Subdivision 1. Standards. This section applies to type III vehicles used for the transportation of school children when owned and operated by a school district or privately owned and operated. All related equipment provided on the vehicle must comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards where applicable. If no federal standard applies, equipment must be manufacture's standard.

Subd. 2. Age of vehicle. Vehicles 12 years or older must not be used as type III vehicles to transport school children, except those vehicles that are manufactured to meet the structural requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard 222, Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, part 571.

Subd. 3. Color. Vehicles must be painted a color other than national school bus yellow.

Subd. 4. Fire extinguisher. A minimum of one 10BC rated dry chemical type fire extinguisher is required. The extinguisher must be mounted in a bracket, and must be located in the driver's compartment and be readily accessible to the driver and passengers. A pressure indicator is required and must be easily read without removing the extinguisher from its mounted position.

Subd. 5. First aid kit and body fluids cleanup kit. A minimum of a ten-unit first aid kit, and a body fluids cleanup kit is required. They must be contained in removable, moisture- and dust-proof containers mounted in an accessible place within the driver's compartment and must be marked to indicate their identity and location.

Subd. 6. Identification. The vehicle must not have the words "school bus" in any location on the exterior of the vehicle, or in any interior location visible to a motorist.

Subd. 7. Lamps and signals. Installation and use of the eight-lamp warning system is prohibited.

All lamps on the exterior of the vehicle must conform with and be installed as required by federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108, Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, part 571.

Subd. 8. Stop-signal arm. Installation and use of a stop-signal arm is prohibited.

Subd. 9. Mirrors. The interior clear rearview mirror must afford a good view of pupils and roadway to the rear. Two exterior clear rearview mirrors must be provided, one to the left and one to the right of the driver. Each mirror must be firmly supported and adjustable to give the driver clear view past the left rear and the right rear of the bus.

Subd. 10. [Repealed, 2012 c 137 s 9]

Subd. 11. [Repealed, 1Sp1997 c 4 art 12 s 34]

Subd. 12. Option. Type III vehicles may carry fire extinguisher, first aid kit, and warning triangles in the trunk or trunk area of the vehicle, if a label in the driver and front passenger area clearly indicates the location of these items.

Subd. 13. Exemption. When a vehicle otherwise qualifying as a type III vehicle under section 169.011, subdivision 71, whether owned and operated by a school district or privately owned and operated, is used to transport school children in a nonscheduled situation, it shall be exempt from the vehicle requirements of this section and the licensing requirements of section 171.321, if the vehicle is properly registered and insured and operated by an employee or agent of a school district with a valid driver's license.

History: 1994 c 647 art 12 s 25; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 2 s 38,39; 1Sp2003 c 9 art 1 s 46,47; 2008 c 350 art 1 s 96; 2009 c 96 art 8 s 7; 2013 c 127 s 40