Interpretation ID: nht71-5.13

DATE: 12/05/71

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; Dana L. Scott; NHTSA

TO: Hess and Eisenhardt Company

TITLE: FMVSR INTERPRETATION

TEXT: This is in response to your letter of November 12, 1971.

As correctly stated in that letter, there is no current requirement that multi-purpose passenger vehicles must comply with standards 105, 109, 110, 201, 202, 203, 204, 212, 214, 215, and 301. Additionally, the information depicted in the chart you provided is correct as of October 11, 1971. However, your dates for proposed future requirements (columns 3 and 5) may change.

The small vans and similar type vehicles being converted for use as emergency medical vehicles are required to conform to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard definition for a "multi-purpose passenger vehicle," since they utilize a truck chassis. Contrary to your opinion concerning the safety hazard of the converted emergency vehicles, we have not received any factual data indicating that these converted emergency medical vehicles constitute a safety hazard to the general public, to the sick or injured occupants, or to the attendants who must operate such vehicles.

As stated in our previous correspondence to you and Senator Robert Taft, Jr., at this point in time the Department is not in the position of proposing an expenditure for the construction of a prototype ambulance. Our limited resources are being devoted to those traffic safety programs which result in the greatest savings in lives and in the reduction of injuries.

We are retaining your correspondence for reference. If, in the future, our priorities include the development of standards relating to the design of an emergency medical vehicle, please be assured that your interests will be fully considered.

Your continued interest in our traffic safety programs is appreciated.