NHTSA Investigation PE08068

IMPROPER HANDRAIL INSTALLATION

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AFTERA SCHOOL BUS DISTRICT INFORMED ODI THAT DURING A NEW BUSINSPECTION THE HANDRAILS WERE FOUND TO BE MOUNTED TOO CLOSE TO THE BOTTOM STEP OF THE BUS AND FAILED THE DRAWSTRING TEST.(THE DRAWSTRING TEST WAS DEVELOPED IN THE EARLY 90'S TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN'S DRAWSTRINGS WOULD NOT GET CAUGHT IN THE HANDRAIL WHILE EXITING THE BUS.)SEVERAL OTHER NEW BUSES WERE INSPECTED AND THEY ALSO FAILED THE TEST. DAIMLER TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION TO CONFIRM THE PROBLEM AND DETERMINE THE SCOPE. ODI HAS A PRIOR HISTORY WITH THIS TYPE OF FAILURE AND OPENED A PE TO FURTHER EVALUATE THE REPORT. OF PARTICULAR CONCERN WAS THE SCOPE OF THE IMPROPER HANDRAIL INSTALLATIONS.DURING THE INVESTIGATION, ODI VISITED SCHOOL BUS FLEETS ANDAREA DEALERS AND INSPECTED SUSPECT BUSES.ODI FOUND THAT THERE WERE INCONSISTENCIES WITH THE MOUNTING OF THE LOWER PORTION OF THE HANDRAILS.THIS RESULTED IN INADEQUATE CLEARANCES BETWEEN THE LAST STEP AND THE BULKHEAD (WALL OF THE BUS), CREATING A PLACE FOR A DRAWSTRING TO BECOME ENTANGLED.THESE FINDINGS WERE RELAYED BACK TO DAIMLER/THOMAS BUILT BUSES.AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH ODI AND FURTHER REVIEW OF THE FIELD INCIDENTS, DAIMLER DECIDED TO CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL.THEY WILL ORDER THE INSPECTION OF SUSPECT BUSES AND REPAIRS, AS NECESSARY, TO ENSURE PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE HANDRAILS ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.THIS RECALL RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION. THEREFORE, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.