CAN/CSA D250:22 ✓ Most Recent

Preface 

This is the eleventh edition of CSA D250, School buses . It supersedes the previous editions, published in 2016, 2012, 2007, 2003, 2000, 1998, 1985, 1979, 1975, and 1971. 

The following are significant changes to this edition (see also Annex E): 

- accommodation for battery/electric vehicles and the use of non-carbon-based fuels, such as hydrogen, through various amendments and the addition of Clause 9; 

- allowance for portion of hood in direct line of vision of the driver to be school bus yellow or black and allowing for stainless steel material to be used for mirror support brackets; 

- exit lamp requirements amended to be performance-based with specific requirements for the illumination of persons along the right side of the vehicle; 

- specific requirements for optionally installed supplemental heating systems; 

- new requirement for three modes of operation for the service door so that it can be controlled by the driver independent of the operation of the warning system; 

- new exemption for rub rails so that they are no longer required to extend over wheelchair lift doors and emergency exit doors; 

- tread surface contour for steps now required to be of pebble type design and allowance made for spray -on elastomer type coating for entrance steps in place of pre-formed elastomer treads; and 

- requirement for minimum window opening has been removed so there only remains a maximum opening of 330 mm. 

This Standard is intended to apply to vehicles manufactured on or after November 1, 2022. The manufacturing date of the vehicle is considered to be the date on the federal compliance label. This Standard has been developed in compliance with Standards Council of Canada requirements for National Standards of Canada. It has been published as a National Standard of Canada by CSA Group.

Scope 

1.1 This Standard specifies the chassis and body requirements and safety equipment requirements for school buses. It is a manufacturing standard intended to apply to original equipment supplied by the bus manufacturer. 

Note: The main purpose of this Standard is to provide the safest possible vehicle for students using school buses. It needs to be stressed, however, that standards are not substitutes for thorough, ongoing, and comprehensive safety training of students and drivers. 

1.2 This Standard applies to the following types of vehicles: 

a) Type A1, A2, B, C, and D school buses; 

b) Type A1, A2, B, C, and D accessible school buses; and 

c) multifunction school activity buses (MFSABs). 

Note: It is intended that this Standard will apply to those vehicles manufactured on and after November 1, 2022. It is anticipated that the authority having jurisdiction in each Province or Territory will apply this Standard to vehicles manufactured on and after that date. 

1.3 In this Standard, "shall" is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the Standard; "should" is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and "may" is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard. 

Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material. 

Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements. 

Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application. 

1.4 The values given in SI units are the units of record for the purposes of this Standard. The values given in parentheses are for information and comparison only.