Daily Inspection (Trip) and Maintenance Requirements
Bus, Coach and School Bus

(Table of Contents appears below.)

Preface

September 7, 2007
Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2007.
This is an unofficial version of Government of Ontario legal materials. For accurate reference refer to the official volumes. The Highway Traffic Act may be viewed on the internet at: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca

The daily vehicle inspection legislation may be viewed at: Section 107 of the Highway Traffic Act
The daily vehicle inspection regulation may be viewed at: Regulation 199/07 (Commercial Motor Vehicle Inspections)

Educational / Transitional Period For Ontario's New Inspection Requirements

Ontario Plated Buses:

Operators may continue inspecting vehicles and using inspection reports that comply with former Regulation 575 until January 1, 2008. Operators are expected to transition to the new requirements of Regulation 199/07, which are detailed in this document, as soon as possible but no later than January 1, 2008.

Operators may convert the entire fleet at once from the old to the new or convert individual drivers as they become trained. In either case individual drivers must be in full compliance with either the old or the new rules during this transition period.

Out-of-Province Plated Canadian Buses:

1. From July 1, 2007 until January 1, 2008, buses plated in a province or territory, other than Ontario, may operate in Ontario if the vehicle(s) was inspected, and an inspection report completed, in accordance with the daily inspection requirements of:
   • the province or territory in which the vehicle is base plated,
   • Ontario's former Regulation 575,
   • Ontario's new Regulation 199/07, as detailed in this document, or
   • National Safety Code Standard 13, as of May 2005 which is published by the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators.
2. As of January 1, 2008, buses plated in a province or territory, other than Ontario, may operate in Ontario if the vehicle(s) was inspected, and an inspection report completed, in accordance with the daily inspection requirements of:
   • the province or territory in which the vehicle is base plated,
   • National Safety Code Standard 13, as of May 2005 which is published by the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, or
   • Ontario's new Regulation 199/07, as detailed in this document.

Items 1 and 2 above also apply to out-of-province plated buses that are driven by Ontario licensed drivers who drive the vehicles only within Ontario.

Purpose Of Daily Vehicle Inspection

The purpose of daily vehicle inspection is to ensure the early identification of vehicle problems and defects before the vehicle is operated on the highway. Inspections prevent the operation of a vehicle with conditions that are likely to cause or contribute to the severity of an accident.

Vehicles That Require Inspection

A Daily Vehicle Inspection Is Required To Be Conducted On:

• a bus, a motor coach, a physically disabled passenger bus, and every trailer towed by one of these vehicles
• a school bus, school purposes bus and school purposes physically-disabled passenger bus and every trailer towed by one of these vehicles.
• a school purposes vehicle (van or station wagon) and a school purposes physically-disabled passenger van, when carrying six or more children, six or more adults with a developmental disability or six or more persons from both categories.

Vehicles That Are Exempt From Inspection

A Daily Vehicle Inspection Is Not Required On:

• a bus leased by an individual for 30 days or less to move their personal goods, or to carry passengers without compensation,
• a bus and towed trailer that is being road-tested, for the purposes of repairs, within 30 kilometres of a repair facility where the vehicle is being repaired by the holder of a valid certificate of qualification as an automotive service technician or as a truck and coach technician issued under the Apprenticeship and Certification Act, 1998 or by an apprentice under that Act,
• an empty bus operated under the authority of a dealer plate or in-transit permit,
• a historic bus that has a vehicle permit for a historic vehicle,
• a bus that is used for personal purposes without compensation,
• an emergency vehicle and towed trailer while responding to or returning from an emergency,
• bus and towed trailer while providing relief from an earthquake, flood, fire, famine, drought, epidemic, pestilence or other disaster by transporting passengers or goods,
• a bus and towed trailer that is operated by or on behalf of a municipality as part of the municipality’s public transit service, either within the municipality or within 25 kilometres of the boundary of that municipality, and
• a trailer converter dolly that is not carrying a trailer.

Terms used in this document

bus

means a motor vehicle designed for carrying ten or more passengers, excluding the driver, and used for the transportation of persons.

For the purposes of this web page only, "bus" does not include a black and yellow school bus, school purposes bus or a school purposes vehicle (van or station wagon). See separate terms for an explanation of these vehicles.   (return to reference)

emergency vehicle

means

• a road service vehicle operated by or on behalf of a road authority,
• a vehicle used by a person employed by or on behalf of a police force, or
• a vehicle used by or on behalf of a public utility.   (return to reference)

historic bus

mean a bus that is at least 30 years old, has a vehicle permit for a historic vehicle, is operated on a highway in parades, for purposes of exhibition, tours or similar functions organized by a properly constituted automobile club or for purposes of repair, testing or demonstration for sale, is substantially unchanged or unmodified from the original manufacturer’s product, and does not have "year-of-manufacture" plates.   (return to reference)

motor coach

means a bus of monocoque design, designed to provide intercity, suburban, commuter or charter service and equipped with air ride suspension, air brakes, automatic brake adjusters and under-floor baggage storage.   (return to reference)

operator

the term operator is used in this document to describe the person or company who operates a bus and is directly or indirectly responsible for the operation of the vehicle, conduct of the driver and carriage of goods or passengers. The operator may own or lease the vehicle. "Operator" is also used to distinguish the operator from driver. The driver may be the operator or a person hired by the operator. A person who is the operator and the driver of a vehicle is required to comply with the rules for both the driver and the operator.   (return to reference)

physically disabled passenger bus

means is a bus that is designed for carrying ten or more passengers, excluding the driver and is operated;

• for the purpose of transporting, for compensation, physically disabled persons, or
• by, for or on behalf of any person, club, agency or organization that holds itself out as providing a transportation service to physically disabled persons, for compensation or otherwise.   (return to reference)

school bus

means a bus that

• is painted chrome yellow, and
• displays on the front and rear thereof the words "school bus" and on the rear thereof the words "do not pass when signals flashing".   (return to reference)

school purposes bus

means a bus while being operated by or under a contract with a school board or other authority in charge of a school for the transportation of adults with a developmental disability or children.   (return to reference)

school purposes physically-disabled-passenger bus

means a physically-disabled-passenger bus while being operated by or under a contract with a school board or other authority in charge of a school for the transportation of adults with a developmental disability or children.   (return to reference)

school purposes physically-disabled-passenger van

means a physically-disabled-passenger van while being operated by or under a contract with a school board or other authority in charge of a school for the transportation of adults with a developmental disability or children.   (return to reference)

school purposes vehicle (van or station wagon)

means a van or station wagon while being operated by or under a contract with a school board or other authority in charge of a school for the transportation of adults with a developmental disability or children.   (return to reference)

under-vehicle inspection technician

means a person who holds a valid and subsisting certificate of qualification issued under the Apprenticeship and Certification Act 1998 or its successor, and as appropriate to the class and type of vehicle being inspected or a certificate deemed to be equivalent under the Apprenticeship and Certification Act 1998 as appropriate to the type and class of vehicle being inspected.   (return to reference)

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