Interpretation ID: aiam2663

Mr. E.M. Ryan, Design Engineer, The Coachette Company, P.O. Box 1427, Highway 65 South, Conway, AR 72032; Mr. E.M. Ryan
Design Engineer
The Coachette Company
P.O. Box 1427
Highway 65 South
Conway
AR 72032;

Dear Mr. Ryan: This responds to your August 19, 1977, letter asking whether Standar No. 217, *Bus Window Retention and Release*, permits the use of two rear doors for the determination of the size of the required unobstructed rear exit opening.; The standard states in S5.4.2.2 that : [a] school bus with a GVWR o 10,000 pounds or less shall conform to all the provisions of S5.4.2, except that the parallelepiped dimension for the opening of the rear emergency door or doors shall be....' This section specifically allows the determination of the required rear opening through the use of either one or two doors. Therefore, your interpretation that the standard permits the use of two rear doors is correct.; Sincerely, Joseph J. Levin, Jr., Chief Counsel