No shoulder belts? Luxury buses get safety rule pass
Published Date: 1/21/2025
Notice
Summary
Legacy Limousines and Luxury Coaches got a green light to skip shoulder belts on side-facing seats in their motorcoaches for two years, starting January 21, 2025. Instead, they can use lap belts only, as long as safety stays just as strong. This temporary change helps them keep selling their cool entertainer buses without extra costs or delays.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Temporary exemption lets maker avoid shoulder belts
Legacy Limousines and Luxury Coaches may build and sell entertainer-type motorcoaches produced from January 21, 2025 through January 21, 2027 with Type 1 (lap) belts instead of required Type 2 (lap and shoulder) belts at side-facing seats. NHTSA granted the temporary exemption so the company can sell these buses without adding the shoulder-belt modifications that the petitioner said would cause extra costs or delays.
Passengers get lap belts on side-facing seats
Passengers riding in side-facing seats on the petitioner's entertainer-type motorcoaches produced between January 21, 2025 and January 21, 2027 will be secured by lap belts (Type 1) rather than lap-and-shoulder belts (Type 2). NHTSA determined the exempted vehicles will provide an overall level of safety at least equal to nonexempted vehicles.
Buyer labeling required for exempted buses
Each exempted vehicle must display a label and certification statement notifying prospective purchasers that it meets all applicable FMVSS except for the shoulder belt requirement for side-facing seats (Standard No. 208), and this information must appear on the certification label. This notification must be on vehicles produced under the exemption from January 21, 2025 to January 21, 2027.
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