Illinois Administrative Code › Title 92 - TRANSPORTATION › Part 445 - INSPECTION PROCEDURES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOL BUSES › Appendix A - Procedures for Type I Special Education School Buses

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
Generally, a school bus used for transporting children declared
				eligible for special transportation services shall comply with the applicable
				minimum standards for either a Type I school bus (see 92 Ill. Adm. Code 440) or
				a Type II school bus (see 92 Ill. Adm. Code 442). However, due to the nature of
				certain challenging conditions, vehicles utilized for special education
				transportation shall be adapted to the specific needs of the children receiving
				this service. These needs may require modification of the minimum standards.
				Equipment necessary for the transportation of special education students must
				be resolved in the student's Individualized Education Program.
The interior design of these vehicles will not be a cause for
				rejection provided an approval, issued by the Department, is presented to the
				Certified Safety Tester at the time of inspection.
a)
Grab Handles
PROCEDURES/SPECIFICATIONS:
Grab handles shall be provided on each side of front
						  right service door only when this door is used for entry and exit of
						  children.
REJECT VEHICLE IF:
Grab handles are not securely attached, do not meet
						  requirements or are missing.
b)
Lifts and Ramps
PROCEDURES/SPECIFICATIONS:
Floor of ramp or lift shall be covered with nonskid
						  material.
Protection against dust and water sufficient to ensure
						  reliable operation must be present.
REJECT VEHICLE IF:
Lifts and ramps do not operate properly or do not meet
						  requirements.
1)
Power Lift
PROCEDURES/SPECIFICATIONS:
If power lift is used, it shall be of sufficient
						  capacity and dimension to lift maximum imposed load, lift at top and bottom
						  travel limits shall provide easy entrance and exit from the lift.
If electricity is used, the alternator or generator and
						  battery must be of increased capacity.
Controls shall be operable from both interior and
						  exterior of vehicle.
Device shall be installed that will be used to prevent
						  operation of lift until doors are opened.
In travel position, the lift must be in its uppermost
						  position and securely fastened.
Vehicles of less than 54-passenger capacity constructed
						  for transportation of handicapped children may have the fuel tank located
						  behind rear wheels, inside or outside chassis frame, with fill pipe located on
						  right side of body.
REJECT VEHICLE IF:
Power lift does not operate properly or does not meet
						  requirements.
2)
Ramp
PROCEDURES/SPECIFICATIONS:
Ramp shall be of sufficient strength and rigidity to
						  support the imposed load. Shall be equipped with protective flange on each
						  longitudinal side to keep wheelchair on ramp.
Ramp shall be equipped with handle, or handles, and be
						  of sufficient weight to permit one person to put ramp in place and return to
						  storage place.
Ramp shall be connected to bus at floor level in such
						  manner as to permit easy access of wheelchair to floor of bus.
Ramp length shall be sufficient for easy entry and
						  exit.
REJECT VEHICLE IF:
Ramp does not operate properly; does not meet
						  requirements.
c)
Over Center
Door Control
PROCEDURES/SPECIFICATIONS:
Over center door control shall be provided only when
						  this door is used for entry and exit of children.
REJECT VEHICLE IF:
If installed, does not operate properly. Does not meet
						  requirements. Missing when required.
d)
Seat Safety Belts
PROCEDURES/SPECIFICATIONS:
Passenger seats on Type I school buses are not required
						  by State or federal law to be equipped with seat safety belts. However, seat
						  safety belts may be required pursuant to a student's IEP or as stated
						  below.
If seat safety belts are present, they must be firmly
						  secure. They must not show excessive wear and the buckle must function
						  properly. Each seat safety belt must be readily available for quick and easy
						  use. If retractors are installed, they must be the automatic locking
						  type.
Special education school buses may be equipped with
						  passenger seats that do not have guard barriers installed in front of them.
						  These passenger seats are to be used only by students' aides and must be
						  equipped with seat safety belts at each location used by an aide. The school
						  bus driver must present a letter from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Section
						  approving this exception.
REJECT VEHICLE IF:
If present, seat safety belts are not firmly secure or
						  show excessive wear, or buckle does not function properly.
Barrier is not present in front of aide's seat and no
						  seat safety belts are provided. No letter of exception provided.
e)
Special Light
PROCEDURES/SPECIFICATIONS:
Light shall be placed inside bus over special service
						  door opening, or at other location if shielded to prevent glare. The lamp shall
						  illuminate the floor inside the opening and shall be operated from door
						  area.
REJECT VEHICLE IF:
Special light does not operate properly, does not meet
						  requirements or is missing.
f)
Special
Service Door
PROCEDURES/SPECIFICATIONS:
A special door opening may be located on right side of
						  bus far enough to rear to prevent door, when open, from obstructing front right
						  service door. Door opening shall be adequate to accommodate wheel
						  chairs.
Door shall be equipped with device that will actuate
						  audible or visible signal, located in driver's compartment, when special
						  service door is not securely closed.
Each door shall contain a fixed or movable window
						  aligned with and of same size (as nearly as practicable) as other windows on
						  right side of bus.
Each door panel shall open outward and a positive
						  fastening device shall be installed to hold door in open position. When the
						  special service door is completely open for loading and unloading passengers
						  with special needs and being held by the fastening device the audible alarm can
						  be deactivated.
Door panels shall be constructed to be equivalent in
						  strength and materials to other school bus doors.
Door posts and headers shall be reinforced sufficiently
						  to provide support and strength equivalent to area of side of bus not used for
						  service doors. Outriggers from chassis shall be installed at front and rear of
						  door openings to support floor with same strength as other floor
						  portions.
Bi-parting doors (if installed) must meet the following
						  requirements:
Bi-parting door shall be made of two panels of
						  approximately equal width. They shall be hinged to side of bus and each panel
						  shall open outward. Forward panels shall be provided with overlapping flange to
						  close space where door panels meet and weather seal shall be provided to close
						  all door edges.
Bi-parting door shall be equipped with at least
						  one-point fastening device on rear panel to floor or header and at least
						  two-point fastening device to floor and header on forward floor door panel,
						  both manually operated.
Sliding doors are acceptable provided they meet
						  manufacturer's specifications.
REJECT VEHICLE IF:
Special service door does not operate properly; does
						  not meet requirements; audible or visible alarm does not work or is
						  missing.
Bi-parting or sliding doors do not operate properly. Do
						  not meet requirements. Door does not seal properly. Weather seal is cracked or
						  missing.
g)
Wheelchair
Occupant
Restraints
PROCEDURES/SPECIFICATIONS:
1)
For buses manufactured prior to January 17, 1994,
						  appropriate and adequate wheelchair occupant restraints must be installed at
						  each wheelchair location which transports a student in a wheelchair. The
						  restraints must be securely anchored to the wheelchair or the floor of the
						  vehicle.
2)
For buses manufactured on or after January 17, 1994,
						  each wheelchair location that transports a student in a wheelchair must be
						  equipped with:
A)
Not less than one anchorage for the upper end of the
						  upper torso restraint;
B)
Not less than two floor anchorages for wheelchair
						  occupant pelvic and upper torso restraint; and
C)
Wheelchair occupant pelvic and upper torso restraints.
						  (
						  49
						  CFR 571.222 )
REJECT VEHICLE IF:
Wheelchair occupant restraints do not meet
						  requirements.
h)
Wheelchair
Securement
Anchorage
PROCEDURES/SPECIFICATIONS:
In buses manufactured prior to January 17, 1994,
						  positive wheelchair securement anchorages shall be provided and attached to the
						  floor, walls, or both, that will securely hold wheelchair in position in
						  bus.
In buses manufactured on or after January 17, 1994,
						  each wheelchair location must be equipped with forward-facing wheelchair
						  securement anchorages. Additional securement anchorages which allow other than
						  forward-facing orientation can be added to a wheelchair location provided the
						  forward-facing anchorages are not altered and the additional anchorages meet
						  the same standards as the existing fastening devices. (
						  49
						  CFR 571.222 )
In buses manufactured on or after January 17, 1994,
						  each wheelchair location must be equipped with two wheelchair securement
						  anchorages in the rear and two anchorages in the front. Each securement device
						  must be either of webbing or strap and provide means of adjustment or of a
						  design that provides limited movement. (
						  49
						  CFR 571.222 )
REJECT VEICLE IF:
In buses manufactured prior to January 17, 1994,
						  wheelchair securement anchorages do not securely hold wheelchair to floor,
						  walls or both.
In buses manufactured on and after January 17,
						  1994:
1)
Each wheelchair location is not equipped with
						  forward-facing wheelchair securement anchorages. Additional anchorages do not
						  meet same standards as existing anchorages.
2)
Wheelchair securement anchorages do not meet
						  requirements.