The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2024 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Title 23 : Motor Vehicles
Chapter 013 : Operation of Vehicles
Subchapter 014 : EQUIPMENT
(Cite as: 23 V.S.A. § 1281)-
§ 1281. Additional equipment
In addition to other equipment required by this title, any school bus as defined in section 4 of this title shall be equipped as follows:
(1) A door in the rear and a door on the right side for entrance or exit purposes.
(2) At least one fire extinguisher of a type approved by the Commissioner at all times in good and usable condition and easily accessible to the driver.
(3) A standard first-aid kit of a type approved by the Commissioner at all times filled with necessary articles.
(4) A hot water heater at all times capable of keeping the interior at a comfortable temperature or other type of heater approved by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.
(5) Adequate ventilation facilities.
(6) At least two windows of safety glass on each side to provide interior light and so secured as to afford protection against wind and rain.
(7) Seats securely fastened to the floor or sides of the interior and providing at least 13 inches of seat space for each child to be transported.
(8) In addition to the foregoing, all motor vehicles in which the original seating equipment has been modified or added to must comply with the following:
(A) All seats must be readily accessible by use of an aisle or door without interference from any other seat or seats.
(B) There must be a minimum of 36 inches of headroom for someone in a sitting position above the top of the undepressed cushion line of the seats.
(C) There must be a minimum of 12 inches from the top of the undepressed cushion line to the floor.
(D) Seats shall be covered with fire-resistant material.
(E) Jump seats or portable seats shall not be used.
(F) A seat beside the driver, if regular equipment or installed by the vehicle manufacturer, may be used for student seating. It shall be securely fastened to the body and shall be so constructed as not to interfere with students entering or leaving vehicle.
(G) All seats shall have at least 12 inches overall depth.
(H) If forward-facing seats are used, they shall be so placed that the distance from center to center measured at top center of the backs shall be not less than 26 inches.
(I) If longitudinal seats are used, only two shall be installed against the sides of the vehicle and the distance between the front edges of seat cushions shall be at least 24 inches. (Amended 1959, No. 26, eff. Aug. 1, 1959; 1961, No. 124, eff. Aug. 1, 1961; 1965, No. 199; 1975, No. 149 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 1977, No. 102, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1977; 2023, No. 85 (Adj. Sess.), § 293, eff. July 1, 2024.)
