1. (a) Any motor vehicle shall be rejected for use as a school bus, pursuant to Saf-C 1307.04, if the motor vehicle is found to be deficient in any of the inspection criteria, pursuant to (c) below or Saf-C 1315.03.

2. (b) A motor vehicle shall not receive an official school bus sticker nor shall the motor vehicle be used to transport pupils to any school or school related activity until:

   1. (1) The motor vehicle has had the items repaired; and
   2. (2) An official school bus sticker has been affixed to the motor vehicle by the department.

3. (c) The following items shall be inspected:

   1. (1) Brakes, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

      1. a. Leakage of brake fluid or air in any portion of any type of brake system;
      2. b. Chafed, crimped, ruptured, bulging, or improperly routed brake lines or hoses;
      3. c. Brake fluid level is less than 1/2 full;
      4. d. Brake pedal travel on hydraulic system is less than 1/5 of total pedal travel;
      5. e. Defective, missing, or no low air pressure warning device on air brake system;
      6. f. Electric motor back up system is not functioning on hydraulic system;
      7. g. Brake failure warning system is inoperative;
      8. h. Brake drum or disc rotor shows evidence of damage other than wear;
      9. i. Brake lining or pad is loose, broken, saturated with oil, grease or brake fluid, or worn to a degree that is contrary to state vehicle inspection requirements;
      10. j. Missing, broken, or loose mechanical brake system components which are likely to affect the safety of the motor vehicle;
      11. k. 25% of the total brakes are out of adjustment;
      12. l. Air compressor drive belt or any other engine belt is missing or worn to a degree that breakdown is imminent. Pulleys are damaged and likely to damage belts;
      13. m. Indication of system nonfunctioning by the brake warning system; or

      14. n. Leakage of air is discovered and the reservoir pressure is not maintained when the:

          1. 1. Governor is cut-in;
          2. 2. Reservoir pressure is between 80 and 90 PSI;
          3. 3. Engine is at idle; and
          4. 4. Service brakes are fully applied;

   2. (2) Parking brake, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

      1. a. If a manual transmission, inability to hold the motor vehicle from rolling in forward position in second gear or higher, while the engine is running when tested;
      2. b. If an automatic transmission, inability to hold the motor vehicle from rolling in forward position in any forward gear, while the engine is running when tested;
      3. c. Broken cables or parts are rusted so as to freeze movement;
      4. d. Broken, loose, or missing mechanical parts which are likely to affect the safety of the motor vehicle;
      5. e. Improper adjustment or leaking air diaphragms on air brake system; or
      6. f. Drive line brake band is broken, missing, loose, or saturated with oil or grease;

   3. (3) Bumpers, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

      1. a. Missing or made of wood; or
      2. b. Bent or damaged to a degree that is likely to affect the safety of the motor vehicle;
   4. (4) Color, on all school bus types, if not national school bus yellow or an approved combination;
   5. (5) Defroster system, which shall not be defective;

   6. (6) Exhaust system, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

      1. a. Leaks within the system, except factory installed fluid drainage devices;
      2. b. System is not securely suspended or fastened;
      3. c. Muffler type is not equivalent to the factory installed muffler or is missing;
      4. d. A carbon monoxide reading of 20 PPM or greater is inside the school bus; or
      5. e. Tailpipe is not flush with or extends beyond the body or bumper more than one inch;

   7. (7) Emergency doors, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

      1. a. Defective door buzzer;
      2. b. Defective door latch;
      3. c. Door will not open;
      4. d. Missing or improper markings;
      5. e. Missing or improper head bumper pad;
      6. f. Missing red door light;
      7. g. Defective red door light, if equipped; or
      8. h. An anti-vandalism device is not in compliance with the applicable requirements of Saf-C 1313.04;

   8. (8) Emergency equipment, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

      1. a. Fire extinguisher is missing, empty, an improper size or classification, or not secured;
      2. b. Triangle emergency reflectors are missing, defective, or in violation of these rules;
      3. c. Wheel chocks are missing or an improper size; or
      4. d. First aid kit is missing or is not in compliance with Saf-C 1310.03;

   9. (9) Emergency windows, required on all school bus types, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

      1. a. Insufficient number of windows;
      2. b. Defective or missing buzzer;
      3. c. Defective or jammed latch;
      4. d. Window will not open; or
      5. e. Not marked as an emergency exit;

   10. (10) Body and frame, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

       1. a. Cracked, loose, sagging, or broken frame rail or crossmember; or
       2. b. Any other defect or damage which is likely to affect the safety of the motor vehicle;

   11. (11) Lights, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

       1. a. Defective loading light or loading light system, including stop arm;

       2. b. Any light of a light system is defective including the:

          1. 1. Headlight system;
          2. 2. Directional light system;
          3. 3. Tail lights;
          4. 4. Brake lights;
          5. 5. Interior lights, unless there is only one defective bulb;
          6. 6. Marker lights, unless there is only one defective bulb; or
          7. 7. Back up light system;
       3. c. Lenses are cracked, broken, missing or an improper color;

   12. (12) Markings, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

       1. a. Primary school bus identification marking is missing or improper;
       2. b. Carrier identification, such as the name of the carrier or school district, is missing or improper; or
       3. c. Bus capacity is missing or improper, except for multipurpose passenger vehicles;

   13. (13) Mirrors, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

       1. a. Missing, cracked, or fogged;
       2. b. No cross over mirror(s) as required;
   14. (14) Roof hatches shall be functional and operating according to the manufacturer's specifications for emergency egress;

   15. (15) Tires, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

       1. a. Less than 4/32" tread depth on front tires and less than 2/32" tread depth on rear tires on all school bus types or multipurpose passenger vehicles with less than 2/32" tread depth on any tire;
       2. b. Retreaded or regrooved tires on all multipurpose passenger vehicles and front axle of all school bus types;
       3. c. Any bulge, tear, or cut to the depth of the fabric or belts on the tire sidewall or tread;
       4. d. All school bus types are not equipped with snow tires on all drive wheels from November 15th through April 15th;
       5. e. Multipurpose passenger vehicles are not equipped with snow tires or all seasonal radials from November 15th through April 15th;
       6. f. Flat tire; or
       7. g. Tire size or type mismatched on any axle;
   16. (16) Shocks that are broken, unattached, leaking, or nonfunctional;

   17. (17) Suspension, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

       1. a. Broken main leaf, torsion bar, or coil spring;
       2. b. Cracked, broken, or missing spring leafs of any leaf spring;
       3. c. Broken center bolts or loose or missing u-bolts;
       4. d. Cracked or broken shackles or mounts;
       5. e. Ball joints are not operating according to the manufacturer's specifications;
       6. f. A-frame bushing is not operating according to the manufacturer's specifications; or
       7. g. Any defect or damage which is likely to affect the safety of the motor vehicle;

   18. (18) Steering assembly, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

       1. a. Drag link or any other ball and socket joint has non-rotational movement;
       2. b. King pins play in excess of 1/4" for 16" wheels, 3/8" for 17"-18" wheels, 1/2" for over 18" wheels;
       3. c. Steering box is loose, mountings are cracked or broken, or steering arm is loose;
       4. d. Tie rod is bent or broken;
       5. e. Idler arm is not operating according to the manufacturer's specifications; or
       6. f. King pin thrust bearing shows visible up or down movement;

   19. (19) Wheel bearings, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

       1. a. Play in excess of the manufacturer's specifications for multipurpose passenger vehicles;
       2. b. Play in excess of 1/8" for type A school buses;
       3. c. Play in excess of 1/4" for type B, C, and D school buses; or
       4. d. Leaking seals on the wheel bearings;

   20. (20) Wheels or rims, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

       1. a. Cracked wheel or rim;
       2. b. Elongated lug-holes;
       3. c. Wheel lugs are missing; or
       4. d. Loose wheel or rim;
   21. (21) Windows, which shall not have any side or rear passenger window cracked or chipped directly through or cracked on one side more than 2 inches;

   22. (22) Windshield, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

       1. a. Clouded more than 2 square inches from the outside edge or any clouding which restricts the view of the driver;
       2. b. Cracked or chipped directly through; or
       3. c. Covered with aftermarket tint except for 6-inch-wide strip across the top; and
   23. (23) Nonfunctional windshield wipers or washer.

Source. #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 1314.02); ss by #10439, eff 10-11-13 (see Revision Note #1 at chapter heading for Saf-C 1300); ss by #14005, eff 6-22-24, EXPIRES: 6-22-34 (see Revision Note #2 at chapter heading for Saf-C 1300)