BILL NUMBER:S2615A

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in
relation to updating the fire safety components of school buses

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: The purpose of this bill is to update
and modernize school bus equipment standards to improve fire safety.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1. adds a new subdivision 21-j
to section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law to provide that occupant
seating in school buses meet the fire safety criteria of the American
Society for Testing Materials test E 1537. Additionally, a new
subdivision 21-k is added to section 375 of the vehicle and traffic
law to provide that all plastic components contained in the engine
compartment of every school bus meet a V-O classification when tested
in accordance with Underwriters Laboratories standards for safety UL
94.

JUSTIFICATION: This bill updates and modernizes school bus fire safety
standards for both the seating and the engine compartment to ensure
that students in New York State will continue to travel in the safest
vehicle possible. Moreover, the new testing standards will take effect
in a manner that imposes little or no cost to the school bus industry.

Federal standard #302 for the flammability of school bus seating has
not been updated since 1967. Since that time, the "paper bag test",
              

similar to that embodied in American Society for Testing Materials
test E 1537 has proven to provide more comprehensive protection for
school bus passengers. In fact, several of the largest school bus
manufacturers, and several of the smaller enterprises, already install
seating that meets the testing criteria of ASTM E 1537 and perform a
paper bag test on their own volition. Moreover, NYS DOT regulations
already require this standard for certain school buses that transport
students with disabilities. Federal standard #302 was intended to
prevent the effects of cigarette ignitions in cars whereas the ASTM
E1531 standard is widely accepted because it more closely simulates a
real fire threat. A fire suppression system that meets the standard
would cause the flame to extinguish or progress at a much slower rate,
giving riders critical minutes to escape. The standard also does not
drive any particular technology and provides manufacturers with the
flexibility to choose how best to comply.

Plastic engine components often provide as much fuel for engine fires
as liquefied fuels. The purpose of this standard is to ensure that
when the plastic is confronted with a flame, burning stops within 10
seconds on a vertical specimen and no flaming particles drip from the
plastic.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: This is a new bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:  The provisions
of the bill do not apply retroactively and do not become effective
until January 1, 2016 to allow the industry time to incorporate these
standards without disruption to current contracts, orders or to the
procurement process. Some manufacturers already incorporate the
standards prescribed by this legislation and would incur no fiscal
implications. For manufacturers that do not currently comply with


either updated safety standard, the fiscal implications are estimated
to be between $32 and $267 per school bus (the average purchase price
of a school bus is $80,000) depending on the type of technology used
to comply.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This legislation takes effect immediately to allow NYS
DOT the proper time to implement regulations, but the new safety
standards apply only to school buses manufactured for use in New York
State on or after January 1, 2016.