PUBLIC TRANSIT BATTERY ELECTRIC BUS DEPOT GARAGE DESIGN
ViVA provided the human-centred and systems-oriented design parameters for a new bus garage for a local government transit system.
PROJECT LEAD
PROJECT TEAM
PARTNERED WITH
In-house
Context
The design of a battery electric bus depot garage is crucial to ensure effective maintainability, safety, efficiency, and operational effectiveness of maintainence survices, supporting sustainable public transit systems.
Challenge
A local government introduced a pilot and subsequent fleet of battery-electric buses to aid public transit systems. They required advice on the design and build of a purpose-built garage to accommodate these new all-electric, high-capacity vehicles.
Approach
The ViVA human factors team synthesised scientific literature, industry standards, guidance material, and ViVA’s previous job analysis on the garage maintainer role. The team attended a similar site to model set-up of work areas and simulate tasks with user groups, re-imagining the task requirements, and creating a mock prototype lab. ViVA interviewed diverse project management and operations teams to determine the challenges, needs, and constraints of existing facility designs, and desirable features of new designs.
Outcomes
ViVA developed person-centred and systems-oriented specifications for the new garage to optimise worker and maintainer performance, efficiency, capacity, health, and safety. ViVA articulated diverse strategies to support distinct functional areas within the garage including service bays, wash areas, charging stations, and heavy maintenance.
Image credit: Australian Bus and Coach ABC