Or. Admin. R. 735-100-0020 - Bus Safety Lights Used on Church Buses
(1) The Transportation Safety Office of the
Department of Transportation (Transportation Safety) adopts the following
requirements for eligibility for a permit to allow use of bus safety lights on
a church bus, and for the requirements for use of the lights.
(2) For purposes of this rule, the following
definitions apply:
(a) "Church bus" means any
bus that is operated by a religious organization while the bus is being used to
transport children to and from religious services or an activity or function
authorized by the religious organization.
(b) "Bus safety lights" means the red and
amber alternately flashing lights described in ORS
816.260.
(c) "Qualified person" means:
(A) Any Department of Education school bus
inspector;
(B) A currently employed
mechanic or inspector of a school district or of a contractor engaged in a
school bus fleet operation;
(C) A
competent mechanic, defined as anyone receiving a substantial portion of their
income repairing motor vehicles, and who is currently active at this work;
or
(D) A person designated for this
purpose by Transportation Safety.
(3) A church bus will be issued a permit
allowing use of bus safety lights upon receipt of a written request submitted
to Transportation Safety. The request must be accompanied by a statement signed
by a qualified person stating that the vehicle meets the following
requirements:
(a) That flashing amber and red
lights have been installed and operate in accordance with requirements adopted
by the Department of Education in OAR 581-053-0517(23)(k);
(b) That the vehicle is painted National
School Bus Yellow; and
(c) That the
vehicle is identified in the following manner:
(A) The church bus bears the wording "CHURCH
BUS" in black letters at least eight inches high and of proportionate width, on
both the front and rear of the body. This lettering shall be placed as high on
the bus body as possible without impairment of its visibility; and
(B) A warning sign, calling attention to the
bus safety light stop law is installed on the rear of the bus. The sign shall
be centered on the back of the bus and occupy the space, beltline high,
directly beneath the upper window in the rear door. Signs on transit type buses
shall be in approximately the same area. A warning sign shall consist of decals
of white reflectorized letters mounted on a flat black background that is nine
inches by 30 inches, with lettering as shown in the following
diagram:
(4)
Operation of church bus flashing lights shall be in accordance with
requirements adopted by the Department of Education in OAR 581-053-0015(7) and
with ORS
811.515.
(5) The bus safety light system must be
checked at least once a year by a qualified person as defined in section (2) of
this rule. This person must provide the religious organization with a signed
statement that the system is operating properly. The religious organization
must retain such statements in their records for the vehicle.
(6) The approval permit, or a copy may be
carried in the bus, to show as verification of Transportation Safety approval
to use the light system on the vehicle.
(7) A permit issued under this rule is not
transferable and is subject to cancellation with 30 days notice if
Transportation Safety determines that there is any violation of this
rule.
Notes
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 184.619, 811.515, 816.260, 818.260 & 818.270
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 818.260
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