§571.217. Standard No. 217; Bus emergency exits and window retention and release. — Inbound Citations

(b) This standard does not apply to school buses, transit buses, prison buses, and perimeter-seating buses.

S4. Definitions.

Daylight opening means, for openings on the side of the vehicle (other than a door opening), the locus of all points where a horizontal line, perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal centerline, is tangent to the periphery of the opening. For openings on the roof of the vehicle, daylight opening means the locus of all points where a vertical line is tangent to the periphery of the opening. The periphery includes surfaces 100 millimeters (mm) inboard of the inside surface of the window glazing and 25 mm outboard of the outside surface of the window glazing. The periphery excludes the following: Any flexible gasket material or weather stripping used to create a waterproof seal between the glazing and the vehicle interior; grab handles used to facilitate occupant egress and ingress; a restraining barrier; and any part of a seat. An example of a daylight opening periphery is provided in Figure 3 for illustrative purposes only.

Latch attachment point means the center point of the latch's interface connecting the window and the bus structure when the window is closed, and the latch is in the locked position.

Over-the-road bus means a bus characterized by an elevated passenger deck located over a baggage compartment.

Perimeter-seating bus means a bus with 7 or fewer designated seating positions rearward of the driver's seating position that are forward-facing or can convert to forward-facing without the use of tools.

Portal means an opening that could, in the event of a crash involving the vehicle, permit the partial or complete ejection of an occupant from the vehicle, including a young child.

Prison bus means a bus manufactured for the purpose of transporting persons subject to involuntary restraint or confinement and has design features consistent with that purpose.

Stop-request system means a vehicle-integrated system for passenger use to signal to a vehicle operator that they are requesting a stop.

Transit bus means a bus that is equipped with a stop-request system sold for public transportation provided by, or on behalf of, a Federal, State, or local government and that is not an over-the-road bus.

S5. Requirements. When tested according to the procedures specified in S6 of this section and under the conditions specified in paragraph S7 of this section, each applicable bus shall meet the following requirements specified in this section. The requirements of this paragraph S5 do not apply to portals other than side and roof portals, and do not apply to a side or roof portal with a daylight opening whose minimum surface dimension measured through the center of its area is less than 279 mm.

S5.1 Edge impact.

(b) 217 (§ 571.217) shall be capable of opening as specified in that standard during the full application of the force and after release of the force, except that an emergency exit located in the roof of the vehicle is not required to be capable of being opened during the application of the force. A particular vehicle (i.e., test specimen) need not meet the emergency exit opening requirement after release of force if it is subjected to the emergency exit opening requirements during the full application of the force.

S5. Test procedures. Each vehicle shall be capable of meeting the requirements of S4. when tested in accordance with the procedures set forth below.

S5.1 With any non-rigid chassis-to-body mounts replaced with equivalent rigid mounts, place the vehicle on a rigid horizontal surface so that the vehicle is entirely supported by means of the vehicle frame. If the vehicle is constructed without a frame, place the vehicle on its body sills. Remove any components which extend upward from the vehicle roof.

S5.2 Use a flat, rigid, rectangular force application plate that is measured with respect to the vehicle roof longitudinal and lateral centerlines,

(2) Buses with 7 or fewer designated seating positions rearward of the driver's seating position that are forward-facing or can convert to forward-facing without the use of tools.

S4. Definitions.

Occupant compartment means a space within the vehicle interior intended for driver and passenger use, excluding any space occupied by fixed appliances such as bars, kitchenettes, or toilets.

Over-the-road bus means a bus characterized by an elevated passenger deck located over a baggage compartment.

Prison bus means a bus manufactured for the purpose of transporting persons subject to involuntary restraint or confinement and has design features consistent with that purpose.

School bus is defined in § 571.3.

School bus derivative bus means a bus that meets Federal motor vehicle safety standards for school buses regarding emergency exits (§ 571.217), rollover protection (§ 571.220), bus body joint strength (§ 571.221), and fuel system integrity (§ 571.301).

Stop-request system means a vehicle-integrated system for passenger to use to signal to a vehicle operator that they are requesting a stop.

Survival space means all points within a three-dimensional space in the occupant compartment as defined within the following volume:

(5) Any emergency exit(s) as identified in § 571.217 (FMVSS No. 217); nor