Wisconsin Administrative Code › Department of Transportation › Chapter Trans 300 - Transportation Of School Children › Subchapter III - Special Additional Requirements › Section Trans 300.76 - Power lift or ramps

Current through June 24, 2024
(1) Every school bus transporting persons in
				wheelchairs shall be equipped with either a power lift or ramp which utilizes
				the special service opening specified in s.
				Trans
				300.75.
(2) If a school bus uses a ramp it shall have
				a nonslip material on the surface or may have a metal nonslip surface
				construction. The ramp shall be in a secured position while the bus is in
				motion. The ramp shall be at least 30 inches wide on the surface.
(3) A power lift may be of varying design and
				operation. A lift may be designed to cause only minor vehicle design change
				other than for the special service opening, or a different design lift may be
				built to raise or lower through the floor of the vehicle. Each of these designs
				shall have a minimum lifting capacity of 700 pounds. A label stating that the
				lift meets this requirement shall be either permanently affixed to the power
				lift in a visible location or the information may be permanently stamped in a
				visible location.
(4) The power
				source and mechanism of the lift shall be enclosed.
(5) The platform of the power lift shall be
				covered with nonslip material or it may be of nonslip construction. The surface
				shall be at least 30 inches wide.
(6) Every platform of a power lift shall be
				designed and constructed to prevent any movement when it is in the stored
				position. This requirement may be met by either a mechanical locking device or
				by the internal design of the lift.
(7) The power lift shall be so designed that
				the operator has positive control to move, stop, or reverse the lift travel at
				will. In addition, the lift shall be controlled by a limit switch or by-pass
				valve which will immediately stop the direction of travel upon contact with the
				ground or a foreign object.
(8) The
				power lift shall be so designed that the platform does not fall in the event of
				a power failure.
(9) The platform
				shall have a device on the curb side to prevent any wheelchair from rolling off
				when the lift is in any horizontal position other than at ground
				level.
(10) The power lift shall be
				designed to prevent the operator or the person being transported from becoming
				entangled or crushed during the lift operation.
(11) When in the stored position, every power
				lift or ramp and its associated super structure shall have all exposed sharp
				edges, corners, and projecting parts padded to prevent injury in the event of
				contact in an accident. This requirement does not apply to the platform surface
				but shall apply to the sides of the platform if they are exposed and not
				concealed by a padded super structure or a padded barrier.
(12) If the lift does not include a padded
				super structure, the top of the door opening shall be covered with padding at
				least 2 inches high the entire width of the door opening.
(13) The lift control shall be interlocked
				with the vehicle brakes, transmission or door, or shall provide other
				appropriate mechanisms or systems, to ensure that the vehicle cannot be moved
				when the lift is not stowed and so the lift cannot be deployed unless the
				interlocks or systems are engaged.