Cal. Code Regs. tit. 13 § 1269.1

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 44, November 1, 2024

Section 1269.1 - Equipment for Transporting Wheelchairs

Equipment installed after January 1, 1980, on any bus, except a schoolbus, for transporting handicapped persons in wheelchairs shall meet the following requirements:

(a) Wheelchair Lift--Wheelchair lifts installed on such buses shall comply with Chapter 4, Article 15 of this title, commencing with Section 1090 and shall be installed as follows:

(1) Gaps--On a bus in use, gaps between the platform and the bus in areas over which a wheelchair can roll shall not be greater than 15 mm (0.60 in.) horizontally or greater than 6 mm (0.24 in.) vertically.

(2) Effect on Gross Vehicle Weight--Installation of a wheelchair lift shall not cause the manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating, gross axle weight rating, or tire rating to be exceeded.

(3) Padding--Except in locations within (3.1 in.) of the bus floor, all readily accessible exposed edges or other hazardous protrusions on parts of lifts assemblies located in the passenger compartment or parts of the bus associated with the operation of the lift shall be padded with energy absorbing material to minimize injury in normal use and in case of accident. Padding is not required on buses on which each passenger seating position is equipped with a passenger restraint system, which complies with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208.S7, published in Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 571, October 1, 1995. On buses where padding is not installed, operators shall ensure that each passenger transported is properly secured by the restraint system at all times when the bus is in motion.

(4) Control Location--The controls for deploying, lowering, raising, and stowing the lift and moving the barrier shall be at a location where the bus driver or lift attendant has a full view, unobstructed by passengers, of the lift platform, its entrance and exit, and the wheelchair passenger, either directly or with partial assistance of mirrors. Lifts entirely to the rear of the driver's seat shall not be operable from the driver's seat but shall have an override control at the driver's position that can be set to prevent the lift from being operated by the other controls (except for emergency manual operation upon power failure).

(5) Control Interlock.

(A) Except as provided in subsection (B) or (C), wheelchair lift controls shall be interlocked with the parking brake(s), the front or rear service brakes, and with the accelerator or transmission so the bus cannot be moved when the lift is not stowed and so the lift cannot be deployed unless the interlock is engaged. An accelerator or transmission interlock is not required for buses in which the engine must be turned off to operate the wheelchair lift controls.

(B) Buses manufactured prior to January 1, 1983, using hydraulic fluid pressure at the wheels for applying the service brakes, shall have the wheelchair lift controls interlocked with the parking brakes or the front or rear service brakes, so the lift cannot be deployed unless the interlock is engaged.

(C) As an alternative to the requirements in (A), on buses equipped with hydraulic brakes, an interlock system which complies with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements in Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 38.23(b)(2), as published October 1, 1995, will be deemed to comply with the interlock requirements of this section subject to the provisions of 1., 2., 3., and 4. below:

1. The driver must set the vehicle's parking brake before activating the lift control(s).

2. The bus must be equipped with an electrical warning device, clearly audible or visible from the driver's seating position, which is activated at all times when the lift is not stowed and the ignition or run switch is in the "on" or "run" position.

3. If a transmission interlock is utilized, the transmission must be interlocked in the "Park" position.

4. A door interlock will satisfy the requirement only if the door is also interlocked with the vehicle's brakes or transmission in a manner that meets the performance criteria set forth in (A), above.

(6) Certification--When the bus manufacturer or installer uses controls not supplied by the lift manufacturer or modifies the certified lift, the modifications shall comply with the wheelchair lift regulations, and the bus manufacturer or the installer shall so certify. The wheelchair lift shall be installed so the lift manufacturer's certification label, and the bus manufacturer's or installer's certification label, when appropriate, is readily visible and readable. The label(s) shall be maintained in good condition.

(b) Placement, Attachment and Alteration--The placement of the wheelchair lift, including any modification of the bus body or chassis, and modification of the lift or its controls, and the method of attachment shall be in accordance with the bus or lift manufacturer's recommendations and shall not diminish the structural integrity of the bus nor cause a hazardous imbalance of the bus. No part of the assembly when installed and stowed shall extend laterally beyond the normal side contour of the bus nor vertically below the lowest part of the rim of the wheel closest to the lift.

(c) Illumination--During darkness, the outboard end of a wheelchair lift in the down position shall have an illumination of at least 30 lux (2.8 ft-cd) measured on the platform surface.

(d) Securement of Wheelchairs--A device or devices shall be provided to secure wheelchairs during transportation to keep them restrained during normal movement of the bus as in starting, stopping and turning.

(e) Installation, Maintenance, and Operating Instructions--Wheelchair lift installation instructions and inspection and maintenance schedules and procedures shall be available to departmental employees in the location where the bus is garaged or maintained. Lift operating instructions shall be carried in every bus equipped with a wheelchair lift.

(f) Wheelchair Securement--GPPVs used to transport wheelchair passengers shall be equipped with securement devices conforming to the requirements in Section 1293(f).

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 13, § 1269.1

1. New section filed 7-13-79; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 79, No. 28).
2. Amendment of subsection (a)(5) filed 6-18-80; designated effective 8-1-80 (Register 80, No. 25).
3. Amendment of subsection (a)(5) filed 10-30-80; designated effective 12-1-80 (Register 80, No. 44).
4. New subsection (f) filed 8-16-88; operative 9-15-88 (Register 88, No. 34).
5. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (a) filed 5-11-95 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 95, No. 19).
6. Amendment of subsections (a)(3) and (a)(5)(A)-(B) and new subsections (a)(3)(C)-(a)(3)(C)4. filed 2-21-96; operative 3-22-96 (Register 96, No. 8).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 31401, 34501, 34501.5, 34501.8 and 34508, Vehicle Code. Reference: Sections 31401. 34501, 34501.5, 34501.8 and 34508, Vehicle Code.