N.H. Admin. Code § Saf-C 1315.02

Current through Register No. 44, October 31, 2024

Section Saf-C 1315.02 - Criteria For Rejecting A Motor Vehicle

(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.

(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) The motor vehicle has had the items repaired; and

(2) An official school bus sticker has been affixed to the motor vehicle by the department.

(c) The following items shall be inspected:

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

a. Leakage of brake fluid or air in any portion of any type of brake system;

b. Chafed, crimped, ruptured, bulging or improperly routed brake lines or hoses;

c. Brake fluid level is less than 1/2 full;

d. Brake pedal travel on hydraulic system is less than 1/5 of total pedal travel;

e. Defective, missing or no low air pressure warning device on air brake system;

f. Electric motor back up system is not functioning on hydraulic system;

g. Brake failure warning system is inoperative;

h. Brake drum or disc rotor shows evidence of damage other than wear;

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;

j. Missing, broken or loose mechanical brake system components which are likely to affect the safety of the motor vehicle;

k. 25% of the total brakes are out of adjustment;

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;

m. Indication of system nonfunctioning by the brake warning system; or

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

1. Governor is cut-in;

2. Reservoir pressure is between 80 and 90 PSI;

3. Engine is at idle; and

4. Service brakes are fully applied;

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

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;

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;

c. Broken cables or parts are rusted so as to freeze movement;

d. Broken, loose or missing mechanical parts which are likely to affect the safety of the motor vehicle;

e. Improper adjustment or leaking air diaphragms on air brake system; or

f. Drive line brake band is broken, missing, loose or saturated with oil or grease;

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

a. Missing or made of wood; or

b. Bent or damaged to a degree that is likely to affect the safety of the motor vehicle;

(4) Color, on all school bus types, if not national school bus yellow or an approved combination;

(5) Defroster system, which shall not be defective;

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

a. Leaks within the system, except factory installed fluid drainage devices;

b. System is not securely suspended or fastened;

c. Muffler type is not equivalent to the factory installed muffler or is missing;

d. A carbon monoxide reading of 20 PPM or greater is inside the school bus; or

e. Tailpipe is not flush with or extends beyond the body or bumper more than one inch;

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

a. Defective door buzzer;

b. Defective door latch;

c. Door will not open;

d. Missing or improper markings;

e. Missing or improper head bumper pad;

f. Missing red door light;

g. Defective red door light, if equipped; or

h. An anti-vandalism device is not in compliance with the applicable requirements of Saf-C 1313.04;

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

a. Fire extinguisher is missing, empty, an improper size or classification or not secured;

b. Triangle emergency reflectors are missing, defective or in violation of these rules;

c. Wheel chocks are missing or an improper size; or

d. First aid kit is missing or is not in compliance with Saf-C 1310.03;

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

a. Insufficient number of windows;

b. Defective or missing buzzer;

c. Defective or jammed latch;

d. Window will not open; or

e. Not marked as an emergency exit;

(10) Frame/body, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

a. Cracked, loose, sagging or broken frame rail or crossmember; or

b. Any other defect or damage which is likely to affect the safety of the motor vehicle;

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

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

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

1. Headlight system;

2. Directional light system;

3. Tail lights;

4. Brake lights;

5. Interior lights, unless there is only one defective bulb;

6. Marker lights, unless there is only one defective bulb; or

7. Back up light system;

c. Lenses are cracked, broken, missing or an improper color;

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

a. Primary school bus identification marking is missing or improper;

b. Carrier identification, such as the name of the carrier or school district, is missing or improper; or

c. Bus capacity is missing or improper, except for multipurpose passenger vehicles;

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

a. Missing, cracked or fogged;

b. No cross over mirror(s) as required;

(14) Roof hatches shall be functional and operating according to the manufacturer's specifications for emergency egress;

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

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;

b. Retreaded or regrooved tires on all multipurpose passenger vehicles and front axle of all school bus types;

c. Any bulge, tear or cut to the depth of the fabric or belts on the tire sidewall or tread;

d. All school bus types are not equipped with snow tires on all drive wheels from November 15th through April 15th;

e. Multipurpose passenger vehicles are not equipped with snow tires or all seasonal radials from November 15th through April 15th;

f. Flat tire; or

g. Tire size or type mismatched on any axle;

(16) Shocks that are broken, unattached, leaking or nonfunctional;

(17) Springs/suspension, which shall not have any of the following deficiencies:

a. Broken main leaf, torsion bar or coil spring;

b. Cracked, broken or missing spring leafs of any leaf spring;

c. Broken center bolts, loose or missing u-bolts;

d. Cracked or broken shackles or mounts;

e. Ball joints are not operating according to the manufacturer's specifications;

f. A-frame bushing is not operating according to the manufacturer's specifications; or

g. Any defect or damage which is likely to affect the safety of the motor vehicle;

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

a. Drag link or any other ball and socket joint has non-rotational movement;

b. King pins play in excess of 1/4" for 16" wheels, 3/8" for 17"-18" wheels, 1/2" for over 18" wheels;

c. Steering box is loose, mountings are cracked or broken steering arm is loose;

d. Tie rod is bent or broken;

e. Idler arm is not operating according to the manufacturer's specifications; or

f. King pin thrust bearing shows visible up/down movement;

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

a. Play in excess of the manufacturer's specifications for multipurpose passenger vehicles;

b. Play in excess of 1/8" for type A school buses; or

c. Play in excess of 1/4" for type B, C, and D school buses; or

d. Leaking seals on the wheel bearings;

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

a. Cracked wheel/rim;

b. Elongated lug-holes;

c. Wheel lugs are missing; or

d. Loose wheel/rim;

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

a. Clouded more than 2 square inches from the outside edge or any clouding which restricts the view of the driver;

b. Cracked or chipped directly through; or

c. Covered with aftermarket tint except for 6 inch wide strip across the top; and

(23) Nonfunctional windshield wipers/washer.

N.H. Admin. Code § Saf-C 1315.02

#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 10/11/2013 (See Revision Note at chapter heading for Saf-C 1300).