Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 540 CMR - REGISTRY OF MOTOR VEHICLES › Title 540 CMR 21.00 - Semiannual Safety Inspection of Pupil Transport Vehicles › Section 21.03 - Vehicle Inspection Procedures

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1) The
			 Inspector shall reject, and issue a Certificate of Rejection for, any vehicle
			 that fails to satisfy any one of the following requirements:
(a)
Floor.
The
			 vehicle floor shall be free of any holes or tears that may allow toxic exhaust
			 fumes to enter the passenger compartment.
(b)
Brakes.
1. The parking brake shall be tested by
			 accelerating the motor to approximately 1200 to 1300 RPMs with the vehicle in
			 the lowest forward gear against the brake in the applied position, and shall be
			 found to hold the vehicle.
2. The
			 service brake shall be tested at a speed between four and eight MPH and shall
			 be found to be reasonably equalized so that the vehicle does not pull
			 noticeably to either side when applied; and, with the first application of the
			 service brake pedal, to not travel more than 50% of the total distance the
			 brake pedal can travel. In all questionable cases, service brakes shall be
			 adequate to stop the vehicle while traveling at a speed of 20 MPH in not more
			 than the distance of 30 feet. Any vacuum assisted system for service brakes
			 shall be in good working order.
(c)
Seat Belts
. The
			 vehicle shall be equipped with a seat belt for each permanent seating
			 accommodation, in good working order, and in compliance with the United States
			 Department of Transportation's Safety Standard.
(d)
Window Tinting
.
			 Any window tinting shall comply with
			 540 CMR
			 4.04:
Procedures for Inspection of
			 Non-commercial Motor Vehicles
.
(e)
Side Doors and Rear
			 Doors
. The vehicle shall have, in good working order, an emergency
			 door buzzer or warning device to indicate when door is open.
(f)
School Bus Signs, Alternating
			 Flashing Red Signal Lamps and Actuation
. The vehicle shall comply
			 with all applicable provisions of
			 49
			 CFR 571.108.
(g)
Windshield
. The
			 windshield shall be free of any of the following defects:
1. any broken glass with sharp or jagged
			 edges inside or outside;
2. any
			 stone bruise, star break, or bull's eye damage in excess of one inch in
			 diameter within the area covered by the sweep of the vehicle's wipers provided
			 by the vehicle's manufacturer (the critical viewing area) or larger than two
			 inches outside the critical viewing area, or multiple such damage;
3. any single line crack which extends more
			 than three inches into the critical viewing area;
4. multiple cracks one or more which extends
			 into the critical viewing area;
5.
			 any wiper scrapes in excess of ¼ inch wide within the critical viewing
			 area;
6. any clouding extending
			 more than three inches within perimeter of the exposed glass;
7. any poster, sticker, decal, or similar
			 object, attached to the windshield in such a manner as to obstruct the vision
			 of the operator.
(h)
Windshield Wipers/Washer System
. The windshield wipers
			 and washer system shall be in good working order.
(i)
Steering Box
.
			 The steering box shall be tested by turning the steering wheel until motion is
			 detected at the front wheels, with the engine running if the vehicle is
			 equipped with power steering, and found to have play not to exceed two inches
			 on a steering wheel up to a diameter of 18 inches or 2½ inches on a
			 steering wheel with a diameter in excess of 18 inches.
(j)
Horn
. The horn
			 shall be securely fastened to the vehicle, and provide adequate
			 signal.
(k)
Turn
			 Signals
. The turn signals shall be in good working
			 order.
(l)
Emergency
			 Four-way Flashers
. The emergency flasher shall be in good working
			 order.
(m)
Ignition
			 Lock
. The ignition lock shall be in good working order.
(n)
Interior of
			 Vehicle
. All panels and seats shall be free of holes and tears
			 larger than two inches. The vehicle interior shall be free of any sharp or
			 protruding objects or defects.
(o)
Fluid
. The vehicle shall be free of any fluid leaks or
			 seepage:
1. in the brake or fuel
			 system;
2. that may be a source of
			 combustion;
3. that may come in
			 contact with brake pads, linings, or exhaust system.
(p)
Headlamps
. The
			 headlamps shall be properly aligned and securely mounted.
(q)
Tires
. The tires
			 shall conform to the following standards:
1.
			 All tires shall be free of any fabric break or cut in excess of one inch, any
			 bulge, bump or knot related to the deterioration of the tire structure or any
			 ply or cord structure which is visible;
2. All tires shall have tread depth of at
			 least 
			 4/32 of an inch in
			 any recut, regrooved, siped, or original tread groove, when measured with a
			 tire depth gauge in a major tread groove nearest the tire center at two points,
			 15 inches apart, on the circumference.
3. No studded tires shall be used between May
			 1st through November 1st,
			 unless approved by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.
4. No vehicle shall have radial tires on the
			 same axle with non-radial tires, or radial tires on the front axle with
			 non-radial tires on the rear axle, with the exception that vehicles equipped
			 with dual rear tires may have radial or non-radial on any axle, provided they
			 are not intermixed on the same axle.
(r)
Wheels.
Wheels
			 shall not be missing, bent, cracked, have broken tire rims, broken studs or
			 missing nuts.
(s)
Front
			 End.
Both sides of all vehicles shall be raised and all ball
			 joints, tie rod ends, drag links, pitman arm, idler arm, and kingpins shall be
			 visually or manually examined and found not to be excessively worn.
(t)
Muffler and Exhaust
			 System.
The muffler and exhaust system shall be tested by
			 accelerating the motor, and shall be found to prevent unnecessary noise and
			 emission of any unreasonable amount of smoke. The exhaust system, exhaust
			 manifolds, exhaust pipes, mufflers and tail pipe shall be free of leaks.
			 Systems components shall be securely fastened with fasteners in place and
			 undamaged. All motor vehicle exhaust systems shall discharge the exhaust beyond
			 the operator, passenger and or trunk compartment.
(u)
Fuel Tank.
The
			 fuel tank shall not leak and shall be securely attached to the vehicle's body
			 or chassis.
(v)
Springs.
All springs shall be in good condition. The
			 main leaf shall not be broken or have more than one broken leaf per spring. The
			 center bolt shall not be broken. Spring shackle and U-bolts must maintain
			 proper axle alignment.
(w)
Tail Lights.
The vehicle shall be equipped with two
			 tail lights and two stop lights, one of each mounted at each side of the rear
			 of the vehicle, provided both functions may be combined on a single tail lamp,
			 one at each side.
(x)
Bumpers.
All bumpers, as originally equipped by the
			 manufacturer, shall be securely mounted in place and shall not be bent, broken
			 or twisted or have any sharp edges or protrusions.
(y)
Hood, Doors, and Compartment
			 Lids.
The hood and all doors and compartment lids shall open and
			 close properly and be capable of being firmly latched.
(z)
Fenders (Front and
			 Rear).
All fenders shall be securely mounted in place, and shall
			 not be bent or broken. The exterior sheet metal or moldings shall be free of
			 sharp edges or abnormal protrusions extending beyond normal vehicle
			 extremities. Any vehicle whose tires extend beyond the fender or body shall be
			 equipped with flaps or other suitable guards to reduce spray or splash to the
			 rear and side.
(aa)
Additional Required Equipment.
The vehicle shall carry
			 a first-aid kit, body fluid clean-up kit, two chock blocks, a seat belt cutter
			 (accessible to the driver), a fire/evacuation blanket (wheel chair vehicles
			 only), and a fire extinguisher with a total rating of 2A10BC or greater
			 (accessible to the driver) and three reflective triangles.
1. The vehicle shall be equipped with a
			 pressurized, dry chemical fire extinguisher complete with hose. Extinguisher
			 must be mounted in a bracket, located in the driver's compartment and readily
			 accessible to the driver and passengers. A pressure gauge shall be mounted on
			 the extinguisher so as to be easily read without moving the extinguisher from
			 its mounted position.
2. The fire
			 extinguisher shall be of a type approved by the Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
			 The seal shall be intact and gauge shall read green at all times.
(bb)
Back-up Warning
			 Alarm.
All School Pupil Transport Vehicles shall be equipped with
			 an audible back-up alarm effective July 1, 2018. This alarm shall be located
			 behind the rear axle.
(cc)
School Bus Light Indicator.
All School Pupil Transport
			 Vehicles shall be equipped with a school bus light indicator effective July 1,
			 2018. Such indicator must be equipped with a continuous warning light(s)
			 readily visible to the driver to indicate if the school bus lights are
			 activated.
(dd)
Child
			 Reminder System.
All School Transport Vehicles shall be equipped
			 with a child reminder system. The child reminder system must include an audible
			 device that must be disengaged by the driver before leaving the vehicle. The
			 child reminder system shall be installed on all School Pupil Transport Vehicles
			 of model year 2018 or newer. The child reminder system control shall be located
			 in the rear most seating compartment.