Section 575IAC1-9-16. Color and lettering

   (a) Special purpose buses and MFSABs are exempt from the requirements in this section.

  (b) The chassis must be black. The hood, cowl, and fenders must be National School Bus Yellow. The top of the hood may be painted a low-luster National School Bus Yellow to minimize glare factor.

  (c) The grill and air intake vent may be black, National School Bus Yellow, or chrome plated.

  (d) Wheel rims may be gray or black.

  (e) The only permissible applications on the front bumper are a yellow bus number, black, abrasive, nonskid tape, or black reflective tape.

  (f) Only the logo and emblems of the school bus manufacturer may be placed on the rear bumper. The bumper:

(1) must be black; and

(2) may have black reflective tape.

Chrome bumpers are prohibited.

  (g) The school bus body must be painted National School Bus Yellow.

  (h) The trim, all the lamp hoods, and an area around the lens of each alternately flashing signal lamp, extending outward approximately three (3) inches, must be painted black.

  (i) The roof of the bus may be painted white not to extend below the drip rails on the sides of the body, except that the front and rear roof caps must remain National School Bus Yellow.

  (j) Window pilasters (vertical headers) may be black.

  (k) A rear air foil may be used. The air foil:

(1) may not obscure marker or warning or strobe lights;

(2) must be adjustable; and

(3) must be National School Bus Yellow in color.

  (l) All exterior lettering and the emergency door arrow must be black with paint or vinyl.

  (m) All buses must have the words "School Bus" printed in block letters at least eight (8) inches high between the warning signal lamps on the outside of the bus body.

  (n) The name of the school district must be placed on each side of the bus with four (4) to six (6) inch high black letters. The number may be placed on the side, the front, or the back of the vehicle. If the number is placed on the side of the bus, it must conform to the specifications for lettering in subsection (p). A number placed on the front or back bumpers must be yellow.

  (o) The school corporation name, as assigned by the department of education office of school transportation, must be placed on the rear emergency door midway between the top and bottom of the door of all buses with a body build date of January 1, 2016, or after. The characters must be at least two (2) inches high and may be on two (2) consecutive lines. On Type D school buses, the school corporation name must appear in a corresponding location on the engine access cover.

  (p) All lettering must be black and must conform to Series "B" of the standard alphabets for highway signs.

  (q) The name and title of the driver or owner, or both:

(1) may appear on the exterior of the bus in black in lettering that is not more than two (2) inches high; and

(2) must be placed on the right side of the bus, behind the service door and midway between the window line and the floor line.

  (r) The bus number may appear on the exterior of the roof in black lettering that is not more than three (3) feet high and three (3) inches wide.

  (s) No other lettering is authorized.

  (t) Exterior mirror backs and bracket supports must be black or stainless steel.

  (u) All rub rails must be black.

  (v) A vinyl wrap may be used on a special purpose bus provided that mandated signage and lettering adhere to the requirements of this section and no windows are covered. (State School Bus Committee; 575 IAC 1-9-16; filed Aug 15, 2014, 10:20 a.m.: 20140910-IR-575130244FRA; filed Jul 24, 2015, 3:55 p.m.: 20150819-IR-575140350FRA)