Wisconsin Legislature: Trans 300.69(1)(c)1.

(6) The requirements of this section for the operation of the stop signal arm does not apply to school buses which are operated only in areas where use of the flashing red warning lights is not permitted.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; am. (1), (3) (c), (6), Register, February, 1995, No. 470, eff. 3-1-95; emerg. am. (3) (a) and (c), eff. 7-1-97; am. (1), (2) (3) (a), (c) and (6), Register, December, 1997, No. 504, eff. 1-1-98; CR 03-116: am. (2) and (3) (c) Register April 2004 No. 580, eff. 5-1-04.

Trans 300.65 Sunshield. Each school bus shall have an interior sunshield installed above the windshield. Each type A-I, B, C or D bus shall have one of a size not less than 6 by 16 inches.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; am. Register, December, No. 504, eff. 1-1-98.

Trans 300.66 Suspension system.

(1)

(a) The suspension system shall comply with the requirements in 49 CFR 393.207. The bus shall be equipped with front and rear shock absorbers.

(b) The shock absorbers shall be maintained free of leaks and all mountings shall be in good working order.

(2) A school bus may not be operated with any broken springleaf or worn, loose, mislocated shackles or “U” bolts.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; renum. (1) to (3) to be (1) (a), (b) and (2) and am. (1) (a), Register, February, 1995, No. 470, eff. 3-1-95; am. (2), Register, December, 1997, No. 504, eff. 1-1-98.

Trans 300.67 Tires.

(1) The front tires shall have tread depth of at least 4/32-inch and rear tires shall have tread depth of at least 2/32-inch around the entire periphery measured at 2 points no less than 15 inches apart in any major tread groove.

(2) A school bus may not be operated with regrooved, recapped, or retreaded tires on the front wheels.

(3) A school bus may not be operated with cuts or chunks missing exposing the cord, recaps peeled loose or off, or showing an indication of ply separation.

(4) Tires of different size or ply rating may be used except that all tires on an axle must be the same size and type. Bias and radial tires may not be mixed.

(5) All tires shall be maintained to meet the manufacturer’s GAWR and GVWR.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; am. (4), Register, February, 1995, No. 470, eff. 3-1-95; am. (2) and (3), Register, December, 1997, No. 504, eff. 1-1-98.

Trans 300.68 Wheels.

(1) A bus may not be operated with any cracked rims, loose lug bolts or nuts or elongated stud holes.

(2) The wheel bearings may not have more than 1/4 inch free play when measured at the tire level.

(3) The following measurements are the maximum amount of play permitted in the king pins or ball joints when measured at the outside of the tire:

(a) When the wheel diameter is 16 inches or less, not more than 1/4 inch play is permitted.

(b) When the wheel diameter is greater than 16 inches the play permitted is 3/8 inch.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; am. (2), (3) (a) and (b), Register, December, 1997, No. 504, eff. 1-1-98.

Trans 300.69 Windows.

(1) In this section:

(a) “ANS Z26.1” means the standards for glazing in land vehicles adopted by reference in s. Trans 300.20 (1) (k), under 49 CFR part 571, motor vehicle safety standard 205, glazing materials.

(b) “AS 1” to “AS 11” have the same meaning as in section 6 of ANS Z26.1.

1. Complies with tests 10, 13, 16, 17, 21, and 24 of ANS Z26.1.

2. Complies with tests 19 and 20 of ANS Z26.1 with the exception of the test for resistance to undiluted denatured alcohol.

3. In new buses or in replacement glazing has affixed a manufacturer’s label specifying instructions and agents for cleaning the glazing that will minimize the loss of transparency.

(d) “AS 13” means a safety plastic material that includes all of the following:

1. Complies with tests 16, 22 and either 23 or 24 of ANS Z26.1.

2. Complies with tests 19 and 20 of ANS Z26.1 with the exception of the test for resistance to undiluted denatured alcohol.

3. In new buses or in replacement glazing has affixed a manufacturer’s label specifying instructions and agents for cleaning the glazing that will minimize the loss of transparency.

(2) The glazing in windows to the right and left of the driver shall be identified by the designation AS 1 or AS 2. The rearmost windows shall be designated AS 1, AS 2, AS 4 or AS 5, except that the lower glazed portion of the emergency door may be designated AS 8. Any other side push-out or kick-out windows may be identified with glazing designated as AS 1, AS 2, AS 3, AS 4, AS 5, AS 12, or AS 13.

(3) On type A–I, B, C or D buses, the window to the driver’s immediate left and the window immediately to the rear of the service door shall be of insulated glass or of a thermo electric design that performs at least as well as insulated glass. Exceptions are cutaway van based vehicles manufactured in 2 stages equipped with a driver’s door and a roll–up window. If a lift and lift door are located immediately to the rear of the service door, the window in the lift door is not required to meet this requirement. The window to the rear of the lift door may be glazing applicable to other windows.

(4) Each full side window shall provide a vertical opening of at least 9 inches, obtained by lowering the top portion of the window. The driver’s window may be of a sliding forward and rearward construction. A type A-II bus having windows which do not open from the top shall have no more than a 5-inch wide opening.

(5) All windows shall operate freely. The side window latches shall be capable of holding the window securely in place in all positions.

(6) All exposed edges shall be banded or ground.

(7) A distinctive audible signal automatically operated shall clearly indicate to the driver the unlatching of an emergency window when the ignition is in the “on” position. A cut-off may not be installed in the circuit.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; am. (1) (a), (c) 3., (d) 3., (2), (3), Register, February, 1995, No. 470, eff. 3-1-95; am. (1) (c) (intro.), 1., 2., (d) (intro.), 1., 2., (3), (4) and (7), Register, December, 1997, No. 504, eff. 1-1-98; CR 03-116: am. (3) Register April 2004 No. 580, eff. 5-1-04.

Trans 300.70 Windshield.

(1) The glass in the windshield shall be laminated safety glass identified by the designation AS 1. This mark shall be visible and legible. The glass shall be of such quality as to prevent distortion of view in any direction.

(2) The windshield may not be obstructed.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; am. (2), Register, December, 1997, No. 504, eff. 1-1-98.

Trans 300.71 Windshield washer.

(1) Each school bus shall be equipped with an operational windshield washer system that provides fluid for the windshield wipers to effectively clean the windshield.

(2) The washer shall be maintained and operational.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83.

Trans 300.72 Windshield wipers. Every school bus shall be equipped with 2 complete and operational windshield wipers. The system shall have at least 2 speeds.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83.

Trans 300.73 Wiring. All circuits of the bus shall be protected by a circuit breaker, field effect transistors, or fuse of sufficient rating to handle the current load.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; CR 03-116: am. Register April 2004 No. 580, eff. 5-1-04.

Subchapter III—Special Additional Requirements

Trans 300.75 Special service opening.

(1) Every school bus used for transporting persons in wheelchairs shall have an enclosed door opening located on the right side of the vehicle which will permit the use of a ramp or lift.

(2) The door of the special opening shall be equipped with a device to hold it open.

(3) Each door shall have a window.

(4) The opening shall be equipped with material which seals out dirt, water, and fumes.

(5) There shall be a light which illuminates the platform and the area outside the opening.

(6) A drip molding shall be installed to effectively divert water from the opening.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; am. (6), Register, February, 1995, No. 470, eff. 3-1-95.

Trans 300.76 Power lift or ramps.

(1) Every school bus transporting persons in wheelchairs shall be equipped with either a power lift or ramp which utilizes the special service opening specified in s. Trans 300.75.

(2) If a school bus uses a ramp it shall have a nonslip material on the surface or may have a metal nonslip surface construction. The ramp shall be in a secured position while the bus is in motion. The ramp shall be at least 30 inches wide on the surface.

(3) A power lift may be of varying design and operation. A lift may be designed to cause only minor vehicle design change other than for the special service opening, or a different design lift may be built to raise or lower through the floor of the vehicle. Each of these designs shall have a minimum lifting capacity of 700 pounds. A label stating that the lift meets this requirement shall be either permanently affixed to the power lift in a visible location or the information may be permanently stamped in a visible location.

(4) The power source and mechanism of the lift shall be enclosed.

(5) The platform of the power lift shall be covered with nonslip material or it may be of nonslip construction. The surface shall be at least 30 inches wide.

(6) Every platform of a power lift shall be designed and constructed to prevent any movement when it is in the stored position. This requirement may be met by either a mechanical locking device or by the internal design of the lift.

(7) The power lift shall be so designed that the operator has positive control to move, stop, or reverse the lift travel at will. In addition, the lift shall be controlled by a limit switch or by-pass valve which will immediately stop the direction of travel upon contact with the ground or a foreign object.

(8) The power lift shall be so designed that the platform does not fall in the event of a power failure.

(9) The platform shall have a device on the curb side to prevent any wheelchair from rolling off when the lift is in any horizontal position other than at ground level.

(10) The power lift shall be designed to prevent the operator or the person being transported from becoming entangled or crushed during the lift operation.

(11) When in the stored position, every power lift or ramp and its associated super structure shall have all exposed sharp edges, corners, and projecting parts padded to prevent injury in the event of contact in an accident. This requirement does not apply to the platform surface but shall apply to the sides of the platform if they are exposed and not concealed by a padded super structure or a padded barrier.

(12) If the lift does not include a padded super structure, the top of the door opening shall be covered with padding at least 2 inches high the entire width of the door opening.

(13) The lift control shall be interlocked with the vehicle brakes, transmission or door, or shall provide other appropriate mechanisms or systems, to ensure that the vehicle cannot be moved when the lift is not stowed and so the lift cannot be deployed unless the interlocks or systems are engaged.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; am. (1), (3), (11), cr. (12), (13), Register, February, 1995, No. 470, eff. 3-1-95; am. (11), Register, December, 1997, No. 504, eff. 1-1-98.

Trans 300.77 Wheelchair fasteners.

(1) Each wheelchair shall be secured to the bus with a fastening device with sufficient strength to:

(a) Retain the chair in the event the bus overturns.

(b) Prevent the chair from moving.

(2) The fastening device may be either a metal locking unit that secures the wheelchair to the wall or floor or a webbing belt system that accomplishes the same purpose.

(3) No wheelchair may be attached to any door.

(4) A webbing belt system shall be secured to the bus at not less than 2 points. It shall be anchored in the bus frame, body posts or other metal structure. Interior paneling is not considered an adequate anchorage.

(5) A webbing belt used to secure the wheelchair to the body frame may not be used to also secure the passenger to the wheelchair.

(6) School buses manufactured and placed in operation after January 17, 1994, and transporting passengers in wheel chairs shall comply with FMVSS 222, school bus seating and crash protection. The wheel chairs shall be secured in the following manner: