2006 Minnesota Statutes

169.4501 SCHOOL BUS EQUIPMENT STANDARDS.
    Subdivision 1. National standards adopted. Except as provided in sections 169.4502 and
169.4503, the construction, design, equipment, and color of types A, B, C, and D school buses
used for the transportation of school children shall meet the requirements of the "bus chassis
standards" and "bus body standards" in the 2000 edition of the "National School Transportation
Specifications and Procedures" adopted by the National Conference on School Transportation.
Except as provided in section 169.4504, the construction, design, and equipment of types A, B,
C, and D school buses used for the transportation of students with disabilities also shall meet
the requirements of the "specially equipped school bus standards" in the 2000 National School
Transportation Specifications and Procedures. The "bus chassis standards," "bus body standards,"
and "specially equipped school bus standards" sections of the 2000 edition of the "National School
Transportation Specifications and Procedures" are incorporated by reference in this chapter.
    Subd. 2. Applicability. (a) The standards adopted in this section and sections 169.4502 and
169.4503, govern the construction, design, equipment, and color of school buses used for the
transportation of school children, when owned or leased and operated by a school or privately
owned or leased and operated under a contract with a school. Each school, its officers and
employees, and each person employed under the contract is subject to these standards.
(b) The standards apply to school buses manufactured after October 31, 2004. Buses
complying with the standards when manufactured need not comply with standards established
later except as specifically provided for by law.
(c) A school bus manufactured on or before October 31, 2004, must conform to the
Minnesota standards in effect on the date the vehicle was manufactured except as specifically
provided for in law.
(d) A new bus body may be remounted on a used chassis provided that the remounted vehicle
meets state and federal standards for new buses which are current at the time of the remounting.
Permission must be obtained from the commissioner of public safety before the remounting is
done. A used bus body may not be remounted on a new or used chassis.
    Subd. 3. Inspection manual. The Department of Public Safety shall develop a School Bus
Inspection Manual based on the national standards adopted in subdivision 1 and Minnesota
standards adopted in sections 169.4502 to 169.4504. The Minnesota State Patrol shall use the
manual as the basis for inspecting buses as provided in section 169.451. The Department of Public
Safety has no rulemaking authority to alter the standards upon which school buses are inspected.
    Subd. 4. Variance. The commissioner of public safety may grant a variance to any of the
school bus standards to accommodate testing of new equipment related to school buses. A variance
from the standards must be for the sole purpose of testing and evaluating new equipment for
increased safety, efficiency, and economy of pupil transportation. The variance expires 18 months
from the date on which it is granted unless the commissioner specifies an earlier expiration date.
History: 1994 c 647 art 12 s 23; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 9,10; 1Sp2003 c 9 art 12 s 19,20;
2004 c 294 art 2 s 23,24