Interpretation ID: aiam2747
Ward Industries
Inc.
P.O. Box 849
Highway 65 South
Conway
AR 72032;
Dear Mr. Ryan: This responds to your December 14, 1977, letter asking whether the rea push out window emergency exit option in Standard No. 217, *Bus Window Retention and Release*, is limited to rear-engine school buses.; The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiall proposed that this option be restricted to rear-engine school buses. Comments to that rulemaking, however, persuaded the agency to permit the use of these emergency exits on all school buses regardless of the location of the engine or passenger seats. That determination was explained in the preamble to the final rule published on June 3, 1976 (41 FR 22356) (enclosed).; I trust that this fully responds to your question. Sincerely, Joseph J. Levin, Jr., Chief Counsel