Keep the bus on the road
Annual inspection where the bus is parked, with a digital record for each vehicle.
When the bus is used in interstate commerce and is designed or used to carry 16 or more people, including the driver, or 9 to 15 people, including the driver, for pay (49 CFR 390.5). Each such bus needs an annual inspection of all Appendix A items, including bus-specific items, with proof on board (49 CFR 396.17).
| Vehicle | Federal annual applies? |
|---|---|
| Designed for 16 or more people, including the driver | Yes |
| Designed for 9 to 15 people, including the driver, carrying passengers for pay | Yes |
Many do. Ohio's bus inspection program, run by the State Highway Patrol, is accepted by FMCSA in place of the federal annual (FMCSA notice, 2001). Indiana requires an inspection for private buses with more than 15 passengers, including church buses, at each registration (IC 9-19-22).
| State | Bus rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California | Tour buses inspected every 45 days | CVC 34505 |
| Indiana | Private bus inspection by an ISP-authorized person at registration and renewal | IC 9-19-22; State Form 55962 |
| New Jersey | Omnibus and passenger vehicles in state inspection at licensed facilities | N.J.A.C. 13:20 |
| Ohio | State Highway Patrol bus inspection, FMCSA-accepted | FMCSA notice 01-15331 |
| Pennsylvania | Passenger vans for hire and mass transit vehicles inspected semiannually | 75 Pa.C.S. 4702(b) |
Inspected where the bus is parked, with a verifiable digital record.