(a) AISLE. - (i) All emergency doors shall be accessible by a 12" minimum aisle. Aisle shall be unobstructed at all times by any type of barrier, seat, wheelchair or tiedown, unless a flip seat is installed and occupied. A flip seat in the unoccupied (up) position shall not obstruct the 12" minimum aisle to any side emergency door.
(b) BACK-UP WARNING ALARM. An automatic audible alarm shall be installed behind the rear axle and shall comply with the published Backup Alarm Standards (SAE 994), providing a minimum of 112 dBA.
(c) BATTERY. - (i) Battery is to be furnished by chassis manufacturer.
- (ii) The manufacturer shall securely attach the battery on a slide-out or swing-out tray in a closed, vented compartment in the body skirt, so that the battery is accessible for convenient servicing from the outside. Battery compartment door or cover shall be hinged at front or top, and secured by an adequate and conveniently operated latch or other type fastener in the open and closed position. On Type A buses, one or both batteries may be mounted in the engine compartment in an accessible location.
(d) BOOK RACKS (approved options - see Section 8 ). - (i) Bookracks, if installed, shall be provided above side windows within range from front seat to rear seat and be free of projections.
- (ii) Racks shall have a padded perimeter at emergency exit doors.
- (iii) Racks may be tubular or solid bottom.
(e) BUMPER (REAR). - (i) Bumper shall be pressed steel channel or equivalent material, at least 3/16" thick, and shall be a minimum of 8 " wide (high) on Type A-II and a minimum of 9 1/2 wide (high) on Types A-I, B, C and D buses and of sufficient strength to permit being pushed on a level surface by another vehicle without permanent distortion.
- (ii) Bumper shall be wrapped around back corners of the bus. It shall extend forward at least 12", measured from the rear-most point of the body at the floor line and shall be flush mounted to body side or protected with an end panel.
- (iii) Bumper shall be attached to the chassis frame in such a manner that it may be easily removed. It shall be so braced as to withstand impact from a rear or side impact. It shall be so attached as to discourage hitching of rides.
- (iv) Bumper shall extend at least 1" beyond rear-most part of body surface measured at the floor line.
- (v) Trailer hitches are not allowed.
(f) CAMERAS. - (i) All buses may be equipped with the wiring and system for video cameras to monitor student and driver behavior.
- (ii) A district may order a camera system in each Type A, B, C and D bus.
(g) CEILING. - (i) All Type C and D buses shall have a full-length acoustic ceiling.
- (ii) See Inside Height, Insulation and Interior.
(h) CERTIFICATION. By December 31 of each year, each body manufacturer shall certify to the Wyoming Department of Education that their product meets minimum standards on items not covered by certification issued under requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
(i) CHAINS (TIRE). See Wheelhousing
(j) COLOR. - (i) The school bus body shall be painted National School Bus Yellow.
- (ii) Rub rails shall be black.
- (iii) Optionally, at district expense, the roof of the bus may be painted white extending down to within 6" above the drip rails on the sides of the body, except that front and rear roof caps shall remain National School Bus Yellow.
(k) CONSTRUCTION. - (i) Construction shall be of prime commercial quality steel or other metal or material with strength at least equivalent to all steel, as certified by the bus body manufacturer.
- (ii) Construction shall be reasonably dust-proof and watertight.
- (iii) Body joints present in that portion of the Type A-II school bus body furnished exclusively by the body manufacturer shall conform to the performance requirements of FMVSS 221. This does not include the body joints created when body components are attached to components furnished by the chassis manufacturer.
(l) CROSSING CONTROL ARM. - (i) All Type C buses shall be equipped with a crossing control arm. All other type buses may be equipped with crossing control arms. (Approved option - see Section 8 )
- (ii) Crossing control arm shall be mounted on the right side of the front bumper and shall not open more than 90 degrees.
- (iii) All components of the crossing control arm and all connections shall be weatherproofed.
- (iv) The crossing control arm shall incorporate system connectors (electrical, vacuum, or air) at the gate and shall be easily removable to allow for towing of the bus.
- (v) The crossing control arm shall meet or exceed SAE Standard J1133.
- (vi) The crossing control arm shall be constructed of non-corrosive or nonferrous material or treated in accordance with the body sheet metal standard (see METAL TREATMENT).
- (vii) There shall be no sharp edges or projections that could cause hazard or injury to students.
- (viii) The crossing control arm shall extend approximately 72" from the front bumper when in the extended position.
- (ix) The crossing control arms shall extend simultaneously with the stop arm(s) by means of the stop arm controls.
- (x) A momentary override switch shall be provided to prevent the arm from opening if inadequate space is available when loading or unloading on school grounds or similar loading zones.
(m) DEFROSTERS. - (i) Defrosting and defogging equipment shall direct a sufficient flow of heated air onto the windshield, the window to the left of the driver, and the glass in the viewing area directly to the right of the driver to eliminate frost, fog and snow.
- (ii) The defrosting system shall conform to SAE standards J3 8 1 and J3 8 2.
- (iii) The defroster and defogging system shall be capable of furnishing heated outside ambient air, except the part of the system furnishing additional air to the windshield, entrance door and stepwell may be of the recirculating air type.
- (iv) Auxiliary fans are not considered defrosting or defogging systems.
- (v) Portable heaters shall not be used.
(n) DOORS. Service door - (i) All service doors shall be equipped with power openers.
- (ii) Service door shall be in the driver's control, and designed to afford easy release and provide a positive latching device to prevent accidental opening. No part shall come together that will shear or crush fingers.
- (iii) Service door shall be located on the right side of the bus, opposite and within direct view of driver.
- (iv) Service door shall have a minimum horizontal opening of 24" and a minimum vertical opening of 68".
- (iv) Service door shall be a split-type. (Split type door includes any sectioned door that divides and opens outward.)
- (vi) Lower as well as upper door panels shall be of thermo safety glass. Bottom of each lower glass panel shall not be more than 10" from the top surface of bottom step. The top of each upper glass panel, when viewed from the interior, shall not be more than 3" below the interior door control cover or header pad.
- (vii) Vertical closing edges on entrance doors shall be equipped with flexible material to protect children's fingers.
- (viii) There shall be no door to left of driver on Type B, C or D vehicles. Type A vehicles may be equipped with chassis manufacturer's standard door to the left of the driver.
- (vix) All doors shall be equipped with padding at the top edge of each door opening. Padding shall be at least 3" wide and 1" thick and extend the full width of the door opening.
(o) DRIVER COMPARTMENT. - (i) Driver's seat supplied by the body company shall be a high back suspension seat with a minimum seat back adjustment of 15 degrees, not requiring the use of tools, and with a head restraint to accommodate a 95th percentile adult male, as defined in FMVSS 20 8. The driver's seat shall be secured with nuts, bolts, and washers or flanged-headed nuts. Type A may use manufacturer's original equipment.
- (ii) Driver seat positioning and range of adjustments shall be designed to accommodate comfortable actuation of the foot control pedals by 95% of the male/female adult population.
- (iii) There shall be no cup holders in the driver's compartment.
- (iv) The front of the driver's seat back is to be no closer to the steering wheel than 11" (inches) under the following conditions:
- (A) The driver's seat slide is to be in its forward most position.
- (B) The driver's seat bottom is to be centered in its vertical travel.
- (C) The driver's seat back is to be in the vertical position.
- (D) The steering wheel is to be in the center of its travel for both tilt/telescope positions.
- (E) The seat must be able to move through it rearward most travel on the seat slide without contacting any portion of the passenger barrier immediately behind it, including during it's entire vertical travel when in the rearward most travel position. There shall also be no contact between the driver's seat and the first passenger barrier with the seat back in the first 10 degrees of seat recline.
(p) EMERGENCY EXITS. - (i) Emergency door(s) and other emergency exits shall comply with the requirements of FMVSS 217 and any of the requirements of these standards that exceed FMVSS 217,
- (ii) Emergency door requirements
- (A) Upper portion of the rear emergency door shall be equipped with approved safety glazing, exposed area of which shall be at least 400 square inches. The lower portion of the rear emergency doors on Types A-I, B, C, and D vehicles shall be equipped with a minimum of 350 square inches of approved safety glazing. All glass in rear emergency doors shall be thermo glass,
- (B) There shall be no steps leading to an emergency door,
- (C) The words "EMERGENCY DOOR," in letters at least 2" high, shall be placed at the top of or directly above the emergency door, or on the door in the metal panel above the top glass, both inside and outside the bus.
- (D) The emergency door(s) shall be equipped with padding at the inside top edge of each door opening. Padding shall be at least 3" wide and 1" thick, and extend the full width of the door opening.
- (E) The emergency door(s) shall be equipped with an emergency door telescoping cam-operated retainer prop, mounted at top interior of door and door frame.
- (F) The side emergency door(s), if installed, must meet the requirements as set forth in FMVSS 217, regardless of its use with any other combination of emergency exits,
- (G) There shall be no obstruction higher than 1/4 inch across the bottom of any emergency door opening,
- (iii) Emergency exit requirements
- (A) Types A, B, C, and D vehicles shall be equipped with a total number of emergency exits as follows for the indicated capacities of vehicles. Exits required by FMVSS 217 may be included to comprise the total number of exits specified.
- (I) 1 to 45 Passenger = 1 emergency exit per side and 1 roof hatch,
- (II) 46 to 78 Passenger = 2 emergency exits per side and 2 roof hatches,
- (III) 79 to 90 passenger = 3 emergency exits per side and 2 roof hatches.
- (B) Each emergency exit above shall comply with FMVSS 217. These emergency exits are in addition to the rear emergency door or exit,
- (C) In addition to the audible warning required on emergency doors by FMVSS 217, additional emergency exits shall be equipped with an audible warning device.
(q) EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT. - (i) Fire extinguisher
- (A) The bus shall be equipped with at least one UL-approved pressurized, dry chemical fire extinguisher complete with hose. Extinguisher shall be mounted in a bracket, located in the driver's compartment and readily accessible to the driver and passengers. A pressure gauge shall be mounted on the extinguisher and be easily read without moving the extinguisher from its mounted position.
- (B) The fire extinguisher shall have a total rating of 2A10BC or greater. The operating mechanism shall be sealed with a type of seal that will not interfere with the use of the fire extinguisher.
- (C) Vehicles with a capacity of 56 passengers and above shall be equipped with a second fire extinguisher. The second extinguisher shall be mounted in the rear of the bus in a bracket and be readily accessible to the driver and passengers, A pressure gauge shall be mounted on the extinguisher and be easily read without moving the extinguisher from its mounted position. The extinguisher shall meet the requirements of (b) above. It shall not be mounted on the bulkhead.
- (ii) First-aid kit
- (A) The bus shall have a removable moisture-proof and dust-proof first-aid kit in an accessible place in the driver's compartment. It shall be properly mounted and identified as a first-aid kit. The location for the first-aid kit shall be marked,
- (B) Vehicles with a capacity of 56 passengers and above shall be equipped with a second first-aid kit. The second first-aid kit shall be mounted in the rear of the bus and identified as a first-aid kit. It shall not be mounted on the bulkhead,
- (C) Contents shall include:
2 - 1" X 2 1/2 yards adhesive tape rolls
24 - sterile gauze pads 3"x 3"
100 - 3/4" X 3" adhesive bandages
8-2" bandage compress
10- 3" bandage compress
2 - 2" X 6' sterile gauze roller bandages
2- non-sterile triangular bandages approximately 40" x 36"
X 54" with 2 safety pins
3- sterile gauze pads 36" x 36" 3 - sterile eye pads
1 - rounded-end scissors
1 - pair latex gloves
1 - mouth-to-mouth airway
- (iii) Body fluid clean-up kit. Each bus shall have a removable and moisture-proof body fluid clean-up kit accessible to the driver. It shall be properly mounted and identified as a body fluid clean-up kit,
- (iv) Warning devices. Each school bus shall contain at least three (3) reflectorized triangle road-warning devices mounted in an accessible place. These devices must meet requirements in FMVSS 125,
- (v) Any of the emergency equipment may be mounted in an enclosed compartment, provided the compartment is labeled in not less than one inch letters, stating the piece (s) of equipment contained therein.
(r) FLOORS. - (i) Floor in under-seat area, including tops of wheelhousing, driver's compartment and toeboard, shall be covered with rubber floor covering or equivalent, having a minimum overall thickness of ,125". The driver's area on Type A buses may be manufacturer's standard flooring and floor covering,
- (ii) Floor covering in aisles shall be of aisle-type rubber or equivalent, wear-resistant and ribbed. Minimum overall thickness shall be ,187" measured from tops of ribs.
- (iii) Floor covering shall be permanently bonded to floor and must not crack when subjected to sudden changes in temperature. Bonding or adhesive material shall be waterproof and shall be a type recommended by the manufacturer of floorcovering material. All seams must be sealed with waterproof sealer. An aluminum or vinyl strip may cover seams between underseat and aisle.
- (iv) Floors shall not be black,
- (v) On all buses, a screw-down plate that is secured and insulated shall be provided to access the fuel tank-sending unit. Type A buses are exempt.
(s) FUEL DOOR. All vehicles shall be equipped with a latching or spring closed fuel door.
(t) HEATERS. - (i) All school buses shall be equipped with two or more hot water heaters. One of these heaters shall be located in the rear half of the bus on or behind the rear wheel axle line. The front heaters and integrated defroster system shall be of a capacity to provide heat for the front part of the bus, including driver's compartment, and to provide heat for the windshield area, service door glass, driver's left glass area and step well.
- (ii) The largest front heater shall be fresh-air or combination fresh-air and recirculation type,
- (iii) Additional heaters may be recirculating air type,
- (iv) The heating system shall be capable of maintaining bus interior temperatures as specified in applicable SAE test procedure J2233,
- (v) Auxiliary fuel-fired heating systems are permitted, (approved option - see Section 8 ) provided they comply with the following:
- (A) The auxiliary heating system fuel shall utilize the same type fuel as specified for the vehicle engine.
- (B) Heater(s) may be direct hot air or connected to the engine's coolant system.
- (C) Auxiliary heating system, when connected to the engine's coolant system, may be used to preheat the engine coolant or preheat and add supplementary heat to the bus's heating system.
- (D) Auxiliary heating systems must be installed pursuant to the manufacturer's recommendations and shall not direct exhaust in such a manner that will endanger bus passengers,
- (E) Auxiliary heating systems that operate on diesel fuel shall be capable of operating on #1, # 2 or blended diesel fuel without the need for system adjustment.
- (F) The auxiliary heating system shall be low voltage.
- (G) Auxiliary heating systems shall comply with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, including FMVSS 301, as well as SAE test procedures,
- (vi) All forced air heaters installed by body manufacturers shall bear a name plate that indicates the heater rating in accordance with SBMTC Standard No, 001. The plate shall be affixed by the heater manufacturer and shall constitute certification that the heater performance is as shown on the plate.
- (vii) Heater hoses shall be adequately supported to guard against excessive wear due to vibration. The hoses shall not dangle or nib against the chassis or any sharp edges and shall not interfere with or restrict the operation of any engine function. Heater hoses shall conform to SAE Standard J20c, Heater lines on the interior of bus shall be shielded to prevent scalding of the driver or passengers,
- (viii) Each hot water system installed by a body manufacturer shall include one shut-off valve in the pressure line and one shut-off valve in the return line with both valves at the engine in an accessible location, except that on all Types A buses, the valves may be installed in another accessible location.
- (vix) There shall be a water flow-regulating valve installed in the pressure line for convenient operation by the driver while seated,
- (x) All combustion heaters shall be in compliance with current Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations,
- (xi) Accessible bleeder valves shall be installed in an appropriate place in the return lines of body company-installed heaters to remove air from the heater lines.
- (xii) Access panels shall be provided to make heater motors, cores, and fans readily accessible for service. Outside access panel may be provided for the driver's heater.
- (xiii) All heating systems shall be equipped with an auxiliary heater booster pump, except Type A.
(u) HINGES, Exposed metal emergency door, lift door, and service door hinges which do not have stainless steel, brass, or non-metallic hinge pins or other design that prevents corrosion and allows complete lubrication without disassembly, shall be designed to allow lubrication to be channeled to the center 75% of each hinge loop,
(v) IDENTIFICATION. - (i) Body shall bear words "SCHOOL BUS" in black letters at least 8 inches high on both front and rear of body or on signs attached thereto. Lettering shall be placed as high as possible without impairment of its visibility, Letters shall conform to "Series B" of Standard Alphabets for highway signs, "SCHOOL BUS" lettering shall have a reflective background, or as a district paid option, may be illuminated by backlighting,
- (ii) Required lettering and numbering shall include:
- (A) District or company name shall be displayed at the beltline and be worded as "___________ County School District Number, City, Wyoming" (if district owned), "(Company Name), (City), Wyoming" if company owned, If district owned, "City" may be deleted if a district has attendance centers in multiple cities.
- (B) Bus identification number shall be displayed on body beside entrance door, rear in area of right side tail light, left side in vicinity of driver's window, front in area designated by the buyer,
- (C) All the above lettering and numbering shall be black block letters, a minimum of 5 inches high with a 1 inch wide stroke.
- (iii) Other lettering, numbering, or symbols that may be displayed on the exterior of the bus shall be limited to:
- (A) Bus identification number on the top of the bus, in addition to required numbering on sides, rear, and front,
- (B) The location of the battery(ies) identified by the word "BATTERY" or "BATTERIES" on the battery compartment door in 2" high lettering,
- (C) Symbols or letters near the service door displaying information for identification by the students of the bus or route served. Such symbols or lettering, if used, shall not exceed 144 square inches in size. These interchangeable bus identification placards shall be placed adjacent to the service door,
- (D) School bus manufacturer or school bus dealer identification or logos.
- (E) Symbols identifying the bus as equipped for or transporting students with special needs (see Specially Equipped School Bus section),
- (F) Team name and/or logo above windows on the roof of activity buses(paid for by the school district),
- (iv) Only signs and lettering approved by state law or regulation shall appear on outside of bus,
(w) INSIDE HEIGHT. Inside body height shall be 72" or more, measured metal to metal, at any point on longitudinal centerline from front vertical bow to rear vertical bow,
(x) INSULATION, - (i) Bus body shall be fully insulated in the roof, all body panels, front and rear headers and the cavities in the roof and side bows. Thermal insulation shall be fire-resistant, UL approved, and approximately 1 1/2" thick with minimum R-value of 5,5, Insulation shall be installed to prevent sagging.
- (ii) Floor insulation shall be either 5 ply nominal 5/8" thick plywood, or a material of equal or greater strength and insulation R value, and it shall equal or exceed properties of the exterior-type softwood plywood, C-D Grade as specified in standard issued by U.S. Department of Commerce. When plywood is used, all exposed edges shall be sealed. Type A-I buses may be equipped with nominal 1/2" thick plywood meeting above requirements.
(y) INTERIOR. - (i) Interior of bus shall be free of all unnecessary projections to minimize the potential for injury. This standard requires inner lining on ceilings and walls. If ceiling is constructed to contain lapped joints, forward panel shall be lapped by rear panel and exposed edges shall be beaded, hemmed, flanged, or otherwise treated to minimize sharp edges,
- (ii) The driver's area forward of the foremost padded barriers will permit the mounting of required safety equipment and vehicle operation equipment,
- (iii) Every school bus shall be constructed so that the noise level taken at the ear of the occupant nearest to the primary vehicle noise source shall not exceed 85 dBA,
(z) LAMPS AND SIGNALS, - (i) Interior lamps shall be provided which adequately illuminate aisle and stepwell, Stepwell light shall be illuminated by a service door operated switch, to illuminate only when headlights and clearance lights are on and service door is open,
- (ii) A rheostat switch shall control body instrument panel lights.
- (iii) School bus alternately flashing signal lamps:
- (A) Bus shall be equipped with two red lamps at the rear of vehicle and two red lamps at the front of the vehicle,
- (B) In addition to the four red lamps described above, four amber lamps shall be installed so that one amber lamp is located near each red signal lamp, at same level, but closer to vertical centerline of bus. The system of red and amber signal lamps shall be wired so that amber lamps are energized manually, and red lamps are automatically energized (with amber lamps being automatically de-energized) when stop signal arm is extended or when bus service door is opened. An amber pilot light and a red pilot light shall be installed adjacent to the driver controls for the flashing signal lamp to indicate to the driver which lamp system is activated,
- (C) Area around lens of each alternately-flashing signal lamp and extending outward approximately 3" shall be black in color. In installations where there is no flat vertical portion of body immediately surrounding entire lens of lamp, a circular or square band of black approximately 3" wide, immediately below and to both sides of the lens, shall be black in color on body or roof area against which signal lamp is seen (from distance of 500 feet along axis of vehicle). Visors or hoods, black in color, with a minimum depth of 4" may be provided.
- (D) Red lamps shall flash at any time the stop signal arm is extended,
- (E) All flashers for alternately flashing red and amber signal lamps shall be enclosed in the body in a readily accessible location,
- (iv) Turn signal and stop/tail lamps:
- (A) Bus body shall be equipped with amber rear turn signal lamps that are at least 7" in diameter or if a shape other than round, a minimum 38 square inches of illuminated area and meet SAE specifications. These signal lamps must be connected to the chassis hazard warning switch to cause simultaneous flashing of turn signal lamps when needed as vehicular traffic hazard warning. Turn signal lamps are to be placed as wide apart as practical and their centerline shall be approximately 8" below the rear window,
- (B) Buses shall be equipped with amber side-mounted turn signal lights. The turn signal lamp on the left side shall be mounted rearward of the stop signal arm and the turn signal lamp on the right side shall be mounted rearward of the service door,
- (C) Buses shall be equipped with four combination red stop/tail lamps:
- (I) Two combination lamps with a minimum diameter of 7" or if a shape other than round, a minimum 38 square inches of illuminated area shall be mounted on the rear of the bus just inside the turn signal lamps,
- (II) Two combination lamps with a minimum diameter of 4", or if a shape other than round, a minimum 12 square inches of illuminated area shall be placed on the rear of the body between the beltline and the floor line. Rear license plate lamp may be combined with one lower tail lamp. Stop lamps shall be activated by the service brakes and shall emit a steady light when illuminated.
- (v) On buses equipped with a monitor for the front and rear lamps of the school bus, the monitor shall be mounted in full view of the driver. If the full circuit current passes through the monitor, each circuit shall be protected by a fuse or circuit breaker against any short circuit or intermittent shorts.
- (vi) Strobe Light (approved option - see Section 8 ) shall have a single clear lens emitting light 360 degrees around its vertical axis. It shall be located on the longitudinal centerline of the bus roof, approximately 1/3 of the distance forward from the rear of the bus, behind the rear most roof hatch. It shall be controlled by a manual switch located in the instrument panel to the left of the driver with a pilot light to indicate that the light is turned on.
- (vii) Bus body shall be equipped with two white rear backup lamp signals that are at least 4" in diameter or, if a shape other than round, a minimum of 13 square inches of illuminated area, meeting SAE specifications. If backup lamps are placed on the same line as the brake lamps and turn signal lamps, they shall be to the inside.
(aa) METAL TREATMENT. - (i) All metal used in construction of bus body shall be zinc-coated or aluminum-coated or treated by equivalent process before bus is constructed. Included are such items as structural members, inside and outside panels, door panels and floor sills. Excluded are such items as door handles, grab handles, interior decorative parts and other interior plated parts.
- (ii) All metal parts that will be painted shall be, in addition to above requirements, chemically cleaned, etched, zinc-phosphate coat and zinc-chromate or epoxy primed or conditioned by equivalent process.
- (iii) In providing for these requirements, particular attention shall be given lapped surfaces, welded connections of structural members, cut edges punched or drilled hole areas in sheet metal, closed or box sections, unvented or undrained areas and surfaces subjected to abrasion during vehicle operation.
- (iv) As evidence that above requirements have been met, samples of materials and sections used in construction of the bus body subjected to cyclic corrosion testing as outlined in SAE J1563.
(bb) MIRRORS. - (i) Interior mirror shall be either clear view laminated glass or clear view glass bonded to a backing that retains the glass in the event of breakage. Mirror shall have rounded corners and protected edges. All Type A buses shall have a minimum of a 6" x 16" mirror and Type B, C, and D buses shall have a minimum of a 6" x 30" mirror and a maximum of 8" x 30" mirror.
- (ii) Each school bus shall be equipped with exterior mirrors meeting the requirements of FMVSS 111. Mirrors shall be easily adjustable, but shall be rigidly braced so as to reduce vibration. All outside mirrors shall be heated, powered/remote controlled (excluding crossover mirrors).
(cc) MOUNTING. - (i) Chassis frame shall support rear body cross member. Bus body shall be attached to chassis frame at each main floor sill, except where chassis components interfere, in such manner as to prevent shifting or separation of the body from the chassis under severe operating conditions.
- (ii) Insulation material shall be placed at all contact points between body and chassis frame on Types A-I, B, C, and D buses, and shall be so attached to the chassis frame or body that it will not move under severe operating conditions.
(dd) OVERALL LENGTH. Overall length of bus shall not exceed 43 feet, excluding accessories.
(ee) OVERALL WIDTH. Overall width of bus shall not exceed 102", excluding accessories.
(ff) PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM. (Approved option - see Section 8 ) Buses may be equipped with a public address system having interior and/or exterior speakers.
(gg) RADIO All school buses shall be equipped with an AM/FM radio. Any speaker forward of the front passenger seat shall have an independent volume control.
(hh) REFLECTIVE MATERIAL. - (i) Front and/or rear bumper may be marked diagonally 45 degrees down to centerline of pavement with 2" +/- 1/4" wide strips of noncontrasting reflective material.
- (ii) Rear of bus body shall be marked with strips of reflective National School Bus Yellow material to outline the perimeter of the back of the bus using material which conforms with the requirements of FMVSS 571.131 Table 1. The perimeter marking of rear emergency exits per FMVSS 217 and/or the use of reflective "SCHOOL BUS" signs partially accomplish the objective of this requirement. To complete the perimeter marking of the back of the bus, strips of at least 1 3/4" reflective National School Bus Yellow material shall be applied horizontally above the rear windows and above the rear bumper extending from the rear emergency exit perimeter marking outward to the left and right rear corners of the bus; and vertical strips shall be applied at the corners connecting these horizontal strips.
- (iii) "SCHOOL BUS" signs, if not of lighted design, shall be marked with reflective National School Bus Yellow material comprising background for lettering of the front and/or rear "SCHOOL BUS" signs.
- (iv) Sides of bus body shall be marked with reflective National School Bus Yellow material at least 1 3/4" in width, extending the length of the bus body and located (vertically) between the floor line and the beltline.
- (v) All emergency exits shall be outlined in reflective National School Bus Yellow material.
(ii) RUB RAILS. - (i) There shall be one nab rail located on each side of bus approximately at seat level which shall extend from rear side of entrance door completely around bus body (except emergency door or any maintenance access door) to point of curvature near outside cowl on left side.
- (ii) There shall be one rub rail located approximately at floor line which shall cover the- same longitudinal area as upper rub rail, except at wheelhousing, and shall extend only to radii of right and left rear corners.
- (iii) Both rub rails shall be attached at each body post and all other upright structural members.
- (iv) Both rub rails shall be 4" or more in width in their finished form, shall be of 16- gauge steel or suitable material of equivalent strength, and shall be constructed in corrugated or ribbed fashion.
- (v) Both rub rails shall be applied outside body or outside body posts. Pressed-in or snap-on rub rails do not satisfy this requirement. For buses using rear luggage or rear engine compartment, rub rails need not extend around rear corners.
- (vi) There shall be a rub rail or equivalent bracing located horizontally at the bottom edge of the body side skirts.
(jj) SEAT BELT FOR DRIVER. A Type 2 lap belt/shoulder harness seat belt shall be provided for the driver. The assembly shall be equipped with an emergency locking retractor (ELR) for the continuous belt system. On all buses except Type A equipped with standard chassis manufacturer's driver's seat, the lap portion of the belt shall be guided or anchored to prevent the driver from sliding sideways under it. The lap belt/shoulder harness shall be designed to allow for easy adjustment in order to fit properly and effectively protect drivers varying from 5th percentile female to 95th percentile male.
(kk) SEAT AND CRASH BARRIERS. - (i) In determining seating capacity of bus, allowable average rump width shall be:
- (A) 13" where 3-3 seating plan is used.
- (B) 15" where 3-2 seating plan is used.
- (ii) All restraining barriers and passenger seats shall be constructed with materials that enable them to meet the criteria contained in FMVSS 302.
- (iii) Each seat leg shall be secured to the floor by a minimum of two (2) bolts, washers, and nuts. Flange-head nuts may be used in lieu of nuts and washers, or seats may be track mounted in conformance with FMVSS 222. If track seating is installed, the manufacturer shall supply minimum and maximum seat spacing dimensions applicable to the bus, which comply with FMVSS 222. This information shall be on a label permanently affixed to the bus.
- (iv) All seat frames attached to the seat rail shall be fastened with two (2) bolts, washers and nuts or flange-headed nuts.
- (v) Type A-II school bus bodies shall be equipped with restraining barriers conforming to FMVSS 222.
- (vi) Bus seats may be equipped with integrated child restraint seats.
- (vii) All seats must meet FMVSS 222.
(LL) STEPS. - (i) First step at service door shall be not less than 10" and not more than 14" from the ground when measured from top surface of the step to the ground, based on standard chassis specifications, except that on Type D vehicles, the first step at the service door shall be 12" to 16" from the ground.
- (ii) Step risers shall not exceed a height of 10". When plywood is used on a steel floor or step, the riser height may be increased by the thickness of the plywood.
- (iii) Steps shall be enclosed to prevent accumulation of ice and snow.
- (iv) Steps shall not protrude beyond the side bodyline.
- (v) A suitable device (or devices) shall be designed and installed to prevent injury or fatality to passengers from being dragged. At least one such device shall assist passengers during entry or egress, and be of such design to eliminate entanglement.
- (vi) Steps may be equipped with heaters.
(mm) STEP TREADS. - (i) All steps, including floor line platform area, shall be covered with 3/l6" nabber floor covering or other materials equal in wear and abrasion resistance to top grade rubber.
- (ii) A durable backing material resistant to corrosion shall be permanently bonded to rubber.
- (iii) 3/16" ribbed step tread shall have a 1 1/2" white nosing as an integral piece without any joint.
- (iv) Rubber portion of step treads shall have the following characteristics:
- (A) Special compounding for good abrasion resistance and high coefficient of friction.
- (B) Flexibility so that it can be bent around a 1/2" mandrel both at 130 degrees Fahrenheit and 20 degrees Fahrenheit without breaking, cracking, or crazing.
- (C) Show a durometer hardness of 85 to 95.
(nn) STIRRUP STEPS. There shall be at least one folding stirrup step or recessed foothold and suitably located handles on each side of the front of the body for easy accessibility for cleaning the windshield and lamps. Steps are permitted in or on the front bumper, in lieu of the stirrup steps if the windshield and lamps are easily accessible for cleaning from that position. Type A under 14,001 lbs. GVWR are exempt.
(oo) STOP SIGNAL ARM. - (i) The stop signal arm shall comply with the requirements of FMVSS 131.
- (ii) The stop arm shall be reflectorized.
- (iii) The stop arm shall be lighted.
- (iv) The stop arm shall be equipped with a wind guard.
- (v) There shall be only one stop arm per bus, mounted on the left side near the driver's window.
(pp) STORAGE COMPARTMENT. A storage container for tools, tire chains, and/or tow chains shall be provided and may be located either inside or outside the passenger compartment. If inside, it shall have a cover (seat cushion may not serve this purpose) capable of being securely latched. The container shall be fastened to the floor, convenient to either the service or emergency door.
(qq) SUN SHIELD. - (i) Interior adjustable sun shield not less than 6" X 30" for Type B, C, and D vehicles, with a finished edge, shall be installed in a position convenient for use by driver.
- (ii) On Type A buses the sun shield shall be manufacturer's standard.
(rr) TAILPIPE. - (i) Tailpipe shall extend out to but not more than 2" beyond perimeter of the body or the bumper.
(ss) TOW EYES OR HOOKS. Tow eyes or hooks shall be furnished on the rear and attached so they do not project beyond the rear bumper.
(tt) UNDERCOATING. - (i) The entire underside of the bus body, including floor sections, cross member and below floor-line side panels, shall be coated with rust-proofing material for which the material manufacturer has issued to the bus body manufacturer a notarized certification to the bus body manufacturer that materials meet or exceed all performance requirements of SAE J1959.
- A. The undercoating material shall be applied with suitable airless or conventional spray-equipment to the undercoating material manufacturer recommended film thickness and shall show no evidence of voids in the cured film.
- B. The lindercoating material shall not cover any exhaust components of the chassis.
(uu) VENTILATION. - (i) Auxiliary fans shall meet the following requirements:
- (A) Fans for left and right sides shall be placed in a location where they can be adjusted for maximum effectiveness and do not obstruct vision to any mirror. Type A buses may be equipped with one fan.
- (B) Fans shall be a nominal 6" diameter.
- (C) Fan blades shall be covered with a protective cage. A separate switch shall control each fan.
- (ii) Body shall be equipped with a suitably controlled ventilating system of sufficient capacity to maintain proper quantity of air under operating conditions, without having to open windows except in extremely warm weather.
- (A) Static-type non-closeable exhaust ventilation shall be installed in low-pressure area of roof.
- (iii) Roof hatches designed to provide ventilation, regardless of the exterior weather conditions, may be provided.
(vv) WHEELHOUSING. - (i) The wheelhousing opening shall allow for easy tire removal and service.
- (ii) Wheelhousing opening shall be equipped with molded fender extensions to provide protection to the bus body from debris thrown up from the road.
- (iii) The wheelhousing shall be attached to floor sheets in such a manner as to prevent any dust, water or fumes from entering the body. Wheelhousing shall be constructed of at least 16-gauge steel.
- (iv) The inside height of the wheelhousing above the floor line shall not exceed 12".
- (v) The wheelhousing shall provide clearance for installation and use of tire chains on single and dual (if so equipped) power-driving wheels.
- (vi) No part of a raised wheelhousing shall extend into the emergency door opening.
- (vii) Front and rear wheelhousing shall be equipped with rubber mudflaps.
(ww) WINDOWS. - (i) Each full side window, other than emergency exits designated to comply with FMVSS 217, shall provide an unobstructed emergency opening of at least 9" but not more than 13" high and at least 22" wide, obtained by lowering window. One side window on each side of the bus may be less than 22" wide.
- (ii) Driver's window, the first window on the left, and the first window after the service door shall be thermo glass. Type A bus driver's window may be manufacturer's standard,
- (iii) Optional tinted and/or thermo glass glazing may be installed in all doors, windows, and windshields (other than required thermo glass) consistent with federal, state, and local regulations.
(xx) WINDSHIELD WASHERS. A windshield washer system shall be provided in a location easily serviceable by the driver.
(yy) WINDSHIELD WIPERS. - (i) A windshield wiping system, two speed or variable speed, with an intermittent feature, shall be provided.
- (ii) The wipers shall be operated by one or more air or electric motors of sufficient power to operate wipers. If one motor is used, the wipers shall work in tandem to give full sweep of windshield.
(zz) WIRING. - (i) All wiring shall conform to current SAE standards.
- (ii) Circuits:
- (A) Wiring shall be arranged in circuits, as required, with each circuit protected by a fuse or circuit breaker. A system of color and number coding shall be used and an appropriate identifying diagram shall be provided to the end user along with the wiring diagram provided by the chassis manufacturer. The wiring diagrams shall be specific to the bus model supplied and include any changes to wiring made by the body manufacturer. Chassis wiring diagrams shall also be supplied to the end user. A system of color and number coding shall be used on buses. The following body interconnecting circuits shall be color-coded as noted:
| FUNCTION | COLOR |
| Left Rear Directional Light | Yellow |
| Right Rear Directional Light | Dark Green |
| Stoplights | Red |
| Back-up Lights | Blue |
| Taillights | Brown |
| Ground | White |
| Ignition Feed, Primary Feed | Black |
The color of cables shall correspond to SAE I 1128.
- (B) Wiring shall be arranged in at least six regular circuits as follows:
- (I) Head, tail, stop (brake) and instrument panel lamps
- (II) Clearance and stepwell lamps (stepwell lamp shall be actuated when service door is opened)
- (IV) Ignition and emergency door signal
- (VI) Alternately flashing signal lamps
- (C) Any of the above combination circuits may be subdivided into additional independent circuits.
- (D) At least one additional circuit shall be installed for heaters and defrosters.
- (E) Whenever possible, all other electrical functions (such as automatic tire chains and electric-type windshield wipers) shall be provided with independent and properly protected circuits.
- (F) Each body circuit shall be coded by number or letter on a diagram of circuits and shall be attached to the body in a readily accessible location.
- (iii) The entire electrical system of the body shall be designed for the same voltage as the chassis on which the body is mounted.
- (iv) All wiring shall have an amperage capacity exceeding the design load by at least 25%. All wiring splices are to be done at an accessible location and noted as splices on wiring diagram.
- (v) A body wiring diagram, of a size which can be easily read, shall be furnished with each bus body or affixed in an area convenient to the electrical accessory control panel.
- (vi) The body power wire shall be attached to a special terminal on the chassis,
- (vii) All wires passing through metal openings shall be protected by a grommet,
- (viii) Wires not enclosed within body shall be fastened securely at intervals of not more than 18 inches. All joints shall be soldered or joined by equally effective connectors, which shall be water-resistant and corrosion-resistant.