[Comment: For dates and availability of material incorporated
by reference in this rule, see paragraph (R)
(S) of rule
4501-5-01 of
the Administrative Code.]
(A) General
requirements.
(1) All school buses
designed or used for transporting pupils with
special transportation needs
equipped with
wheelchair lifts shall comply with rules
4501-5-01 to
4501-5-3 of the Administrative Code, when applicable.
(2) All school buses designed or
used for transporting pupils having special transportation needs shall comply
with school bus federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) as applicable to
their gross vehicle weight rating category.
(3)
(2)
School buses used for the transportation of pupils with special needs that
require the use of a wheelchair and/or other mobile seating devices which
prohibit use of the regular service entrance shall be equipped with a power
lift.
(4)
(3) The lift shall be located on the right side of the
body, in no way attached to the exterior sides of the bus. When not extended,
the lift shall be confined within the perimeter of the school bus body. Buses
equipped with a lift shall not have passenger seats installed directly across
the aisle way from the lift
unless they are seats that
have been designed to be removed for the purposes of alternative passenger
securement.
(5)
(4) All school buses
transporting pupils with special needs
equipped with wheelchair lifts shall be equipped with
an electronic communication system. The electronic communication system shall
be capable of constant contact with the school or dispatch point. This
equipment may be excluded from the bus manufacturer's bid and purchased
separately.
(B)
Aisle width
All aisles
leading from the wheelchair area to an emergency door shall be a minimum of
thirty inches in width to permit passage of a wheelchair/mobile seating device
or mobility aid.
All school buses equipped with a power
lift shall provide a minimum thirty inch pathway leading from any wheelchair
position to an emergency door that is at least thirty inches wide.
(C)
All
school buses equipped with attachment points, securement devices and/or
wheelchair securement systems shall also be equipped with a durable webbing
cutter having a full width hand-grip and protected blade. The cutter must be
appropriately stored in the driver's compartment to the left of the driver.
This equipment may be excluded from the bus manufacturer's bid and purchased
separately.
(C)
(D)
Wheelchair
securement.
School
School buses designed for the
transportation of pupils with special needs in the
state of Ohio
using wheelchairs or special
mobility devices
, shall have
wheelchair securement and occupant restraint systems that comply with SAE
standard J2249 installed as specified in FMVSS 571.222, sections 5.4.1 to 5.4.4
at each wheelchair location.
(D)
(E)
Wheelchair tie down systems.
Securement
Securement system for mobile
seating device and occupant.
(1) The
designated area for the wheelchair/mobile seating devices shall be a minimum of
fifty inches longitudinally by thirty inches laterally. The designated area
shall be free of all obstructions pursuant to FMVSS 571.222.
(2) All buses equipped with
attachment points securement devices and/or wheelchair securement systems shall
also be equipped with a durable webbing cutter having a full width hand-grip
and protected blade. The cutter must be appropriately stored in the driver's
compartment to the left of the driver. This equipment may be excluded from the
bus manufacturer's bid and purchased separately.
(3)
(2)
All securement system attachments or coupling hardware not permanently attached
shall be designed to prohibit accidental disconnecting.
(4)
(3)
All attachment or coupling systems designed to be connected or disconnected
frequently shall be accessible and operable without the use of tools or other
mechanical assistance.
(5)
(4) No mobile seating
device securement system hardware shall be placed so that a mobile seating
device can be placed blocking access to lift door or emergency door(s) with the
exception of track hardware.
(6)
(5) Detailed
instructions, including a parts list, regarding installation and use of the
system shall be provided with each vehicle equipped with an occupant securement
system.
(7)
(6) Detailed instruction, including a diagram
regarding the proper placement and position of the system including correct
belt angles, shall be provided with each vehicle equipped with an occupant
securement system.
(E)
(F)
Seat spacing.
Flexibility
Flexibility in seat spacing and
floor plan layout to accommodate special devices shall be permitted.
Altered vehicles are required to meet all federal
and state standards applicable to the gross vehicle weight category and
designed maximum capacity.
(F)
(G) Special service
entrance.
(1) The special service entrance
door(s) shall be at any convenient point on the right curb side of the bus.
When the special service entrance is located forward of the rear wheels, the
special service entrance door(s), in the open position, shall not obstruct the
regular service entrance.
(2) The
opening may extend below the floor through the bottom of the body skirt. If
such an opening is used, reinforcements shall be installed at the front and
rear of the floor opening to support the floor and give the same strength as
other floor openings.
(3) The
opening, with doors open, shall be of sufficient width and depth to allow the
passage of wheelchairs/mobile seating devices and mobility aids. The minimum
clear opening shall be fifty-six inches in height
(4) A drip molding shall be installed above
the opening to effectively divert water from the opening. Door posts and
headers for the special service entrance shall be reinforced sufficiently to
provide support and strength equivalent to the areas of the side of the bus not
used for service doors. A head bumper pad shall be installed above the special
service entrance and/or on the lift frame.
(G)
(H)
Special service entrance doors.
(1) A single
door or double door may be used.
(2) All doors shall open outwardly. The
special service entrance doors shall have a positive fastening device/s to hold
doors in the open position and door bumpers to prevent door-to-body
contact.
(3) All doors shall be
weather-sealed. Buses with double doors shall be so constructed that a flange
on the forward door overlaps the edge of the rear door when closed.
(4) When manually operated dual doors are
provided, the rear door shall have at least a one-point fastening device to the
header. The forward mounted door shall have at least three-point fastening
devices. One shall be to the header, one to the floor line of the body, and the
other shall be into the rear door. These locking devices shall afford maximum
safety when the doors are in the closed position.
(5) The door and hinge mechanism shall be of
a strength that is greater than, or equivalent to, the emergency door exit.
Door materials, panels and structural strength shall be equivalent to the
conventional service and emergency doors. Color, lettering and other exterior
features shall match adjacent sections of the body.
(6) Each door shall have a window compatible
within one inch of the lower line of adjacent sash. The window shall be
installed to provide a dustproof/watertight fit.
(7) The special service entrance shall be
equipped with a device that will actuate a
green flashing visible
signal located in the driver's compartment when the door or doors are not
securely closed and the ignition is in on position.
(H)
(I)
Lift area lighting.
Adequate
Adequate lighting of the lift
area (both inside and outside)shall be provided.
The lighting
light(s) used to illuminate the interior and exterior of the
lift area shall be activated when the lift door
is open.
in compliance with FMVSS
571.404
(J)
Weight distribution.
On buses equipped with a power lift,
the battery box and fuel tank may be located by the manufacturer to provide
equal weight distribution to compensate for the weight of the power lift
mechanism.
(K)
Alternator and power supply.
A circuit breaker shall be installed
between the power source and the lift motor. It shall be located as close to
the power source as possible but not within the passenger/ driver
compartment.
(L)
Alternator shall have a minimum power output of
two-hundred forty amps. "Type A" buses must be the largest alternator output
available from the original equipment manufacturer.
(I) The light(s) used to illuminate
the interior and exterior of the lift area shall be activated when the lift
door is open.
(J)
(M) Power lift.
The lift and installation shall comply with the requirements
set forth in FVMSS 571.403 (platform lift systems for motor vehicles) and FMVSS
571.404 (platform lift installations in motor vehicles).
(1) Design
(a) The lifting mechanism and platform shall
be able to lift a minimum payload of eight hundred pounds.
(b) Lifts installed in all school buses shall
be fully automatic, including folding and unfolding of the platform.
(2) Controls shall be provided
that enable the operator to activate the lift mechanism from either inside or
outside of the bus.
(3) A circuit breaker shall be
installed between the power source and the lift motor.
It shall be located as close to the
power source as possible, but not within the passenger/driver
compartment.
(4)
(3) School buses
for the transportation of children with disabilities
delivered to the state of
delivered to
Ohio
owners after the effective date of this rule
shall have the lift installed by the body manufacturer or authorized agent. The
installation shall be certified and the documentation shall be provided by the
installer. It shall be the responsibility of the installer to ensure the
levelness of the vehicle after installation. The location of the lift shall not
adversely affect the legal axle loading, the maneuverability, structural, or
the safe operation of the vehicle in which it is installed.
(5)
(4)
When the special service entrance is installed adjacent to the stepwell or has
a seat or wheelchair position directly in front of or behind the special
service entrance, a barrier panel shall be installed. The barrier panel shall
prevent the possibility of a body limb from becoming entangled in the lift
mechanism. The barrier panel may be flush to the outside wall of the bus or at
a dimension that will prohibit a passenger from coming in contact with the lift
mechanism. The panel may be constructed of aluminum or polycarbonate. The end
of the barrier panel exposed to the passenger compartment shall be secured to a
padded stanchion extending from the floor to the ceiling. The stanchion shall
be attached to the roof bow or a reinforced panel in the ceiling. If the
barrier panel is used in conjunction with a padded stanchion and modesty panel,
it shall extend approximately six inches above the lift platform and extend
beyond the stationary frame or the most inner part of the lift exposed to the
passenger compartment. If the barrier panel is a separate installation, it
shall be constructed of the same materials and extend from the floor to
approximately six inches above the lift platform and extend beyond the
stationary frame or the most inner part of the lift exposed to the passenger
compartment. The barrier panel shall be in compliance with FMVSS 571.302 and
FMVSS 571.222.
(6) School buses that require major
wheelchair lift repairs shall be inspected by a factory authorized dealer or
agent following the completion of repairs. The Ohio state highway patrol shall
be notified after the repair and authorized inspection have been completed and
prior to the school bus being operated with students on board.