not rely on a wheel brake alone.
The oxygen cylinders should be secured upright so they cannot roll or fall, kept away from heat, and handled per company policy. Do not let them block an exit. Tell the passenger plainly why the aisle is unavailable, and offer a proper stowage or securement location. Complete the loading plan, re-scale, and confirm exits and aisles are clear before departure.