Specs and Federal Standards

Under Title 49 CFR Part 571, school buses sold in the United States must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) applicable only to school buses, as well as the FMVSS applicable to all other vehicle types. Additionally, the National Congress on School Transportation (NCST) recommends national school transportation specifications that augment the federal standards. Many states also adopt required specifications for school buses and components to meet local needs.

All titles are linked to PDF files which open in a new window unless otherwise noted.

School Buses

• Flammability Standards for School Buses
  October 2011
• Advertising on School Buses
  March 2011
• History of School Bus Safety
  revised February 2000
• School Bus Seating Capacity
  October 1999

Publications

• FMVSS's - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
  July 2012
• SBMTC Application of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards by Type of Motor Vehicle or Item of Motor Vehicle Equipment
  August 2005
• SBMTC Mini Guide to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Related Regulations
  May 2004
• SBMTC School Bus Technical Reference
  August 2001
• SBMTC Procedure for Testing and Rating Automotive Bus Hot Water Heating and Ventilating Equipment
  July 1996

 

 

*Portable Document Files (PDF) require a free Adobe Acrobat® Reader®