The Ontario Ministry of Transport is seeking feedback on proposals drafted two and a half years ago that would increase school bus body and chassis safety for all sizes of vehicles.

As the government moves toward adopting changes to the 1990 Highway Traffic Act, Regulation 612 for school buses, the Ontario School Bus Association said today that it asked the Ministry of Transport to provide more details on specific sections and paragraphs that are proposed to be repealed in order to eliminate duplication and out of date requirements.

OSBA also said it specifically wants to see an amendment broadened on a prohibition of drivers to operate a school bus registered in Ontario that does not meet Canadian school bus standards to include forbidding any person or organization from selling or offering to sell a new or used school bus that is out of compliance.

The new regulation would improved access to the rear emergency door, install a system to prevent the operation of the bus when the emergency door is locked and provide new roof hatch performance standard that specifies minimum strength required to open the hatch, which is intended to minimize the possibility of a
passenger ejection during a collision in which the vehicle rolls over. Additionally, a new exit lamp would be required above service door to improve visibility of pedestrians in the danger zone on the right side of the bus during stops, as well as new requirements for floor covering that specify a minimum level of
traction to reduce the risk of passengers slipping and/or falling and new specifications for roof-mounted strobe lamps.