§ 171.59. Lamps and signals.
(a) General rule. All lamps, signals, reflectors and their installation must be in conformance with applicable FMVSS and SAE standards.
(b) Exterior lamps. Exterior lamps shall meet the requirements of FMVSS No. 108.
(c) Flashing signal lamps and stop signal arm devices. The requirements for flashing signal lamps and stop signal arm devices are as follows:
(1) Signal lamps. Every school bus shall be equipped with 8-way warning lamps consisting of two red and two amber alternately flashing signal lamps at the rear of the vehicle and two red and two amber alternately flashing signal lamps at the front of the vehicle.
(i) Each amber signal lamp shall be located near each red signal lamp, at the same level, but closer to the vertical centerline of the school bus.
(ii) The system shall be wired so that the amber signal lamps are activated manually, and if activated, are automatically deactivated and the red signal lamps automatically activated when the school bus service door is opened.
(iii) Amber and red warning lamps must alternate between left and right at a minimum rate of 60 flashes per minute.
(iv) LED and/or strobe lights may be used in the 8-way warning lamps system.
(v) If strobe lights are used, the strobe effect must appear as a flash of varying intensity and not separate flashes. All amber and red warning lamps must strobe in the same pattern. The same pattern is the same number of flashes per lamp before the system alternates to the other side.
(vi) The area around the lens of each alternately flashing signal lamp shall be of a black contrasting color. The use of visors or hoods with an appropriate black background to fit the shape of the visors or hoods and the roofcap is permitted.
(vii) Flashers for alternately flashing red and amber signal lamps shall be enclosed in the school bus body in a readily accessible location.
(2) Stop signal arm devices. A school bus may be equipped with strobe or LED flashing stop signal, or both. The signal may be equipped with two flashing strobe or LED lights, or both, at least 4 inches in diameter, red in color and double faced. Stop signal arm devices on school buses shall comply with FMVSS No. 131—See Appendix A—and the following requirements:
(i) The stop signal arm shall be a regular octagon which is at least 450 mm x 450 mm—17.72 inches x 17.72 inches—in diameter.
(ii) The stop signal arm shall be red on both sides, except as provided in subparagraphs (iii)—(v).
(iii) The stop signal arm shall have a white border at least 12 mm—0.47 inch—wide on both sides, except as provided in subparagraph (v).
(iv) The stop signal arm shall have the word ‘‘STOP’’ displayed in white upper-case letters on both sides, except as provided in subparagraph (v). The letters shall be at least 150 mm—5.9 inches—in height and have a stroke width of at least 20 mm—0.79 inch.
(v) If two stop signal arms are installed on a school bus, the rearmost stop signal arm may not contain lettering, symbols or markings on the forward side.
(vi) The stop signal arm shall comply with clause (A) or (B), or both.
(A) The entire surface of both sides of the stop signal arm shall be reflectorized with Type III reflectorized material that meets the minimum specific intensity requirements of FMVSS No. 125. See Appendix A. If two stop signal arms are installed on a school bus, the forward side of the rearmost stop signal arm may not be reflectorized.
(B) Each side of the stop signal arm shall have at least two red lamps that meet the requirements of SAE Standard J578. See Appendix A. The lamps shall be centered on the vertical centerline of the stop arm. One of the lamps shall be located at the extreme top of the stop arm and the other at its extreme bottom.
(vii) The stop signal arm shall be installed on the left side of the bus.
(viii) The stop signal arm shall be located so that, when in the extended position, the following requirements are met:
(A) The stop signal arm is perpendicular to the side of the bus, ±5°F.
(B) The top edge of the sign is parallel to and within 6 inches of a horizontal plane tangent to the lower edge of the driver’s window frame.
(C) The vertical centerline of the stop sign is at least 9 inches away from the side of the school bus.
(ix) If a rearmost stop signal arm is installed on a school bus, the stop signal arm shall comply with subparagraphs (vii) and (viii).
(x) The stop signal arm shall be automatically extended so that it complies with subparagraph (viii), at a minimum, whenever the red signal lamps required by FMVSS No. 108, S5.1.4—See Appendix A—are activated; except that a device may be installed that prevents the automatic extension of a stop signal arm. The mechanism for activating the device shall be within the reach of the driver. While the device preventing automatic extension is activated, a continuous or intermittent signal audible to the driver shall sound. The audible signal may be equipped with a timing device but shall require the signal to sound for at least 60 seconds. If a timing device is used, it shall automatically recycle each time the service entry door is opened while the engine is running and the manual override is engaged.
(xi) The lamps on each side of the stop signal arm, when operated at the manufacturer’s design load, shall flash at a minimum rate of 60 flashes per minute.
(xii) The stop signal arm and components shall comply with SAE Standard J1133. See Appendix A.
(3) Exception. A multifunction school activity bus is exempt from the flashing signal lamps and stop arm device requirements of this section. However, a multifunction school activity bus which is not in compliance with the requirements of § 171.18 (relating to color) may not have 8-way warning lamps and stop arm devices.
(d) Interior lamps. Interior lamps shall adequately illuminate the aisle and step well.
(e) Turn signal and stop lamps. The rear turn signal lamps shall be at least 7 inches in diameter, or if in a shape other than round, a minimum of 38 square inches, and meet SAE Standards. These signals shall be connected to the chassis hazard warning switch to cause simultaneous flashing of the turn signal lamps when needed as vehicular traffic hazard warning. The turn signal lamps shall be placed as wide apart as practical and their centerline shall be approximately 8 inches below the rear windows. Type A school bus lamps shall be 21 square inches in lens area. Just inside the turn signal, there shall be installed at the same elevation, two 7 inch diameter stop lamps, or if in a shape other than round, a minimum of 38 square inches. The lamps shall flash at a rate of 60—120 flashes per minute.
(f) Monitor. If a school bus is equipped with indicators to monitor the front and rear lamps, it shall be mounted in full view of the driver. If the full circuit current passes through the indicator, each circuit shall be protected by a fuse, circuit breaker or multiplex electrical circuit technology.
Authority The provisions of this § 171.59 amended under Vehicle Code,
Source The provisions of this § 171.59 adopted August 19, 1983, effective August 20, 1983, 13 Pa.B. 2561; readopted December 4, 1987, effective December 5, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 5052; amended July 7, 1989, effective July 8, 1989, 19 Pa.B. 2957; amended September 13, 1996, effective September 14, 1996, 26 Pa.B. 4411; amended November 26, 2003, effective November 29, 2003, 33 Pa.B. 5817; amended May 20, 2005, effective May 21, 2005, 35 Pa.B. 3039. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (301833) to (301836).
Cross References This section cited in 67 Pa. Code § 171.47 (relating to color); and 67 Pa. Code § 171.136 (relating to signal lamps).
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