4552 - General requirements for school buses.

     § 4552.  General requirements for school buses.        (a)  Color and identification.--Every school bus shall be of     a uniform color scheme and labeled "School Bus" on both front     and rear as provided by regulation. Exterior labels and markings     other than those specifically required or permitted by law or     regulation shall be prohibited. This subsection shall not be     construed to prohibit the affixation of exterior labels or     stickers of a temporary nature which have been approved by the     school district as having educational value and which do not     obscure the "School Bus" labels.        (b)  Visual signals.--In addition to the applicable lighting     requirements of Chapter 43 (relating to lighting equipment)     every school bus shall be equipped with a uniform front and rear     system of red and amber visual signals for the warning and     control of traffic during route operations as provided in     section 3345 (relating to meeting or overtaking school bus) and     in regulations of the department.        (b.1)  Use of side stop signal arms.--Every school bus shall     be equipped with a side stop signal arm on the left side of the     vehicle. The side stop signal arm shall be automatically     activated whenever the bus is stopped with the red visual     signals in use and shall itself contain a flashing red light     connected to the same circuits as the red visual signals. The     side stop signal arm is mandated according to the following     schedule:            (1)  School buses may be equipped with and use a side        stop signal arm on January 1, 1989.            (2)  Every new school bus purchased and manufactured        after July 1, 1989, shall be equipped with a side stop signal        arm.            (3)  By July 1, 1994, every school bus shall be equipped        with a side stop signal arm.     The department shall adopt regulations implementing this     subsection.        (b.2)  Use of front crossing control arm.--Every school bus     shall be equipped with a crossing control arm on the front of     the vehicle. The crossing control arm shall be automatically     activated whenever the bus is stopped with the red visual     signals in use. The crossing control arm is mandated according     to the following schedule:            (1)  School buses may be equipped with and use a crossing        control arm on January 1, 1999.            (2)  Every school bus purchased and manufactured after        July 1, 1999, shall be equipped with a crossing control arm.            (3)  By July 1, 2001, every school bus shall be equipped        with a crossing control arm.        (b.3)  Strobe light.--School buses may be equipped with a     bright white strobe light affixed to the roof.        (c)  Body construction.--Every school bus shall be designed     and constructed to provide a single, closed metal body with     adequate ventilation and an entrance door of adequate clearance     and safe design visible to and controlled only by the driver. At     least one emergency exit door of safe design and construction     and adequate labeling shall be located in or near the rear of     the school bus. All side windows shall be of a safe design which     will provide emergency egress for passengers.        (d)  Seating.--Adequate seating space of safe design and     construction shall be provided for each passenger and no     passenger shall be carried for which adequate seating space is     not available and used.        (e)  Visibility.--Every school bus shall be designed and     equipped so as to provide the driver with an unobstructed view     of any pedestrian in proximity to the vehicle.        (f)  Emergency equipment.--Every school bus shall carry, in     good and usable condition, at least one fire extinguisher of     adequate size and type and such other emergency equipment as     regulations may prescribe.        (g)  Emergency drills.--Each school district and the     administration of every private school within this Commonwealth     shall ensure, through adequate instruction and a minimum of two     actual drills each year, that every student is familiar with     school bus emergency procedures and equipment and safe loading     and unloading operations.        (h)  Duty of department.--The department shall by regulation     adopt specific requirements implementing this section and any     additional requirements, not inconsistent with this section,     which will ensure the maximum safety of school children     furnished transportation. Unless required by Federal law or     regulation, the regulations established by the department shall     not require vehicles which pick up and discharge school children     only at locations off the highway to be of any particular color     or to display flashing red and amber lights.     (Dec. 19, 1988, P.L.1290, No.163, eff. imd.; Mar. 13, 1990,     P.L.69, No.14, eff. imd.; Dec. 21, 1998, P.L.1126, No.151, eff.     imd.)        1998 Amendment.  Act 151 added subsecs. (b.2) and (b.3).        1990 Amendment.  Act 14 amended subsec. (a).        1988 Amendment.  Act 163 added subsec. (b.1).        Cross References.  Section 4552 is referred to in sections     3345, 4107, 4921 of this title.