Fifty-Four Passengers, Forty-Seven Seats
At 7:30 a.m. a casino hotel loads a 47-passenger motorcoach for a four-hour charter to a racetrack. The coach has 47 seats, no standee certification, and a center aisle that must stay clear. Fifty-four ticketed passengers are waiting with coolers, folding chairs, and two large suitcases. One passenger has a leg injury and asks to stand in the aisle near the front. A group stacks three coolers in front of the rear emergency exit so they will not slide. The posted route includes a tunnel marked 13 feet 0 inches; the coach is 12 feet 6 inches high. Dispatch sends a text: 'Load them all; we will sort out the extras at the track.' The next scheduled coach is not due for three hours, and the passengers have prepaid.
1. How many passengers may you board, and what do you do with the seven extra ticketed passengers and their baggage?
Read the worked answer
- Board no more than 47 seated passengers. The coach has no standee certification, so extra passengers cannot stand in the aisle.
- The seven extra ticketed passengers must be denied boarding on this coach until a second vehicle is available or they are rebooked. Explain the seating limit and the safety reason; do not let them stand.
- Baggage: coolers, folding chairs, and suitcases must go in the baggage compartment or a secure stowage area. They cannot block the aisle or any exit.
- If the baggage does not fit, offload it or deny it; do not stack it at the rear door.
- Notify dispatch of the actual count: 47 aboard and 7 denied. Record names or ticket numbers if possible, and arrange the next coach.
2. What is wrong with the passenger who wants to stand and with the coolers at the rear exit, and how do you resolve both before moving?
Read the worked answer
- Standee: A passenger standing forward of the standee line is not allowed, especially on a coach without standee certification. The leg injury does not create an exception; it increases the risk. Offer a seat if one exists. If all 47 seats are filled, the passenger cannot ride this coach; arrange a taxi, the next coach, or a seat swap.
- Rear exit: Emergency exits must be unobstructed. Three coolers in front of the rear door could block evacuation and may prevent the door from opening fully. Move them to the baggage compartment or remove them.
- Before moving, walk the aisle: clear floor, clear exit paths, door opens, and no loose items. If anyone refuses to comply, do not move the bus; involve a supervisor.
- A final passenger count and seat check protects against overloading and confirms exits are clear.
3. How do you handle the dispatch text and the tunnel clearance, and what documentation is required?
Read the worked answer
- Do not read or reply to the text while driving. Before departure, stop in a safe place and call dispatch. A text telling you to 'load them all' does not change the seating limit or the exit blockage.
- Tell dispatch: 47 seats, 54 ticketed, no standees, rear exit blocked; request a second coach.
- Tunnel: A posted clearance of 13 ft 0 in versus a coach height of 12 ft 6 in leaves only 6 in. Verify that the clearance applies to the full roadway and is not reduced by construction or repaving; check roof-mounted equipment. Six inches is a thin margin. If there is any doubt, use an alternate route. Do not rely on GPS alone.
- Documentation: Record the denied boarding, passenger count, baggage disposition, delay, and dispatch instruction. If passengers are left behind, note the arrangement made. Report the tunnel routing concern to operations.