Interpretation ID: aiam1581
Safety Engineer-Vehicles
Sheller-Globe Corporation
2885 St. Johns Avenue
Lima
OH 45804;
Dear Mr. Semark: This is in response to your letter of July 15, 1974, inquiring as t the applicability of Part 581, the proposed bumper standard (39 FR 25237), to buses, specifically school buses.; The standard, as proposed, applies to passenger motor vehicles othe than multipurpose passenger vehicles. These vehicle categories are used in the standard as they are defined in Section 2 of the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act (Pub. L. 92-513). The Act defines passenger motor vehicles as those vehicles with motive power designed to carry 12 persons or less, except motorcycles and trucks not designed primarily as passenger carriers. Multipurpose passenger vehicles are defined as passenger motor vehicles constructed either on a truck chassis or with features for occasional off-road use. Buses, which are defined at 49 CFR Part 571.3 but not in the Cost Savings Act, are motor vehicles designed to carry more than 10 persons.; The application section of the proposed bumper standard excludes fro coverage passenger carrying vehicles designed to seat 12 persons or less when they are either constructed on a truck chassis or possess features for off-road operation. Any vehicle defined under 49 CFR Part 571.3 that is designed to carry 11 or 12 passengers would, for the purposes of Part 581, be classified as either a multipurpose passenger vehicle or a passenger vehicle. If such a bus meets the multipurpose passenger vehicle definition it would be excepted from the standard's coverage. However, if the bus has neither features for occasional off-road use nor a truck chassis it would be subject to the Part 581 bumper standard.; A school bus is a subcategory of bus, and it would be subject to any o the requirements of the proposed bumper standard applicable to buses in general.; Thank you for your inquiry. Yours truly, Richard B. Dyson, Acting Chief Counsel