New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules
Saf - Department of Safety
Subtitle Saf-C - Commissioner, Department of Safety
Chapter Saf-C 1300 - SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION
Part Saf-C 1308 - SCHOOL BUS TYPE BODY AND CHASSIS DESIGN
Section Saf-C 1308.03 - Body Structure and Dimensions
Current through Register No. 40, October 3, 2024
(a) Body construction shall be of fire resistant material.
(b) The body construction and all subsequent repairs shall be of prime quality steel or other metal or material equivalent in strength to all-steel, as certified by the manufacturer of the school bus body, and shall be free of sharp edges, tears or other defects inside or outside that might cause injury.
(c) The body construction shall be of sufficient quality to provide a reasonably dust-proof, gas-proof, weather tight and fume-proof unit. Openings between the chassis and passenger compartment shall be sealed to prevent fumes or gases from entering the school bus body.
(d) The manufacturer of the school bus body shall indicate the month and year of final completion of the vehicle in a permanent and readily visible location on the body.
(e) The floor shall be level except in the wheel-housing, toe-board, stepwell, fuel pipe area and the driver's platform area.
(f) The overall bus length shall not exceed 45 feet, excluding accessories.
(g) The overall bus width shall not exceed 102 inches, excluding accessories.
(h) The chassis frame shall support the rear body cross member. The school bus body shall be attached to the chassis frame at each main floor sill, except where chassis components interfere in such a manner as to prevent shifting or separation of the body from the chassis when impacted by force such as an automobile collision.
(i) Insulating material shall be placed at all contact points between the body and the chassis frame on all school bus types, and shall be attached to the chassis frame or body so that it shall not move when impacted by force such as an automobile collision.
(j) Any alteration to extend the length of the chassis frame shall be for the purpose of extending the wheel base. An alteration may be made only if designed and guaranteed either by the original chassis manufacturer or by the company installing the school bus body.
(k) When installing the body on the chassis frame, the installer(s) shall insert a spacer at every point of contact between the body and the frame. Each spacer shall be of such a form that shearing stresses shall not be put upon rivet heads.
(l) No school bus body shall be removed or remounted on to a new, old or rebuilt chassis without obtaining prior written approval from the commissioner. Approval shall only be given to replace a body or chassis which has been damaged by a collision or an accident. In the event a body is remounted, it shall meet or exceed the requirements for the body year of the body which replaced it.
(m) All openings in the floorboard or firewall between the chassis and passenger compartment, such as for the gearshift lever and parking brake lever, shall be sealed.
(n) On each type B, C, and D school bus, the inside body height shall be 72 inches or more, measured floor to ceiling, at any point on a longitudinal center line from the front vertical bow to the rear vertical bow. The inside body height of each type A school bus with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less shall be 63 inches or more.
#4873, eff 07-24-90; ss by #6297, eff 7-23-96; ss by #8122, INTERIM, eff 7-17-04, EXPIRES: 1-13-05; ss and moved by #8248, eff 1-4-05 (from Saf-C 1307.03 )
