The Mölln-based coach company Vokuhl Reisen had one of its premier coaches equipped with photoluminescent safety guidance systems and signs by P.E.R. The advantages include added safety and an additional marketing argument. The travel operator from Schleswig-Holstein may in fact already have anticipated future mandatory measures.

Even if the issue is no longer making the headlines, junior manager Marcus Vokuhl from Mölln-based coach company Vokuhl Reisen expects that relevant measures will become mandatory in the short or medium term. This means that coaches might become subject to similar rules as aeroplanes, where emergency exit routes must be visible in the dark, in the event of a power cut and in dense smoke. Such a rule would make sense in the opinion of the junior manager at Vokuhl Reisen (fleet: 4 coaches, 5 minibuses) because even coaches, which are regarded as a safe mode of transport, harbour dangers: emergency openings are barely visible in the dark, lighting is focused on the middle aisle, the seat backrests are high and the narrow and steep nature of the back exit "may be dangerous", according to the 37-year-old junior manager. Marcus Vokuhl: "40 percent of coach accidents happen in the dark. We did not want to wait for the legislator to address the issue and therefore followed recommendations that have been made by e.g. DEKRA and TÜV for a while now."

The marked elements are now clearly visible even in complete darkness on the Vokuhl Reisen's coach. Thanks to their photoluminescence, the marked elements continue to glow even after a long night journey in the winter. The weak on-board lighting is enough to charge them. Ever since, the coach from Mölln has been driving using lighting elements that are of similar quality to the strips used in civil aviation; these were developed by P.E.R. together with Lufthansa Technik and comply with the latter's strict safety requirements.

Vokuhl Reisen is happy with the modifications to its 48-seat coach. "The installation of the strips was quick, the material is very robust and has so far not shown any weaknesses, not even in the heavily used stair area and in snowy and icy conditions", says Marcus Vokuhl. He can now rest assured that his passengers will be able to leave the coach more quickly in an emergency. The photoluminescent P.E.R. strips already show their advantages during regular operation as they are, for example, useful for making out the stair edges near the back exits. This, according to the coach operator, was helpful for visits to the toilet during a journey or while the coach was approaching a car park and the on-board lighting was not bright enough. Older people in particular appreciated the added lighting and orientation aids on the coach.

Advertising Added Safety

Marcus Vokuhl is also pleased that the photoluminescent products, which are "Made in Germany", are available in different colours. This means that they can be adapted to the colour scheme of the coach interior. "Another great feature is that they are hardly noticeable during the day", Vokuhl states. He nevertheless does a few things to draw his passengers' attention to the added safety on board his coach. Marcus Vokuhl mentions on his company homepage that the coach has been equipped with glow strips, and a whole page of the new travel brochure is dedicated to the topic. A few customers, he says, have already commented on the measure. According to Vokuhl, customers appreciate the fact that "the company cares about safety". Especially considering older customers, this was a step in the right direction.

That is why Marcus Vokuhl thinks the investment is "profitable". Relatively low financial expenditure yielded added safety and another convincing argument for travelling with Vokuhl. Therefore, the junior manager does not rule out the possibility that all of his coaches will one day be equipped with P.E.R. glow strips.