Rubber Flooring—Durable and Safe Public Transit Flooring Solutions
According to publictransportation.org, “…in 2011, Americans took 10.2 billion trips on public transportation. [And] 35 million times each weekday, people boarded public transportation.” While some may consider this a staggering and even alarming number, I think it’s very humbling. Public transportation isn’t just a last resort for people who don’t own or can’t drive a car—for many it’s a very conscious decision to combat humanity’s massive and growing carbon footprint. Public transit is also a huge industry that pumps 54 billion dollars into the economy and employs more than 400,000 people each year. There’s just no way around it, public transit is exceedingly important!
Commercial rubber flooring can offer several advantages to this industry, from protective qualities that can safeguard travelers, to qualities that can help maintain the integrity of original vehicle flooring. A strategically placed rubber floor pad can help keep a bus clean, while black floor tiles can add to the aesthetic integrity of the automobile while being highly functional.
Commercial rubber flooring is durable and affordable, which is a huge factor to consider—especially with statistics from Blind Brook’s, which state that in 2012 alone some 26 million school children rode more than 480,000 school buses!
And those are just school buses! Maintenance on so many automobiles is not cheap, so providing a long-lasting and efficient surface is absolutely necessary. Check out these 5 reasons why commercial rubber flooring is the best option for public transit.
Slip Resistant
A passenger vehicle is subject to any and all of the environments that get trekked in by commuter’s feet. That means if it’s raining or snowing outside, then that moisture is going to be brought into the bus. The interior of an automobile is also susceptible to all the spills from constant stop-and-go movement. It’s easy drop a cup of coffee, a soda, or a bottle of water! Commercial rubber flooring often comes with raised designs that, paired with the material’s natural resistance to water and high coefficient of friction, can provide an effective anti-slip surface.
Fatigue Resistant
Falls aren’t always due to slips. Sometimes, after a long day at work, people are just tired. And sometimes, there are no seats available on the bus so travelers have to stand. A weary person is more likely to lose their balance than someone who is wide awake and full of energy. Black floor tiles (or any of the other colors you choose) will provide a softer and suppler surface to stand on and, in the unfortunate event of a fall, to land on. Rubber is going to be a lot more forgiving than the hard metal flooring inside of a vehicle. And with the possibility of commuters having to stand, thicker commercial rubber flooring will also provide added comfort to feet, ankles, legs, and backs.
Easy to Clean
A rubber floor pad, placed at all entrances and exits of the bus, can help keep the vehicle clean. Some commercial rubber flooring options come with a ribbed design, which acts as a shoe scraper that helps keep dirt and muck from being trekked inside. But in the event that it does find its way in, rubber’s water-resistant qualities make these products very clean-up friendly. Requiring little more than a broom to sweep away debris, a moist cloth or mop can also be used to deliver a more thorough cleaning.
Affordable and Durable
Rubber floor mats, tiles, and runners can often be made of recycled and reclaimed material. The source material for these eco-friendly products are automobile tires. When you consider the sort of abrasive environments that are tires are required to standup against, it’s easy to see why these products are so durable! Also, because of the eco-friendly nature of these flooring options, costs of production are significantly reduced. These are savings that get passed down directly to consumers!
Easy to Replace
Public transit vehicles are subject to heavy traffic and subsequent wear, so commercial rubber flooring will serve to protect the original vehicle flooring. Bus floors are exposed to all seasons and weather conditions, because they have to operate all year long. A bus will see a large quantity of people occupying a small and limited space—especially middle aisles. The use of modular flooring, such as black floor tiles, facilitates replacement of individual pieces that may see more wear and tear than other areas. This can save you a lot of money, because you only have to replace what needs to be replaced as opposed to the entire flooring surface.
Commercial rubber flooring has several great qualities that make it suitable for a wide range of applications. With such a variety of functions it makes perfect sense to utilize this material in public transit as a flooring solution. Whether you use a rubber floor pad, or any other elastomer product, this is a high-quality material that will work hard, last a long time, and require very little maintenance.
