2011 Connecticut Code
Title 14 Motor Vehicles. Use of the Highway By Vehicles. Gasoline
Chapter 248 Vehicle Highway Use
Sec. 14-275. Equipment and color of school buses.

      Sec. 14-275. Equipment and color of school buses. (a) The term "school bus" means any motor bus painted, constructed, equipped and registered as hereinafter provided, which is regularly used for transporting school children to and from school or school activities whether or not for compensation or under contract to provide such service. No vehicle shall be registered as a school bus unless it complies with all requirements of sections 14-275 to 14-281, inclusive, as to color, markings, equipment and inspection, and each such vehicle shall be inspected prior to such registration in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. The commissioner or the commissioner's designee may also conduct random, unannounced inspections of any registered school bus. Any school bus that transports individuals in wheelchairs shall meet the requirements of subsection (e) of section 14-100a in order to pass inspection. The provisions of said sections requiring other vehicles to stop at the signal of the operator of a registered school bus shall not apply to a signal by the operator of any vehicle not registered as a school bus and not complying with all requirements for such registration.

      (b) Each school bus shall be painted a uniform yellow color known as "National School Bus Glossy Yellow", except for the fenders and trim which may be painted black and the roof which may be painted white, and shall have conspicuously painted on the rear and on the front of such vehicle, in black lettering of a size to be determined by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, the words "School Bus-Stop on Signal", except that each school bus equipped with an eight-light warning system shall have the words "School Bus" painted on the rear and on the front of such vehicle in such lettering. The sides of such vehicles may be inscribed with the words "School Bus", the school name or such other legend or device as may be necessary for purposes of identification or safety. Each school bus shall have conspicuously painted on the rear and sides of such vehicle, in black lettering of a size to be determined by the commissioner, the name of the school bus company, the school bus company's telephone number and the school bus number.

      (c) Each school bus shall be equipped with special automatic, electrically-operated flashing stop signals, which shall be independent and separate from the braking, stop and tail lights of standard equipment. Such flashing lights may include automatic traffic signalling devices showing red and amber lights and shall be so located that adequate warning will be afforded to both oncoming and overtaking traffic, except that each school bus manufactured on and after October 1, 1984, and registered for use in this state shall be equipped with an eight-light warning system, showing two red flashing stop signals and two amber flashing warning signals on the front and rear of the bus, and a stop semaphore. The commissioner may adopt standards for an eight-light warning system and standards and specifications for the construction of school buses and for equipment to be maintained on school buses consistent with the provisions of sections 14-275 to 14-281, inclusive. Both public and private owners of school buses shall maintain a record of such kinds of repairs made to such buses as the commissioner may require and such work record shall be available at all times to the commissioner and the commissioner's designated assistants. All such maintenance records shall be retained for a period of two years. Each school bus shall be equipped with emergency lighting equipment as provided by section 14-97a, with a defrosting device as provided by section 14-97, with a system of mirrors as provided in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 49, Section 571.111, as amended, or with an outside mirror as provided by section 14-99 and a system of crossover mirrors designed and mounted so as to give the driver a view of the road from the front bumper forward to a point where direct observation is possible and along the left and right sides of the bus, with a signalling device as provided by section 14-101, and with chain nonskid devices for immediate use on at least one outside or inside rear tire on each side or tires designed to prevent skidding on all rear wheels when weather and highway conditions require such use. Commencing February 1, 1974, each new school bus with a vehicle air brake system shall be so equipped that the brake system is operated from a separate air reservoir tank other than the air reservoir tank used to operate any other compressed air or vacuum operated devices with which the school bus may be equipped. The seating requirements of section 14-273 shall be observed. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 14-98, school buses may be equipped with tires incorporating a metal nonskid device during the period from October fifteenth to April thirtieth, inclusive. Each school bus that is model year 2007 or newer shall be equipped with a crossing control arm mounted on the right end of the front bumper. The commissioner shall establish additional standards and requirements for such devices in regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.

      (d) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall, for a first offense, be deemed to have committed an infraction, and for each subsequent offense shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars.

      (1955, S. 1319d; 1957, P.A. 481; 1959, P.A. 62, S. 8; 1961, P.A. 279; 1967, P.A. 395; 661; 1969, P.A. 639, S. 2; 1971, P.A. 149; 1972, P.A. 286, S. 1; P.A. 73-150; P.A. 75-161, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-108; P.A. 81-182; 81-256, S. 2; S.A. 81-57, S. 4, 5; P.A. 82-223, S. 20; P.A. 83-577, S. 25; P.A. 84-18, S. 1, 3; P.A. 85-118; P.A. 87-169; P.A. 91-272, S. 3, 8; 91-272, S. 3, 8; P.A. 92-47; P.A. 93-341, S. 25, 38; P.A. 96-167, S. 37, 44, 49; P.A. 00-169, S. 9; P.A. 07-134, S. 4; 07-224, S. 6; P.A. 08-150, S. 44; P.A. 10-32, S. 50.)

      History: 1959 act amended Subsec. (c) by removing provision for approval by the commissioner of stop signs and signals; 1961 act deleted authority for manually or mechanically operated stop signs in lieu of automatic signals; 1967 acts required school buses to have at least one convex mirror in Subsec. (c) and required maintenance of repair record on school buses; 1969 act replaced reference to repealed Sec. 14-95 with reference to Sec. 14-97a in Subsec. (c); 1971 act clarified requirement re chains and alternatively allowed use of studded tires in Subsec. (c); 1972 act replaced "applicable to lighting equipment on, and special warning devices to be carried by" with "for the construction of school buses and for equipment to be maintained on" school buses in Subsec. (c); P.A. 73-150 amended Subsec. (c) to require air brake systems operated by separate air reservoir tanks as of February 1, 1974; P.A. 75-161 amended Subsec. (a) to require inspection of buses before registration; P.A. 77-108 allowed use of studded tires on school buses regardless of any general prohibition against their use; P.A. 81-182 amended Subsec. (a) by authorizing the commissioner to conduct random, unannounced inspections of registered school buses; P.A. 81-256 added provision to Subsec. (c) prohibiting the commissioner from adopting or enforcing minimum seating width requirements for school children; S.A. 81-57 changed effective date of P.A. 81-256 from October 1, 1981, to its date of passage, June 2, 1981; P.A. 82-223 added Subsec. (d) concerning fines for violations of the section; P.A. 83-577 amended Subsec. (d) by deleting the provision specifying the fine for an infraction is not less than $25 nor more than $90; P.A. 84-18 amended Subsec. (c), requiring that school buses manufactured on and after October 1, 1984, be equipped with an eight light warning system and a stop semaphore and also deleted an obsolete reference to green flashing lights; P.A. 85-118 amended Subsec. (b), requiring that school buses with eight-light warning systems have the words "School Bus" painted thereon; P.A. 87-169 amended Subsec. (c) to permit the use of tire chains on the inside rear tires; P.A. 91-272 amended Subsec. (c) to require each school bus to be equipped with a system of crossover mirrors to give driver a view of the road from front bumper forward to a point where direct observation is possible and along left and right sides of the bus; P.A. 92-47 amended Subsec. (c) to authorize the use of tires designed to prevent skidding on rear wheels in lieu of studded snow tires; P.A. 93-341 amended Subsec. (a) to delete conditional definitions of "registered school bus" and "registered as a school bus", effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 96-167 amended Subsec. (b) to allow the roof to be painted white, effective July 1, 1996, and amended Subsec. (c) to require each school bus to be equipped with a system of mirrors as provided in CFR Title 49, Sec. 571.111 as an alternative to an outside mirror as provided by Sec. 14-99, effective October 1, 1996; P.A. 00-169 amended Subsec. (b) to change the required color of school buses from "National School Bus Chrome" to "National School Bus Glossy Yellow", Subsec. (c) to delete provision prohibiting commissioner from adopting or enforcing any standard or specification re seating width, and to require maintenance records be retained for a period of two years, and made technical changes for the purposes of gender neutrality; P.A. 07-134 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision requiring that school buses that transport individuals in wheelchairs meet the requirements of Sec. 14-100a(e); P.A. 07-224 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provisions requiring name and telephone number of school bus company and bus number to be painted on rear and sides of school buses; P.A. 08-150 amended Subsec. (c) by requiring model year 2007 or newer school buses to be equipped with crossing control arm mounted on right end of the front bumper and by requiring commissioner to establish additional standards and requirements for such devices; P.A. 10-32 made technical changes in Subsec. (b), effective May 10, 2010.

      See Sec. 14-107 re liability of owner, operator or lessee of vehicle.

      Subsec. (a):

      State is not limited to proving a vehicle is a registered school bus by a certified copy of registration prepared by motor vehicle commissioner. It could prove this element by such other evidence as it sees fit. 4 Conn. Cir. Ct. 5.