The Ministry of Transport is currently seeking feedback on the Draft Circular promulgating the National Technical Standard on technical safety and environmental protection for automobiles (hereinafter referred to as the Draft Circular). One of the notable contents is the specific technical safety and environmental protection regulations for school buses.
Accordingly, in terms of appearance, school buses must have a uniform dark yellow color covering the entire body. The front and both sides above the windows must have signs identifying them as school buses.
School buses must be numbered and the identification numbers must be positioned on both sides of the bus and at the front and rear of the school bus.
The vehicle must have reflective signage or use electronic LED lights. The rear of the vehicle must have a stop/parking sign and a sign warning other vehicles not to overtake the bus parked at the stop to pick up or drop off students.
Regarding structural and safety requirements, the draft Circular stipulates that double-decker buses and buses with articulated joints in the middle should not be used as school buses. There must be no holes inside or outside the vehicle, no protrusions, dents, sharp corners, or defects that could easily trap children's fingers and cause injury to students.
For vehicles transporting preschool children, the maximum number of students is 45; for vehicles transporting primary and secondary school students, the maximum number of students is 56.
Regarding student seating, regulations stipulate that students must not be seated in the first row, alongside the driver's seat.
For school buses, seats must be arranged from the second row onwards and equipped with two-point seat belts. In addition, school buses must be fitted with front and rear barriers for a safe structure in the event of a collision; overhead luggage racks are not permitted, and instead, luggage compartments should be located on the sides of the vehicle, ensuring that the height of the luggage compartment from the floor is less than 1 meter.
For steps leading into school buses, handrails must be installed at the passenger doors and must not have any protrusions or ridges on the handrails that could cause injury to students.
The passenger area of a school bus intended for students must have a flat floor structure with no steps or raised sections, except for localized raised structures such as wheel covers.
In addition, the emergency exit must be accessible from either the inside or the outside and must be lockable to facilitate evacuation or rescue from the vehicle in emergency situations.
If the draft circular is approved, school buses will have to be painted a uniform dark yellow color on the outside to increase visibility.
Specifically, school buses must be equipped with at least one first-aid kit clearly marked with international symbols and an emergency alert switch for special circumstances. The first-aid kit must be securely mounted during vehicle movement. Emergency alert switches must be installed in easily visible and accessible locations for use in emergencies.
School buses must be equipped with fire extinguishers in case of fire. The location of the fire extinguishers must be clearly marked and easily accessible in case of emergency. The passenger compartment must have at least one fire extinguisher weighing at least 2 kg near the seat of the school supervisor and one near the driver's seat.
Notably, the regulations also stipulate that school buses must be equipped with a system for observing the entire passenger area via interior rearview mirrors and an interior surveillance camera system to monitor the behavior of the driver, the behavior of the student guardians, and the behavior of the students on the bus.
Additionally, there must be outdoor cameras to monitor the situation outside the entrance/exit before picking up and dropping off students. The equipment must be equipped with a system for recording and processing driver information.
Specifically, there must be an alarm system, emergency sound, or direct communication with the driver or student supervisor to warn of any student being left behind on the vehicle, for a maximum of 15 minutes.
School buses must be equipped with speed limiters that do not exceed 80 km/h. For buses of the BEV, HEV, PHEV, and FCEV types using electric motors, the power output must not be less than 9.0 kW/t .
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