1999 Minnesota Statutes

     169.4503 Additional Minnesota school bus body standards. 

    Subdivision 1.    Relation to national standards.  The 
 bus body standards contained in this section are required in 
 addition to those required by sections 169.4501 and 169.4502.  
 When a Minnesota standard contained in this section conflicts 
 with a national standard adopted in section 169.4501, the 
 Minnesota standard contained in this section is controlling. 

    Subd. 2.    Backup warning alarm.  An automatic audible 
 backup alarm may be installed.  A spring-loaded button in the 
 driver's compartment that will temporarily disable the backup 
 alarm is allowed for usage in school bus overnight parking lots 
 and repair facilities. 

    Subd. 3. Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34 

    Subd. 4.    Certification.  A body manufacturer shall 
 certify that the product meets Minnesota standards. 

    Subd. 5.    Color.  Fenderettes may be black.  The 
 beltline may be painted yellow over black or black over yellow.  
 The rub rails shall be black.  The reflective material on the 
 sides of the bus body shall be at least one inch but not more 
 than two inches in width.  This reflective material requirement 
 and the requirement that "SCHOOL BUS" signs have reflective 
 material as background are effective for buses manufactured 
 after January 1, 1996. 

    Subd. 6.    Communications.  All buses manufactured 
 after January 1, 1995, shall have a two-way voice communications 
 system. 

    Subd. 7.    Construction.  The metal floor shall be 
 covered with plywood.  The plywood shall be at least 19/32 
 inches thick, and must equal or exceed properties of 
 exterior-type softwood plywood, grade C-D, as specified in 
 product standard PSI-I83 issued by the United States Department 
 of Commerce.  The floor shall be level from front to back, and 
 side to side, except in wheel housing, toe board, and driver's 
 seat platform areas. 

    Subd. 8. Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34 

    Subd. 9. Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34 

    Subd. 10.    Emergency equipment; fire extinguisher.  
 The bus must be equipped with at least one UL-approved 
 pressurized, dry chemical fire extinguisher with a total rating 
 of 2A10BC or greater. 

    Subd. 10a.    Emergency equipment; first aid kit.  A 
 first aid kit, and a body fluids cleanup kit is required 
 regardless of the age of the vehicle.  They must be contained in 
 removable, moisture- and dust-proof containers mounted in an 
 accessible place within the driver's compartment of the school 
 bus and must be marked to indicate their identity and location. 

    Subd. 11. Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34 

    Subd. 12. Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34 

    Subd. 13.    Identification.  (a) Each bus shall, in the 
 beltline, identify the school district serviced, or company 
 name, or owner of the bus.  Numbers necessary for identification 
 must appear on the sides and rear of the bus.  Symbols or 
 letters may be used on the outside of the bus near the entrance 
 door for student identification.  A manufacturer's nameplate or 
 logo may be placed on the bus.  

    (b) Effective December 31, 1994, all buses sold must 
 display lettering "Unlawful to pass when red lights are 
 flashing" on the rear of the bus.  The lettering shall be in 
 two-inch black letters on school bus yellow background.  This 
 message shall be displayed directly below the upper window of 
 the rear door.  On rear engine buses, it shall be centered at 
 approximately the same location.  Only signs and lettering 
 approved or required by state law may be displayed. 

    Subd. 14.    Insulation.  (a) Ceilings and wall shall be 
 insulated to a minimum of one and one-half inch fiberglass and 
 installed so the insulation does not compact or sag.  Floor 
 insulation must be nominal 19/32 inches thick plywood, or a 
 material of equal or greater strength and insulation R value 
 that equals or exceeds properties of exterior-type softwood 
 plywood, C-D grade as specified in standard issued by the United 
 States Department of Commerce.  Type A-II buses must have a 
 minimum of one-half inch plywood.  All exposed edges on plywood 
 shall be sealed.  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 when tested 
 according to procedures in the 1995 National Standards for 
 School Buses and School Bus Operations. 

    (b) The underside of metal floor may be undercoated with 
 polyurethane floor insulation, foamed in place.  The floor 
 insulation must be combustion resistant.  The authorization in 
 this paragraph does not replace the plywood requirement. 

    Subd. 15.    Interior.  Interior speakers, except in the 
 driver's compartment, must not protrude more than one-half inch 
 from the mounting surface. 

    Subd. 16.    Lamps and signals.  (a) Each school bus 
 shall be equipped with a system consisting of four red signal 
 lamps designed to conform to SAE Standard J887, and four amber 
 signal lamps designed to that standard, except for color, and 
 except that their candlepower must be at least 2-1/2 times that 
 specified for red turn signal lamps.  Both red and amber signal 
 lamps must be installed in accordance with SAE Standard J887, 
 except that each amber signal lamp must be located near each red 
 signal lamp, at the same level, but closer to the centerline of 
 the bus.  The system must be wired so that the amber signal 
 lamps are activated only by hand operation, and if activated, 
 are automatically deactivated and the red signal lamps are 
 automatically activated when the bus entrance door is opened.  
 Signal lamps must flash alternately.  Each signal lamp must 
 flash not less than 60 nor more than 120 flashes per minute.  
 The "on" period must be long enough to permit filament to come 
 up to full brightness.  There must be a pilot lamp which goes on 
 when the respective amber or red system is activated.  The pilot 
 lamp must either go out or flash at an alternate rate in the 
 event the system is not functioning normally.  The signal lamp 
 system must include a closed control box.  The box must be as 
 small as practical, and must be easily dismounted or partially 
 disassembled to provide access for maintenance purposes.  The 
 control panel box shall be arranged such that the momentary 
 activating switch for the eight-lamp warning system shall be 
 located on the left, the red (or red and amber) pilot light 
 shall be located in the middle, and the eight-way master switch 
 shall be located on the right.  The control box must be securely 
 mounted to the right of the steering wheel, within easy 
 unobstructed reach of the driver.  Switches and pilot lamp must 
 be readily visible to the driver.  The activating switch may be 
 self-illuminated.  Other warning devices or lamp controls must 
 not be placed near the lamp control.  The stop arm shall extend 
 automatically whenever the service entrance door is opened and 
 the eight-way lights are activated. 

    (b) If installed, a white flashing strobe shall be of a 
 double flash type and have minimum effective light output of 200 
 candelas.  No roof hatch can be mounted behind the strobe light. 

    (c) Type B, C, and D buses shall have an amber clearance 
 lamp with a minimum of four candlepower mounted on the right 
 side of the body at approximately seat level rub rail height 
 just to the rear of the service door and another one at 
 approximately opposite the driver's seat on the left side.  
 These lamps are to be connected to operate only with the regular 
 turn signal lamps. 

    (d) All lamps on the exterior of the vehicle must conform 
 with and be installed as required by federal motor vehicle 
 safety standard number 108, Code of Federal Regulations, title 
 49, part 571. 

    (e) A type A, B, C, or D school bus manufactured for use in 
 Minnesota after December 31, 1994, may not be equipped with red 
 turn signal lenses on the rear of the bus. 

    Subd. 17.    Mirrors.  After January 1, 1995, all school 
 buses must be equipped with a minimum of two crossover mirrors, 
 mounted to the left and right sides of the bus. 

    Subd. 18.    Overall width.  The overall width limit 
 excludes mirrors, mirror brackets, and the stop arm. 

    Subd. 19.    Rub rail.  There shall be one rub rail at 
 the base of the skirt of the bus on all type A, excluding van 
 conversions, B, C, and D buses. 

    Subd. 20.    Seat and crash barriers.  All restraining 
 barriers and passenger seats shall be covered with a material 
 that has fire retardant or fire block characteristics.  All 
 seats must face forward.  All seat and crash barriers must be 
 installed according to and conform to federal motor vehicle 
 safety standard number 222, Code of Federal Regulations, title 
 49, part 571. 

    Subd. 21.    Stop signal arm.  The stop signal arm shall 
 be installed near the front of the bus. 

    Subd. 22. Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34 

    Subd. 23.    Windows.  Windshield, entrance, and rear 
 emergency exit doors must be of approved safety glass.  
 Laminated or tempered glass (AS-2 or AS-3) is permitted in all 
 other windows.  All glass shall be federally approved and marked 
 as provided in section 169.74.  The windshield may be of uniform 
 tint throughout or may have a horizontal gradient band starting 
 slightly above the line of vision and gradually decreasing in 
 light transmission to 20 percent or less at the top of the 
 windshield.  The use of tinted glass, as approved by section 
 169.71, is permitted on side windows and rear windows except for 
 the entrance door, the first window behind the service door, and 
 the window to the left of the driver.  The window to the left of 
 the driver, the upper service door windows, and the window 
 immediately behind the entrance door must be thermal glass.  The 
 window to the left of the driver for type A buses need not be 
 thermal glass. 

    Subd. 24.    Wiring.  If a master cutoff switch is used, 
 it shall not be wired as to kill power to the electric brake 
 system. 

    Subd. 25.    Driver compartment.  The driver's seat must 
 be a high-back seat. 

    HIST: 1994 c 647 art 12 s 37; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 2 s 34; 1Sp1997 
 c 4 art 12 s 18-27