School Bus Specifications - Texas Department of Public Safety

CHILD CHECK SYSTEMEach school bus shall be equipped with an electronic audible and visual warning device thatrequires driver deactivation after the driver walks to the rear exit of the school bus checking forchildren.DRIVER'S SEAT AND SEAT BELTAll school buses shall have a driver's seat equipped with a one (1) piece high back, suspensionseat designed to minimize the potential for head and neck injuries in rear impacts, providingminimum obstruction to the driver's view of passengers, and meeting applicable requirements.The driver contact area of the cushion and seat back shall be made of soil and wear resistantmaterial. Seat shall be squared and centered ± 1/2 inch behind the steering wheel with abackrest a minimum distance of eleven (11) inches behind the steering wheel. Seat shall besecurely mounted to ensure minimal flexing of the seat and the floor panel(s). A Type A busmay have manufacturer’s standard seat.A Type 2, shoulder height adjustable or integrated, lap/shoulder belt shall be provided for thedriver. The assembly shall be equipped with an emergency locking retractor for the continuousbelt system. On all buses, except Type A equipped with a standard chassis manufacturer’sdriver’s seat, the lap portion of the belt system shall be guided or anchored to prevent thedriver from sliding sideways under it.The bus shall contain a belt cutter located in the driver’s compartment for use inemergencies, including evacuations. The belt cutter should be of a type that has a handgripand is designed to eliminate the possibility of the operator or others being cut during use, andshould be secured in a location of safekeeping within easy reach of the driver while seatedbehind the steering wheel.ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND WIRINGAll wiring shall conform to current standards of the Society of Automotive Engineers, be codedby color, number and be insulated. All joints shall be soldered or joined by equally effectivefasteners. All wires of 4-gauge or larger and any accessory wire connected directly to thebattery shall have soldered ends, and the ends shall be protected with heat shrink tubing. Bodywiring and connectors, including any battery cables routed by the body manufacturer, shall berouted and/or protected so as to eliminate possibility of wiring and connectors becomingabraded, pierced by fasteners, shorted, or otherwise damaged during manufacture and use.Electrical components specified below shall be provided and wiring shall be in circuits asfollows:ACCESS PANEL, ELECTRICALAll Type C buses shall be equipped with a sealed exterior electrical access panel or mustprovide easy internal access to body electrical components and circuits. All Type D busesshall be equipped with a sealed exterior electrical access panel to provide easy access tobody electrical components and circuits.BACKUP ALARMBody manufacturer shall provide a backup alarm on each bus to provide audible warningthat the bus is in reverse gear. Alarm shall meet requirements of SAE J994, and shall be aminimum of 107dba.CIRCUIT BREAKERSEach circuit, except starting and ignition, shall be isolated and shall be protected by a circuitbreaker device. For multiplex wiring systems, field effect transistors are acceptable.Section C-2