Code of Maryland Regulations › Title 11 - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION › Subtitle 14 - MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION-VEHICLE INSPECTIONS › Chapter 11.14.04 - Safety Standards for Trucks, Truck Tractors, Commercial Buses, and Type I School Vehicles › Section 11.14.04.19 - Doors, Handles, and Latches

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 14, July 12, 2024
A.
				Inspection of doors, handles, latches, and hinges applies to all vehicles
				originally manufactured with doors and all other vehicles which are equipped
				doors.
Procedures:
Reject Vehicle If:
(1) Inspect all doors, latches, hinges, and handles for
						  broken or missing parts, proper operation, and improper adjustment (open and
						  close doors). Electric push button or ring and cable means of opening the door
						  are acceptable provided they are readily accessible.
(1) Doors or door parts are missing, broken, or sagging
						  so that the door cannot be tightly closed. (2) Latch or handle not original
						  equipment or equivalent. (3) Door handle and latch do not provide a means of
						  readily opening door. (4) Secondary or safety catch does not function
						  properly.
B.
				Doors-Service, Emergency (applicable to school vehicles only). Service doors
				may be split-type, sedan-type, or jackknife-type with vertical closing edges
				covered with flexible material.
Procedures:
Reject Vehicle If:
(1) Service Door: (a) From driver's position, inspect
						  function of opening and closing operation; (b) If door is equipped with a lock,
						  determine if engine will start with door locked; check operation of audiovisual
						  alarm with door locked; (c) Inspect condition of flexible material on vertical
						  closing edges (when applicable).
(1) Service Door: (a) Power or manual opening and closing
						  device shows evidence of binding, jamming, excessive wear, or malfunction; (b)
						  Door is equipped with a lock and engine starts with door locked or audiovisual
						  alarm fails to function with door locked and ignition switch on; (c) Flexible
						  material is loose, torn, or missing (when applicable).
(2) Emergency Door: (a) Inspect for clear passageway to
						  door; (b) Inspect inside and outside quick release mechanism; (c) Check length
						  of stroke on slide bar or cam operated lock; (d) Check function of buzzer
						  indicating door is not fully closed; (e) Inspect emergency red identification
						  light (if equipped); (f) Inspect emergency door gaskets.
(2) Emergency Door: (a) Passageway to emergency door is
						  blocked or restricted in any manner to less than 12 inches wide; (b) Door
						  release mechanism fails to release when activated from inside and outside of
						  the bus or if it opens without activating a release; (c) Latch will not hold
						  the door tightly closed; (d) Slide bar has less than 1 inch stroke length; (e)
						  Buzzer fails to function in driver's compartment and indicate to the seated
						  driver when the engine is running a distinctive audible signal when slide bar
						  is moved; (f) Red identification light fails to function when the headlamps or
						  parking lamps are activated; (g) Gaskets are torn, loose, or missing.