Section 6 in Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles (Regulation and Control of School Buses) Special Rules, 2012
6. Construction and Maintenance of the School Buses.
- (1) Type of Body. - Every School Bus shall be of semi-saloon type with steel body and no vehicle shall be covered with canvass hood.(2)Painting. - Every School Bus shall be fully painted as follows as specified in rule 349-A of the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989:-(a)Every School Bus shall be fully painted in yellow colour.(b)The inscription "School Bus" shall be painted in the front and rear top of the School Bus, as the case may be, in bold and clearly visible letters.(c)On both exterior sides of the School Bus in a circle of 60 centimeter diameter, and on both the front and rear exterior sides, in a circle of 20 centimeters diameter, the following diagram shall be painted, in dark blue colour with yellow back-ground.(d)The particulars of name and address of the School, contact phone number, mobile phone number etc., shall be painted on exterior of the body of the School Bus on the left rear side.(e)The name of the School shall be written conspicuously at the top of the front and rear ends and on both sides of the body of the School Bus and the writing shall be horizontal.(f)In the rear right side of the School Bus the contact number of Transport Officer in-charge of the School, local Regional Transport Officer and Police authority should be painted. A separate e-mail ID shall be created and displayed for registering the complaints.(3)Entrance-cum-exit. - In every School bus, there shall be one entrance-cum-exit in the front left side. Hand rails shall be fixed firmly along the steps in the front entrance-cum-exit. It shall be provided with a suitable door.(4)Doors. - In every School Bus, the door in the entrance-cum-exit shall be well maintained to ensure safe locking and also easy unlocking.(5)Foot Board. - In every School Bus, the first step of the foot-board shall be at a height not exceeding 300mms and not less than 250 mms from the ground and all steps shall be fitted with non-slip treads. In case the School Bus is used exclusively for the conveyance of differently abled students, the steps shall be suitably constructed to suit their convenience. In the case of a Bus, which is used as a School Bus, these structural changes should be carried out before the 1st November 2012.(6)Driver's Cabin. - In every School Bus, grilled partition shall be provided to separate driver cabin. In the case of a Bus, which is used as a School Bus, this structural change shall be carried out before the 1st November 2012.(7)Seats. - In every School Bus, all the seats shall be firmly fixed to the floor board by bolts or studs and nuts and fastened by some efficient device to the floor board so as to prevent them coming loose.(8)Bag racks. - In every School Bus, suitable grilled provision shall be made for bag racks under the seat for keeping bags and other things of the students.(9)Floor Board. - In every School Bus, the floor boards shall be so fitted as to exclude as far as possible draughts and dust. If any part of the floor board caves in or weakens, no patch work shall be done. Instead, the entire length and breadth of that stretch of the floor board shall be replaced by the new floor board.(10)Windows. - Every School Bus shall be provided with windows on either sides of size not less than 55cms x 70cms.(11)Window grill. - In every School Bus, three horizontal steel bars shall be fixed on the exterior of the bus along the windows in such a manner that the distance between adjoining bars does not exceed 5cms.(12)Emergency exit. - (a) Every School Bus shall be fitted with an emergency exit door at the rear right side or at the rear wind screen with quick release latches mechanism which can be operated from inside and outside of the Bus.(b)The emergency exit shall be in the form of a frame fixed with a toughened glass with dimensions of 150cms x 120cms or in the form of a door with the same dimension hinged at the top, capable of being operated both from inside and outside. The words "Emergency Exit" shall be prominently inscribed in red colour on a white background both inside and outside of the emergency exit.(13)Reflecting Tape. - Every School Bus, shall have retro reflecting marking as specified in rule 104 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.(14)First Aid Box. - In every School Bus, a first aid box containing articles as specified in sub-rule (5) of rule 172 of the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 shall be provided and replaced periodically.(15)Fire Extinguisher. - In every School Bus, two fire extinguishers of ABC type having a capacity of 2kg each, bearing ISI mark shall be properly mounted.(16)Fitment of Speed Governor. - In every school bus, speed controlling device (Speed governor) conforming to standards prescribed, shall be fitted so that the speed of the vehicle does not exceed 40 kilometer per hour within Corporation limits and 50 kilometer per hour in other places.
