005.28.19 Ark. Code R. § 018 Commission For Arkansas Public School Academic Facilities and Transporation Rules For the Specifications Governing School Bus Design

• Library: Arkansas Administrative Code
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 12, December, 2023
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 005.28.19 Ark. Code R. § 018

Anticipated Effective Date: July 2019

1.00 REGULATORY AUTHORITY

1.01 These Rules shall be known as the Commission for Arkansas Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation Rules for the Specifications Governing School Bus Design.

1.02 These rules are enacted pursuant to the authority of Ark. Code Ann. § 6Manner of making purchases6-21-304.

2.00 PURPOSE

2.01 It is the purpose of these Rules to establish specifications governing school bus design for the State of Arkansas.

3.00 EXPLANATIONS

3.01 The following standards address modifications as they pertain to school buses that, with standard seating arrangement prior to modification would accommodate more than 10 persons. If by addition of a power lift, mobile seating device positions or other modifications, the capacity is reduced such that vehicles become multipurpose vehicles (MPV's), the intent of these standards is to have these vehicles be required to meet the same standards they would have had to meet prior to such modifications, and such MPV's are included in all references to school buses and requirements for school buses which follow.

4.00 SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS REQUIREMENTS

4.01 All bus chassis shall meet Arkansas Specifications included in this rule.

4.02 Chassis manufacturers shall, upon request, certify to the Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation (Division) that their product meets minimum Arkansas standards.

5.00 AIR CLEANER

5.01 The engine intake air cleaner system shall be furnished and properly installed by the chassis manufacturer to meet engine manufacturer's specifications.

5.02 The intake air system for diesel engines may have an air cleaner restriction indicator properly installed by the chassis manufacturer to meet engine specifications.

6.00 AXLES

6.01 The front and rear axle and suspension system shall have a gross axle weight rating (GAWR) at ground commensurate with the respective front and rear weight loads that will be imposed by the bus.

7.00 BRAKES

7.01 A braking system, including service brake and parking brake, shall be provided.

7.02 Buses using air in the operation of the brake system shall be equipped with warning signals, readily audible and visible to the driver, that will give a continuous warning when the air pressure available in the system for braking is 60 psi (pounds per square inch) or less. 7.02.1 An illuminated gauge shall be provided that will indicate to the driver the air pressure in pounds per square inch. 7.02.2 Any brake system dry reservoir shall be so safeguarded by a check valve or equivalent device, that in the event of failure or leakage in its connections to the source of compressed air, the stored dry air shall not be depleted by the leakage or failure. 7.02.3 All school buses with a maximum design capacity of 65 passenger or above, or a GVWR above 26,001 lbs. shall be equipped with air brakes. A Bendix Air Dryer (AD9) or prior approved equivalent with a heater shall be required on all air brakes. Air compressor shall be 12 cubic feet per minute (CFM's) or greater. 7.02.4 Brakes shall be designed to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 105 or 121 as applicable.

7.03 Buses using a hydraulic assist-brake system shall be equipped with warning signals, readily audible and visible to the driver, that will provide continuous warning in the event of a loss of fluid flow from primary sources or loss of electric source powering the back-up system.

7.04 The brake lines and the booster-assist lines shall be protected from excessive heat and vibration and installed in a manner which prevents chafing.

7.05 All brake systems shall be designed to permit visual inspection of brake lining wear without removal of any chassis components.

7.06 Automatic slack adjusters are required on all air brake units and shall be of the same brand.

8.00 FRONT BUMPER

8.01 The front bumper shall be furnished by chassis manufacturers as part of the chassis unless energy absorbing or other bumper options necessitate installation by the body manufacturer.

8.02 Unless an energy absorbing bumper is used, the front bumper shall be of pressed steel channel or equivalent material at least 3/16" thick and not less than 8" wide (high) and shall extend beyond the forward-most part of the body, grill, hood, and fenders and shall extend to outer edges of the fenders at the bumper's top line. Type 'A' shall be to manufacture standard.

8.03 Front bumper, except breakaway bumper ends, shall be of sufficient strength to permit pushing a vehicle of equal gross vehicle weight without permanent distortion to the bumper, chassis, or body.

9.00 REAR BUMPER

9.01 Rear bumper shall be of pressed steel channel or equivalent material, at least 3/16-inch thick, and shall be a minimum of 9.5 inches wide (high), and of sufficient strength to permit being pushed by another vehicle without permanent distortion.

9.02 Rear bumper shall be wrapped around back corners of bus. It shall extend forward at least 12 inches measured from rear-most point of body at floor line.

9.03 Rear bumper shall be attached to chassis frame in such a manner that it may be easily removed; it shall be so braced as to withstand impact from a rear or side impact. It shall be so attached as to discourage hitching of rides.

9.04 Rear bumper shall extend at least one inch beyond the rear-most part of body surface measured at floor line.

9.05 Tow eyes or hooks shall be furnished on the rear and attached so they do not project beyond the rear bumper. Tow eyes or hooks attached to the chassis frame, shall be furnished by either the chassis or body manufacturer. The installation shall be in accordance with the chassis manufacturer's specifications.

10.00 COLOR

10.01 Chassis, including front bumper, shall be black; hood, cowl and fenders shall be National School Bus Yellow (NSBY).

10.02 Hood may be painted with non-reflective NSBY paint.

10.03 Black wheels shall be standard 10.03.1 Yellow, silver, gray or white wheels are optional.

11.00 DRIVE SHAFT

11.01 The drive shaft shall be protected by a metal guard or guards around circumferences of the drive shaft to reduce possibility of it whipping through the floor or dropping to the ground if broken.

12.00 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

12.01 Battery 12.01.1 The standard on all Type 'B', 'C' and 'D' diesel units will be a minimum of 1900 cold cranking amps (CCA) at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Optional equipment, when specified, will be one battery with a minimum of 850 CCA. Higher capacities may be required depending upon optional equipment and local environmental conditions. 12.01.2 All batteries in Type 'B', 'C' and 'D' buses are to be located in a sliding tray. Type 'A' chassis with the battery outside the engine compartment shall have a sliding tray installed. 12.01.3 The body manufacturer shall securely attach the battery on a slide-out tray or door in a closed, vented compartment in the body skirt, so that the battery is accessible for convenient servicing from the outside. Battery compartment door or cover shall be hinged at front or top, and secured by an adequate and conveniently operated latch or other type fastener.

12.02 Alternator 12.02.1 All Type A and Type B buses with a GVWR of 15,000 pounds or less shall have a minimum 130-amp alternator. Buses equipped with an electrically powered wheelchair lift and/or air conditioning shall be equipped with the highest rated capacity available from the chassis OEM. 12.02.2 Type 'B', 'C', and 'D' buses shall be equipped with a heavy duty truck, bus type, or pad mount alternator meeting Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J 180; having a minimum output rating of 200 amperes, alternator shall be capable of producing a minimum of 50% of its maximum rated output at the engine manufacturer's recommended idle speed. Minimum alternator output for air conditioning system is 200 amp minimum. With a combination of air conditioner and/or lift a minimum alternator output of 270 amperes. 12.02.3 Direct-drive alternator is permissible in lieu of belt drive. Belt drive shall be capable of handling the rating capacity of the alternator with no detrimental effect on other driven components.

12.03 Electrical wires and terminals (Body and Chassis)12.03.1 All wiring shall comply with latest SAE recommended practices. This shall include SAE J541a, SAE J1127 SAE J1708, and SAE J1128. 12.03.2 Wiring shall be of sufficient size to carry the required load without excessive voltage drop. 12.03.3 Wires shall be permanently continuous color coded or permanently number coded to easily identify the various circuits. Use of taped numbers is not acceptable. 12.03.4 Wires shall be of sufficient length to provide a loop at terminals so as to permit ample slack for directional positioning. The length shall allow replacement of end terminals twice, without pulling, stretching or replacing the wire. 12.03.5 Corrosion-resistant full ring or interlocking terminals shall be used for terminating wire ends at components All wires shall be continuous and terminate at appropriate connector. "T" or butt connectors shall not be used. Vehicles multiplex wiring system shall be manufacture standards. 12.03.6 Battery cable terminals, component terminals and connectors exposed to the ambient shall be coated with terminal corrosion preventive compound. 12.03.7 Except for those on large wires, such as battery cables, terminals shall be machine crimped to the wiring. A ratchet type hand crimper may be used where it is not possible to use a large machine crimper. 12.03.8 Wiring shall be arranged...