Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release

This document responds to petitions for reconsideration of an April 19, 2002 final rule amending Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 217, "Bus emergency exits and window retention and release." That final rule amended the standard to reduce the likelihood that wheelchair securement anchorages will be installed in locations that permit wheelchairs to be secured where they block access to emergency exit doors. Petitioners requested reconsideration of the final rule's use of transverse vertical and horizontal planes to define the area around the side and rear emergency exit doors where wheelchair anchorages may not be located. This request is granted. Petitioners also asked NHTSA to reconsider the "DO NOT BLOCK" warning label. This request is denied. This final rule applies to new school buses equipped with wheelchair securement anchorages. Nothing in this final rule requires school buses to be so equipped.