This is not an official version. POINT IN TIME |
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June 1, 2009 to June 7, 2012 |
CONSOLIDATED
Bus Regulations
Amended by: 11/00 CONSOLIDATED
Bus Regulations
Under the authority of section 195 of
the Highway Traffic Act
and the Subordinate Legislation Revision
and Consolidation Act
, the Lieutenant-Governor in Council makes the following regulations. REGULATIONS
Short title
1.
These regulations may be cited as the Bus
Regulations
.
Definitions
2.
In these regulations
(a)
"Act" means the Highway Traffic Act
;
(b)
"school purpose vehicle" means a vehicle owned or operated or contracted to a
school board or agent of a school board for the occasional transportation of
children to and from extra curricular school related activities but does not
include a motor vehicle designed to carry less than 7 passengers in addition to
the driver; and
(c)
"school year" for the purpose of these regulations shall mean all that period
spanned from September 1 through the last day of June.
Application
3.
(1) Sections in these regulations which apply only to school buses shall not
apply to a school purpose vehicle.
(2)
Paragraph 6(1)(b) and subsection 6(2) shall not apply to a school purpose
vehicle.
Visual signs required
4.
(1) Every school bus shall be equipped with the following visual signs:
(a)
2 lamps which shall emit flashes of red light mounted on the front of the bus
and 2 lights of the same type mounted on the rear of the bus; and
(b)
the words "STOP WHEN RED LIGHTS FLASHING" painted on the rear of the bus in
letters not less than 15 centimetres in height or the words "DO NOT PASS WHEN
SIGNALS FLASHING" in block letters at least 75 millimetres but not more than 125
millimetres in height and with stroke width at least one-sixth of the height of
the letters.
(2)
The lamps
(a)
at the front of the bus shall each be mounted at the same height above the
windshield on either side of the front of the bus; and
(b)
at the rear of the bus shall be mounted at the same height on either side of the
rear of the bus so that the lower edge of the lens of each lamp is not lower
than the top line of the windows in the sides of the bus.
(3)
The lamps both at the front and at the rear of the bus shall be placed as far
apart laterally as is practicable and so that there is a space of at least one
metre between the lamp centres.
(4)
Each lamp shall be mounted so that its axis is as parallel as is practicable to
the longitudinal axis of the bus and so that its aiming plane is vertical in
relation to that axis of the bus.
(5)
Where
(a)
there is a flat vertical portion of the body of the bus immediately surrounding
a lamp sufficient to allow a circular band of not less than 7.5 centimetres wide
measuring outwards from the periphery of the lens of the lamp or a square which
could contain such a circular band to be painted on it, that circular band or
that square shall be painted on it completely in black;
(b)
the flat vertical portion of the body of the bus immediately surrounding a lamp
is not sufficient to allow the circular lamp or square referred to in paragraph
(a) to be painted on it or where there is no flat vertical portion of the body
of the bus immediately surrounding the lamp, an area of the body of the bus
above, below and to the side of the lens of the lamp shall be painted completely
in black so that the vertical projection of the painted area as viewed from
directly in front of the lens of the lamp shall show the circular band or square
referred to in paragraph (a).
(6)
There shall be a visible or audible means of a clear and unmistakable indication
to the driver of the bus whenever the lamps are emitting flashes of light.
(7)
The lamps shall be mounted on the bus so that no part of the bus in front of the
lamps mounted at the front of the bus or behind the lamps mounted at the rear of
the bus shall obstruct the lamps within an angle of 5° above and 10° below or
within an angle of 30° parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bus and the
centre of the lamps.
(8)
In this section "height" in relation to a lamp means the perpendicular distance
between the centre of the lamp and the level of the ground upon which the bus to
which the lamp is attached is standing when the bus is not loaded.
Bus colour
5.
(1) Every school bus shall be painted chrome yellow or school bus yellow and no
bus other than a school bus shall be so painted.
(2)
Notwithstanding subsection (1), the minister may issue a special permit for the
operation of a school bus which is painted chrome yellow or school bus yellow,
to transport passengers to and from non-regularly scheduled special events,
where the minister is satisfied that adequate commercial transportation is not
available.
(3)
A person shall not operate a motor vehicle originally designed as a school bus
which is painted chrome yellow or school bus yellow for recreational or
commercial purposes until it has been painted a different colour. 35/87 s4;
11/00 s1
Equipment required
6.
(1) Subject to these regulations, every bus, school bus and disabled passenger
vehicle shall, in addition to other equipment required by or under the Act, be
equipped with
(a)
a fire extinguisher of a design and type approved and labelled by F.M., U.L., or
U.L.C. and which shall not be rated less than 2A-10BC;
(b)
not less than 2 non-skid type tire chains suitable in size for the tires of the
vehicle;
(c)
a hazard warning kit containing not less than 3 reflective advance warning
triangles measuring 430-500 millimetres long on each side and 175 millimetres
high and be equipped with stands;
(d)
subject to paragraph (e), a first aid kit, with printed instructions as to the
use of its contents, consisting of either a pillow type case or metal case
containing not less than
(i)
4 packets containing 4 hand cleansers and 12 gauze cleansing pads,
(ii)
150 adhesive dressings 2.5 centimetres by 7.5 centimetres individually wrapped,
(iii)
8 compress dressings, 5 centimetres,
(iv)
6 compress dressings, 10 centimetres,
(v)
2 eye dressing kits (one eye shield and 2 gauze pads),
(vi)
3 gauze dressings, 4 ply, minimum 90 centimetres by 90 centimetres,
(vii)
2 gauze bandages, 5 centimetres by 5.5 centimetres,
(viii)
one adhesive tape 2.5 centimetres by 4.5 metres (packets),
(ix)
6 triangular bandages,
(x)
one metal splint, 7 centimetres by 60 centimetres,
(xi)
one pair scissors,
(xii)
one pair sliver tweezers, and
(xiii)
12 safety pins, 5 centimetres;
(e)
where a bus is being used exclusively for the transportation of passengers in an
urban transit operation a first aid kit containing not less than the following
may be substituted for the first aid kit required under paragraph (d):
(i)
32 adhesive dressings 2.5 centimetres by 7.5 centimetres individually wrapped,
(ii)
10 mertholiate swabs,
(iii)
(iv)
one tourniquet and forceps,
(v)
one compress bandage, 10 centimetres,
(vi)
4 compress bandages, 5 centimetres,
(vii)
6 antiseptic ointment tubes, one cc,
(viii)
one triangular bandage;
(f)
[Rep. by 46/09 s1]
(g)
a mirror which shall provide the driver of the vehicle with a view of the
passengers in the vehicle;
(h)
a mirror securely attached to the vehicle and placed in a position so as to
afford the driver an unobstructed view of the roadway immediately in front of
the vehicle;
(i)
pushout emergency windows or an escape door which shall be located at the rear
or rear left side of the body of the vehicle and shall be equipped with a
fastening device which provides for quick release but ensured against accidental
opening;
(j)
bumpers which shall be attached directly to the frame members on the front and
rear of the vehicle and which shall be so designed as to prevent children riding
on them;
(k)
one or more lights of sufficient luminous intensity to illuminate the interior
of the bus.
(2)
Where the vehicle is being used as a school bus,
(a)
a card approved by the Minister of Education and posted in full view of the
passengers which shall bear instructions to school children on conduct to be
observed while they are on the bus and while they are entering and leaving the
bus;
(b)
a stop arm having one or more red flashing lights located at or near the top and
bottom of the stop arm that, when activated, are visible from the front and rear
of the school bus.
(3)
The stop arm and flashing light referred to in subsection (2) shall be installed
so that the arm and the lights will be automatically activated upon activation
of the red flashing lamps referred to in section 4 and shall remain activated
for so long as these red flashing lamps remain activated.
(4)
Paragraph (1)(b) does not apply to a bus when it is operating within a radius of
10 kilometres of its principal base of operations.
(5)
All equipment referred to in subsection (1) shall at all times be kept in good
operative condition.
(6)
A person who
(a)
tampers with, damages, destroys or removes from a bus other than for its proper
use the equipment referred to in subsection (1); or
(b)
other than the owner, his or her agent or employee or an inspector except in an
emergency or in carrying out his or her duties opens an escape door is guilty of an offence and liable on
summary conviction to a fine of not more than $250 or to imprisonment for a term
of not more than one month or to both a fine and imprisonment and in default of
payment of that fine to imprisonment for an additional term of not more than one
month. 244/90 s3; 223/94 s1;
46/09 s1
Maintenance and ventilation
7.
A bus shall at all times be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition and
shall be adequately ventilated.
Prohibition while bus in motion
8.
The driver of a bus shall not collect fares, make change or permit passengers to
embark or disembark while the bus is in motion.
Articles on bus
9.
(1) A person or article shall not be carried in a bus in a position that is
likely to obstruct the driver.
(2)
The interior and exterior of every bus shall be free of all unnecessary
projections which are likely to injure passengers.
(3)
Luggage must be properly secured on all buses, school buses and disabled
passenger vehicles in a manner so that it is separated from the passenger
compartment or cannot come in contact with passengers in an accident.
(4)
For the purpose of this section, luggage is defined as the travelling bags and
personal belongings of passengers but excludes small hand held baggage that is
normally carried by or with the passenger.
Standing and seated passengers
10.
(1) Every entrance and exit of a bus shall be kept clear of obstruction while
passengers are being carried but for the purpose of this section passengers
permitted by these regulations to stand shall not be considered to constitute an
obstruction.
(2)
Notwithstanding subsection (1), the driver of a school bus or school purpose
vehicle shall not operate the vehicle unless all passengers are properly seated.
Seating capacity
11.
(1) The seating capacity of every bus shall be determined by the registrar by
allowing at least 40 centimetres of seating space for each passenger.
(2)
Notwithstanding subsection (1), where a bus is being used as a school bus, the
seating capacity of that bus shall be determined by the registrar by allowing
not less than 33 centimetres of seating space for each seat where the number of
seats in each row on both sides of a central aisle of that bus is 3 and 38
centimetres of seating space for each seat where the number of seats in each row
on one side of a central aisle of that a bus is less than 3.
(3)
The operator of a school bus shall not carry a greater number of passengers than
the number determined under subsection (2).
(4)
The operator of a bus other than a school bus may carry additional passengers
not in excess of 25% of the seating capacity of the bus if those passengers are
carried during the hours of peak traffic or under circumstances that would cause
undue hardship to the passengers if they were not carried in the bus.
(5)
Where additional passengers are carried in accordance with subsection (4), the
owner or operator shall provide grab straps or hand holds for the use of those
passengers.
(6)
Passengers other than
(a)
school teachers;
(b)
other employees or agents of a school board or of the Department of Education;
(c)
members of a board of education in the course of their duties on behalf of the
board, may not be carried in a school bus
while children are being carried in that bus to or from school or school
activity.
Clearance
12.
In every bus there shall be at least 30 centimetres of clearance in each
passageway.
Entrance and exit of bus
13.
(1) The entrance door of every bus shall be located on the right side of the bus
as near as possible to the front of the bus and shall be controlled by the
driver and so designed as to prevent accidental opening.
(2)
A bus door, other than an escape door, shall not open on the left side of the
bus.
(3)
Every vehicle commonly known as a "panel delivery" or "van" which is licensed to
operate as a bus shall be equipped with steps or other means of ingress and
egress adequate to permit passengers to get on and off the vehicle with
convenience and in safety.
Body of bus
14.
(1) The body of a bus shall be so designed and constructed as to permit adequate
and proper ventilation whenever the bus is operating as such but intake
ventilators shall not be installed at the front of the bus below the top of the
engine hood line.
(2)
The whole of the exhaust pipe of a bus other than a mini-bus shall be outside
the body of the bus and shall extend beyond the rear of the body but not beyond
the rear bumper.
(3)
The floor of every bus and the partition between the engine compartment and the
body of the bus shall be so constructed and insulated that exhaust gases may not
enter the body of the bus.
Placement of gas tank intake
15.
The gas tank intake of every bus other than vehicles commonly known as "station
wagons", "panel deliveries", "mini-buses", "vans" or "snowmobiles" or vehicles
with a seating capacity for not more than 7 passengers in addition to the driver
shall be on the outside of that bus.
Fuelling of bus
16.
A bus shall not be fuelled in a closed building while passengers are aboard.
Duties and powers
17.
(1) An inspector may enter upon or inspect a bus to determine whether there is
compliance with these or other regulations or statutory provision to which the
bus is subject.
(2)
Where an inspector needs to inspect a bus in order to determine whether the bus
is in compliance with these or another regulation or provision of the Act and
the bus cannot readily be located or cannot be safely inspected at the bus
terminal because of its location, traffic or other conditions, the inspector may
by written order direct the owner of the bus to deliver the bus for inspection
at a reasonable time and place within 25 kilometres from the bus terminal.
(3)
Where an owner of a bus fails to deliver or cause to be delivered a bus as
required in subsection (2), the registrar may, in addition to or instead of
other penalties under the Act, suspend the registration of the bus until the
owner complies with the direction.
(4)
For the purpose of this section, a bus terminal means a place or location at
which a bus regularly stops, parks or stands for the purpose of waiting or for
the taking on or discharge of passengers.
Driving manner
18.
(1) The driver of a bus shall, before driving a bus across a railway track,
bring the bus to a full stop, open the entrance door of the bus, look for and
listen for the sound of an approaching train and when satisfied that no train is
approaching, he or she shall close the entrance door and drive the bus in low
gear across the track.
(2)
The driver of a bus shall not, outside a municipality or other settlement,
follow within 30 metres of a vehicle.
(3)
A person shall not sell, offer for sale, have in possession for sale or deliver
for sale in the province a new school bus unless it and its equipment and
components conform to the requirements of the Canadian Standards Association,
Standard D250, School Buses, as amended, and the school bus, equipment and
components shall bear the monogram of the Canadian Standards Association Testing
Laboratories.
(4)
A person shall not modify or alter a school bus or replace equipment or
components of a school bus in a manner or to an extent that the vehicle no
longer conforms with the requirements of the Canadian Standards Association,
Standard D250, School Buses, as amended.
(5)
A person shall not sell, offer for sale, have in his or her possession for sale
in the province equipment or components for a school bus which do not conform to
the requirements of the Canadian Standards Association, Standard D250, School
Buses, as amended.
(6)
No person shall operate or allow to be operated a school bus which does not
conform to the requirements of the Canadian Standards Association, Standard
D250, as amended at the date of final assembly of the school bus.
Disabled passenger vehicles
19.
Where a bus or school bus is by design and construction a disabled passenger
vehicle, the minister or his or her delegated representative may, by special
permit, vary the provisions of these regulations.
Non-application
20.
The following sections shall not be applied to buses owned and operated by
(a)
section 4;
(b)
section 5;
(c)
paragraph 6(1)(b); and
(d)
subsections 18(3), (4) and (5).
Repeal
21.
The Highway Traffic (Bus) Regulations, 1987,
ŠEarl G. Tucker, Queen's Printer |