Need help quick! Re: Bus Transportation

trippsmom

CPST Instructor

• Sep 30, 2010

• #1

Fast...

4 year olds at Mothers Day Out

Church bus with lap-belts only

Most of these children ride in booster seats.

Please advise...

I know what my answer is as a technician, but others want to hear it from other people too so I am going to leave this post without my opinion.

 

Pixels

New member

• Sep 30, 2010

• #2

First - Is a 4yo in a lap belt only on a church van legal in your state?

Legal or not, to be safe, harness any kid who can be harnessed, others ride in lap belt only with no booster (or better yet, not at all).

 

MomToEliEm

Moderator

• Sep 30, 2010

• #3

Is this an actual bus or a 15-passenger van?

At our old daycare, they used a short bus which had lap belts only. I let my child use the lapbelt on the bus (she was 5 years old at the time). It wasn't ideal, but I chose to allow it.

If there is any way to get harnessed seats in that bus utilizing the lapbelts, that would be better. No booster seats should be used at all though with the lapbelt.

 

Pixels

New member

• Sep 30, 2010

• #4

Pixels said:

First - Is a 4yo in a lap belt only on a church van legal in your state?

Click to expand...

The answer is no, unless the child is over 60 pounds. http://web.lexis-nexis.com/research/xlink?app=00075&view=full&interface=1&docinfo=off&searchtype=get&search=A.C.A.+%A7+27-34-104

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Sep 30, 2010

• #5

Is it an actual bus?

 

trippsmom

CPST Instructor

• Sep 30, 2010

• #6

Yes, it is an actual bus, not a 15 passenger van...

I have soooo many people mad at me right now because I said no boosters on the bus... None! of these kids have 5 point harnesses... My child will probably still be riding rear-facing at that age.

 

trippsmom

CPST Instructor

• Sep 30, 2010

• #7

Thank you so much everyone!

Melissa, thank you for pulling the law for me. I was desperately trying to search on this slow-as-Christmas-computer, but it wasn't going far. This site is a push for it.

 

Louisa

CPST Instructor

• Sep 30, 2010

• #8

assuming this is a 15 pas van that we're talking about here no not cool, they ned harnessed seats
if this is an actual bus i still don't love it but just seatbelts with no boosters would be ok

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Sep 30, 2010

• #9

Yep, no boosters.

 

J

jjordan

Moderator

• Sep 30, 2010

• #10

Any chance of getting a bunch of harnessed seats (maestros maybe)? The institutional price is pretty low if you're buying enough to qualify for the discount.

 

CTPDMom

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Sep 30, 2010

• #11

I've just spent several days going over the CT statutes with another member over a large church van. If you were in CT I'd have the answers ready! LOL

I can't see what Pixels linked, but here is what I have for AL. (I don't see anything about 60lbs?)

http://www.dps.state.al.us/Administrative/pdf/ChildRestraintLaw.pdf

The term "motor vehicle" as used in this section shall include a passenger car,
pickup truck, van (seating capacity of 10 or less), minivan, or sports utility vehicle.

So it seems the bus is exempt.

However, if they choose to use a restraint, that doesn't mean they're exempt from following manufacturer's instructions which means not using a booster with a lap only.

 

Pixels

New member

• Sep 30, 2010

• #12

CTPDMom, OP is in Arkansas, not Alabama.

The link Iposted earlier isn't working properly. http://www.lexis-nexis.com/hottopics/arcode/
Title 27 Transportation
Subtitle 3. Motor Vehicles And Their Equipment
Chapter 34 Child Passenger Protection Act

27-34-104. Requirements.

(a) Every driver who transports a child under fifteen (15) years of age in a passenger automobile, van, or pickup truck, other than one (1) operated for hire, which is registered in this or any other state, shall provide while the motor vehicle is in motion and operated on a public road, street, or highway of this state for the protection of the child by properly placing, maintaining, and securing the child in a child passenger restraint system properly secured to the vehicle and meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards in effect on January 1, 1995.

(b) A child who is less than six (6) years of age and who weighs less than sixty pounds (60 lbs.) shall be restrained in a child passenger safety seat properly secured to the vehicle.

(c) If a child is at least six (6) years of age or at least sixty pounds (60 lbs.) in weight, a safety belt properly secured to the vehicle shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of this section.

Reading againg, it only applies to passenger vehicles, vans, and pickups. Not buses.

 

CTPDMom

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Sep 30, 2010

• #13

Pixels said:

CTPDMom, OP is in Arkansas, not Alabama.

Click to expand...

Oooohhh...now I see it! I saw the AL and didn't read carefully. That explains the 60lbs thing, I was very confused...couldn't figure out what YOU were reading that said that! LOL

I guess the end result is the same, though, that the bus is exempt.

 

trippsmom

CPST Instructor

• Sep 30, 2010

• #14

Well, even though it is exempt the director and one other teacher said they wouldn't let their kids ride w/o their boosters... We are opting for personal vehicles.

Of course then they asked what we technicians would consider safest... One mom's conversion van with the boosters or several smaller vehicles with the boosters.. I said, with 4 year olds? We are all going to say the same thing.... safEST is a five point harness for a 4yo, but then we could use the bus ... most of these kids are *barely 4 if 4 yet at all. I don't let anyone under 6 ride in a booster in my car and even then it is case-by-case on how well that child sits in a booster.