Transport

Fires in public transport vehicles such as buses and coaches can have serious implications that go beyond damage to the vehicle. If the fire is not detected and controlled rapidly, it can put passengers and driver at risk. Public transport fires have a high profile, affecting the reputation of the bus operator.

Under UNECE Regulation 107, all new buses and coaches must be fitted with an automatic fire suppression system. This regulation aims to increase safety for passengers, drivers and other road users, as bus fires starting in the engine compartment can quickly grow out of control.

An increase in zero-emission vehicles on the roads has raised awareness of the need for automatic fire suppression on these vehicles too, with electric vehicle fires in particular causing significant damage and potential injury if the fire is not contained before passengers and driver are evacuated.

Why Protect Transport Vehicles?

Fires on buses and coaches can go unnoticed until the fire is already out of control if automatic detection is not fitted to the engine compartment. With the engine situated at the rear of the vehicle, vision is often obscured to the driver, so a fire may not be detected until smoke is seen billowing. Quickly bringing the vehicle to a stop and evacuating passengers can be difficult, so automatic detection systems designed to detect and self-actuate quickly allow the operator to pull the vehicle over and evacuate safely.

Fires on electric vehicles are a hot topic, with vats of water required to effectively suppress the fire. Many fires that affect electric vehicles start outside of the battery compartment but once they reach it, they cause thermal runaway in the battery cell, which results in a rapidly growing fire. The most effective method to tackling fires on electric vehicles is to detect and suppress them before they cause thermal runaway in the battery cell.

Our Solution

Ardent automatic fire suppressions systems fitted to the engine compartment and other fire hazard areas are designed to detect the fire and self-actuate quickly, allowing the driver to pull the vehicle over and evacuate safely.

The Ardent R107 approved Fire Suppression System meets all UNECE R107 requirements for engine bay automatic fire suppression. The system has passed the strict fire testing protocols from the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) which have been adopted from the SP Method 4912 tests.

Ardent Bus & Coach Fire Suppression Systems offer reliable, automatic fire detection and actuation. The linear heat detection cable provides rapid fire detection while protecting against false discharges commonly caused by loss of pressure in tube systems, reducing unnecessary downtime. The Dry Chemical suppression agent is proven to be the most effective agent for the protection of diesel, electric, hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

The Ardent fire suppression system can be linked to our driver message unit. This allows audible warnings to be delivered to the bus driver through a speaker installed in the driver's cab, alerting the driver if a fire or even a high temperature condition is detected.

Service and Support Designed Around Your Operations

At Ardent, we understand the impact of vehicle downtime on bus and coach operators. That is why it isn't only our systems which are always ready to react to fire, but our dedicated team is equally ready to respond to callouts within a matter of hours. Our systems are powered by a team who listens, understands your needs and fits seamlessly into your operations to be able to provide the highest service standards in the industry.