Double deck bus

A double deck bus having a body with a front entrance and two rear exits, said bus comprising:

• a lower deck terminating short of the rear end of the body,
• an upper deck extending substantially the full length of the body and spaced vertically from the lower deck by selected standing head room height, the upper deck being spaced vertically from the roof of the body by selected sitting head room height,
• an engine compartment rearwardly of the lower deck,
• a sealed wall separating the engine compartment from the interior of the body between the decks,
• an upwardly opening channel passageway formed in, and extending lengthwise of, the upper deck, the bottom of the channel passageway being spaced from the roof by selected standing headroom height,
• a curved stairway ascending from an area adjacent the front entrance with its upper end opening into a forward portion of the channel passageway,
• a fare box mounted within the curve of the front stairway for access by persons entering the front entrance and going to both the upper and lower decks,
• a driver's seat elevated above the lower deck at a height, and so located, as to provide for monitoring of the fare box by a driver seated in the driver's seat,
• a second stairway descending from the rear end of the channel passageway to one of the rear exits, and
• a passageway along the lower deck, said lower deck passageway being offset laterally from the upper deck channel passageway, and extending from an area adjacent the fare box to the other rear exit.