2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 29-A: MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC › Chapter 19: OPERATION › Subchapter 4: SCHOOL BUSES › 29-A §2302. School bus markings; lights; mirrors; school bus crossing arms

§2302. School bus markings; lights; mirrors; school bus crossing arms
1.  Identifications.
Each school bus:
A. Must be identified with the words, "school bus":
(1) Printed in letters not less than 8 inches high; and
(2) Located between the warning signal lamps as high as possible without impairing front and rear visibility of the lettering;   [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. Must have no other lettering on the front or rear, except lettering not more than 4 inches high indicating an emergency exit and a bus number and lettering from the original manufacturer;   [PL 2021, c. 582, §2 (AMD).]
C. Must be painted national school bus glossy yellow, except that the hood may be lusterless black and the wheels and rub rails may be glossy black or, if the bus is an electric-powered school bus, the color painted by the original manufacturer;   [PL 2021, c. 582, §3 (AMD).]
D. Must have bumpers of glossy black unless painting is impracticable through use of rubber, reflective material or other devices or unless the bus is an electric-powered school bus and the bumpers were painted a different color by the original manufacturer;   [PL 2021, c. 582, §4 (AMD).]
E. Must be equipped with a system of signal lights that conform to school bus requirements approved by the Commissioner of Education;   [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
F. Must be equipped with a system of mirrors that give the seated operator a view of the way to each side of the bus, and of the area immediately in front of the front bumper;   [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
G. May be equipped with a system of stop arms or extended stop arms to be operated only with the red signal lights; and   [PL 2019, c. 318, §3 (AMD).]
H. May be equipped with reflective strips of national school bus yellow.   [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
[PL 2021, c. 582, §§2-4 (AMD).]
1-A.  School bus crossing arms.
A school bus of model year 2021 or newer must be equipped with a school bus crossing arm.
[PL 2019, c. 413, §2 (NEW).]
2.  Smaller buses.
[PL 2003, c. 293, §2 (RP).]
3.  Other purposes.
A school bus permanently converted wholly to other purposes must be painted a color other than national school bus glossy yellow and have the words "school bus," school bus signal lights and stop arms removed.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
4.  Other passengers.
A school bus operated on a public way and transporting passengers who do not include school-age persons must have the words "school bus" removed or concealed and the school bus signal lamps may not be operable.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
5.  Application.
A vehicle operated on a public way displaying the words "school bus" or with the equipment required by this section may only be used to transport school-age persons, as defined in section 2301.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1993, c. 683, §A2 (NEW). PL 1993, c. 683, §B5 (AFF). PL 2003, c. 293, §2 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 318, §3 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 413, §2 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 582, §§2-4 (AMD).