HOUSE BILL No. 4829 May 27, 1997, Introduced by Rep. Rhead and referred to the Committee on Transportation. A bill to amend 1990 PA 187, entitled "The pupil transportation act," by amending section 11 (MCL 257.1811). THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT: 1 Sec. 11. (1) This section and sections 13 to 21 apply to 2 both type I and type II school buses except where specifically 3 provided otherwise. 4 (2) A type I school bus shall have an outside body width of 5 not more than 96 inches; an outside overall length of not more 6 than 40 feet; and an inside height of not less than 72 inches, 7 aisle floor surface to ceiling. A type II school bus shall have 8 an outside body width of not more than 96 inches; and an inside 9 height of not less than 60 inches, aisle floor surface to 10 ceiling. 02651'97 TJS 2 1 (3) A bus shall be attached firmly to the chassis. A spacer 2 shall be inserted between the body and the frame at every point 3 of contact so that shearing stresses are not put on rivet heads. 4 (4) A bus floor shall be of metal at least equal in strength 5 to 14-gauge steel and so constructed and maintained that exhaust 6 gases cannot enter the bus. The floor, including wheelhousing, 7 shall be covered and maintained with 1/8-inch smooth rubber or an 8 equivalent as determined by the department of state police. The 9 aisles shall be covered and maintained with 3/16-inch ribbed 10 rubber or an equivalent as determined by the department of state 11 police. The rib-aisle shall continue to the stepwell. Metal 12 longitudinal strips shall be applied to the aisle seams. Floors 13 shall be coved to the walls. All closures between the body and 14 the engine compartment shall be fitted with gaskets which effec- 15 tively prevent gas from entering the body. The bus body floor, 16 cross members, and skirts shall be completely undercoated. A 17 transmission inspection plate, if any, need not be rubber-covered 18 but shall be firmly attached. Plywood floors are optional. 19 (5) Sedan-type doors shall not be used on type I school 20 buses. When a jackknife-type service door is used, it shall fold 21 forward toward the front of the bus. If a split-type service 22 door is used, it shall open outward. Sedan-type doors may be 23 used on service entrances of type II buses. The steps of a serv- 24 ice door entrance shall be covered with 3/16-inch molded ribbed 25 rubber or other nonslip surface. 26 (6) An emergency exit shall be provided as follows: 02651'97 3 1 (a) Type I school bus: the upper and lower portion of the 2 central rear emergency door shall be equipped with approved 3 safety glass. The door shall be hinged on the right side and the 4 door handle located on the extreme left. THE DOOR HANDLE ASSEM- 5 BLY SHALL BE CONSTRUCTED SO THAT IT WILL EMIT A LIGHT SIGNAL AND 6 CHANGE FROM AC TO DC CURRENT WHEN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION ARISES. 7 THE LIGHT SIGNAL SHALL BE SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW A PERSON TO LOCATE 8 AND DETERMINE HOW TO LATCH AND UNLATCH THE EMERGENCY DOOR. Piano 9 hinges shall not be used. The handle shall be in the vertical 10 position when latched. A locking device of any kind shall not be 11 attached to, or made a part of, the emergency door unless the 12 locking device meets all of the following criteria: 13 (i) The device is integrated into the ignition system. 14 (ii) The device is tamper resistant. 15 (iii) The device has an audible alarm system. 16 (iv) The device has an audible alarm near the driver's seat 17 that will sound when the door is locked and the ignition is on. 18 (v) The device is approved by the department of state 19 police. 20 (b) Type II school bus: subdivision (a) applies to type II 21 buses except that body gauge metal may be substituted for safety 22 glass in the lower portion of the rear emergency door, and double 23 rear emergency doors may be used. A double rear emergency door 24 shall have a 3-point latch. 25 (7) A bus body shall be lined with fiberglass or a com- 26 parable nonsettling, nonabsorbent insulation. 02651'97 4 1 (8) Book racks shall not be installed in a school bus. 2 (9) The electrical system shall be 12 volt D.C. provided 3 through an alternator with a minimum of 100 amp rating and a min- 4 imum battery storage capacity of 500 CCA with gasoline engine, or 5 900 CCA with diesel engine provided through 1 12-volt battery, 2 6 12-volt batteries, or 2 6-volt batteries. There shall not be an 7 opening through the floor of the bus to service the battery. 02651'97 Final page. TJS