. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.00/309
24 July 2000
(00-3061)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   CANADA
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Department of Transport
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:   National Enquiry Point
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   School buses
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Proposed Amendment
to the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (Sc hool Bus Body Joint Strength) (pages 2191-2197;
English and French)
6. Description of content:   This amendment proposes revisions to the Canada Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard (CMVSS) 221, School Bus Body Joint Strength, and the corresponding
Test Method 221. It will ensure that children riding in small school buses, those having a
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 4 536  kg or less, are provided equivalent levels
of protection against joint separation as they would be provided while riding in a largeschool bus.
Currently, CMVSS 221 applies only to school buses with a GVWR greater than 4536 kg.
This amendment proposes to:  extend the applicability of the standard to school buses with a
GVWR of 4536 kg or less; exclude the driver’s area from the passenger compartment;
introduce a definition for maintenance access panels (MAPs) and narrow the exclusion for
these panels;  require a maximum fastener spacing of 100 mm; and revise the testingrequirements.  Excluded from these new requirements will be: body panel joints that lie
forward of the vertical transverse plane loca ted 762 mm in front of the seating reference
point of the forward most passenger seat;  MAPs that are located outside the passenger area
and those located inside the passenger area that are smaller than 305 mm;  joints which have
only one discrete fastener or spot weld support; components, such as rub rails, locatedoutside of the body panels; windows, doors, ventilation panels and engine access covers;
and decorative parts that do not contribute to the bus body strength.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
Protection of human safety
8. Relevant documents:   Canada Gazette, Part I, 8 July 2000G/TBT/Notif.00/309
Page 2
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Not stated
Proposed date of entry into force:  15 January 2001
10. Final date for comments:   6 September 2000
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, e-mail and telefax
number of the other body:  The electronic version of this document can be downloaded at:
http://canada.gc.ca/gazette/part1/pdf/g1-13428.pdf