Interpretation ID: aiam3877
Senior Vice President
American Transportation Committee
Highway 65 South
Conway
AR 72032;
Dear Mr. Williams: This is in further response to your December 12, 1984 letter to th National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concerning our definition of a school bus. Your specific question asked, 'Are vehicles which are built to carry ten school aged passengers or less, and which are used for school or related functions, considered by NHTSA to be school buses or multipurpose passenger vehicles?' As explained below, a vehicle carrying 11 or more persons (i.e., 10 children and a driver) to and from school or related events would be considered a school bus. A vehicle carrying 10 or less persons would be a multipurpose passenger vehicle.; Under the definitions section of our Federal Motor Vehicle Safet Standards (49 CFR Part 571.3), vehicles carrying 11 or more persons which are sold for purposes that include carrying students to and from school or related events are 'school buses.' Under our regulations, a vehicle which is designed to carry less than 11 persons would be considered a multipurpose passenger vehicle. Such a vehicle would be certified as complying with the safety standards applicable to multipurpose passenger vehicles.; Ms. Deirdre Hom of my staff informed your associate, Mr. Joe Clark, o the above in a telephone call on December 14, 1985. This letter confirms the information given to Mr. Clark in that conversation.; If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact m office.; Sincerely, Frank Berndt, Chief Counsel