96-13711. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards Door Locks and Door Retention Components  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 106 (Friday, May 31, 1996)]
    [Proposed Rules]
    [Pages 27325-27329]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-13711]
    
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
    
    49 CFR Part 571
    
    [Docket No. 96-51, Notice 01]
    RIN 2127-AG16
    
    
    Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards Door Locks and Door 
    Retention Components
    
    AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
    Department of Transportation (DOT).
    
    ACTION: Grant of petition for rulemaking.
    
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    SUMMARY: This notice grants a petition for rulemaking submitted by 
    Independent Mobility Systems, Inc. (IMS), to exclude wheelchair ramps 
    from the Federal motor vehicle safety standard that establishes 
    performance requirements for door locks and door retention components. 
    Since side doors equipped with wheelchair lifts are excluded from the 
    standard, the petitioner requests that the standard be amended to also 
    exclude side doors equipped with wheelchair ramps.
        NHTSA believes that the amendment suggested by IMS merits further 
    research and study. To that extent, therefore, the agency grants IMS' 
    petition. The granting of this petition, however, does not necessarily 
    mean that a rule will be issued.
        The determination of whether to issue a rule will be made in the 
    course of the rulemaking proceeding in accordance with statutory 
    criteria.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical issues: Mr. Maurice 
    Hicks, Light Duty Vehicle Division, Office of Crashworthiness 
    Standards, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh 
    Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590; telephone (202) 366-6345; facsimile 
    (202) 366-4329.
        For legal issues: Walter Myers, Office of the Chief Counsel, 
    National Highway
    
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    Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC 20590; telephone (202) 
    366-2992; facsimile (202) 366-3820.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal motor vehicle safety standard 
    (Standard) No. 206, Door locks and door retention components, specifies 
    strength requirements for door locks and door retention components, 
    including latches, hinges, locks, and other door supporting means. The 
    purpose of the standard is to minimize the likelihood of inadvertent 
    door opening and consequent occupant ejection from the vehicle in the 
    event of a crash or other unintended release of the door latch. 
    Excluded from the requirements of the standard are, among others:
    
        [S]ide doors which are equipped with wheelchair lifts and which 
    are linked to an alarm system consisting of either a flashing 
    visible signal located in the driver's compartment or an alarm 
    audible to the driver which is activated when the door is open.
    
        This exclusion was added to paragraph S4 of the standard by final 
    rule dated March 27, 1985 (50 FR 12029), in response to a petition for 
    rulemaking submitted by Thomas Built Buses, Inc. The agency's rationale 
    for excluding doors equipped with wheelchair lifts was that when lifts 
    of the Thomas Built design were retracted, they were secured in 
    position by either hydraulic pressure in the extension/retraction 
    cylinders and mechanical latches, or by electrically-operated drive 
    mechanisms. The metal grate floors of the lifts were stowed in a 
    vertical position parallel to and in close proximity with the interior 
    surface of the vehicle door. Thus, in its retracted position, the 
    wheelchair lift could provide an adequate barrier to occupant ejection 
    from the vehicle if the door were to open while the vehicle was moving 
    or if involved in a collision. The final rule also required a visual or 
    audible alarm system designed to be activated if the door opened while 
    the ignition was on. Such alarm would ensure that the lift is kept in 
    its retracted position and the door is kept closed while the vehicle is 
    in operation.
        On May 18, 1995, IMS wrote a letter to NHTSA stating that the 
    company converts minivans into wheelchair accessible vehicles by 
    lowering the vehicle floor and adding a wheelchair ramp to the right 
    rear sliding door area. The ramp retracts into a vertical position 
    parallel to and in close proximity to the vehicle door when not in use. 
    IMS also equips the doors with an audible and/or visual alarm system. 
    IMS asked, therefore, whether the exclusion of wheelchair lifts from 
    the provisions of Standard No. 206 would also apply to the wheelchair 
    ramps with which IMS equips its vehicle conversions. NHTSA responded 
    that the term ``wheelchair lifts'' did not include wheelchair ramps. 
    The agency noted that the two components shared many similar 
    characteristics, however, and that IMS was free to petition the agency 
    for rulemaking to amend the standard by adding wheelchair ramps to the 
    current exclusions from the standard.
    
    The Petition
    
        IMS petitioned the agency to amend Standard No. 206 to exclude from 
    the standard those multipurpose passenger vehicles (MPV) that are 
    equipped with wheelchair ramps for the transportation of wheelchair 
    users. IMS argued that because wheelchair lifts and ramps serve the 
    same purpose and are similarly configured when in the stowed position, 
    the rationale for excluding wheelchair lifts from the standard should 
    also apply to wheelchair ramps. Accordingly, IMS urged that paragraph 
    S4 of the standard be amended to exclude wheelchair ramps from the 
    standard in addition to the existing exclusions.
    
    Agency Analysis and Decision
    
        The IMS petition requesting exclusion of ramps from the standard is 
    based on the similarity of performance characteristics of wheelchair 
    lifts and ramps. NHTSA evaluation, however, has revealed several 
    structural differences between the IMS ramp and the Thomas Built lift 
    on which the current exclusion was based. In fact, most ramps and lifts 
    currently produced are structurally different from the Thomas Built 
    lift.
        A schematic of the IMS ramp is shown in Figure 1. The IMS ramp 
    operates much like a lift, in that it retracts into the vehicle in a 
    vertical position that is parallel to and in close proximity of the 
    vehicle door. However, in its retracted position, the ramp can detach 
    and swing open like a gate to permit ingress and egress of ambulatory 
    people, with a latch at the lower part of the gate to hold it in place. 
    Finally, the IMS ramp in question, when in the retracted position, does 
    not completely cover the doorway opening. The ramp folds into the 
    vehicle to a position that covers from one-half to three- fourths of 
    the doorway, the intent being to avoid obstructing the driver's vision 
    to the side.
        NHTSA's evaluation of the lift and ramp designs revealed a wide 
    variety of lift and ramp designs produced by other manufacturers, 
    including those that retract under the vehicle, those that suspend 
    within the door sill (which lifts the wheelchair user by means of a 
    pulley), those that retract within the vehicle parallel to the floor, 
    and some that are, like the IMS ramp, detachable from at least one 
    side. Also like the IMS ramp, many lifts and ramps produced by other 
    manufacturers do not cover the entire door.
        In order to install the IMS ramp in a vehicle, the vehicle is 
    altered by lowering the floor between the firewall and the rear axle. 
    This alteration is commonly performed on most lift/ramp-equipped vans 
    and MPVs. The original floor is replaced with an interior panel of 16-
    gauge steel and an exterior panel of 18-gauge steel. Both are hollow z-
    member panels which together have an equivalent thickness of one inch. 
    The lower edge of the side sliding door is extended to meet the lowered 
    floor and the lower track of the sliding door is refitted to 
    accommodate the larger door. Structurally, the sliding track guide is 
    similar to the vehicle's original track guide for non-electric doors. 
    For electric doors, however, the design is significantly different. 
    Specifically, the installation of the electric IMS ramp requires that 
    the latch be disabled to accommodate the electric track closing and 
    opening the door.
        Because of the many different designs of wheelchair lifts and ramps 
    currently being produced, the agency is concerned that its exclusion of 
    wheelchair lifts from the requirements of the standard, based on the 
    then-current Thomas Built design, may be overly broad. At the same 
    time, the agency believes that wheelchair ramps and lifts are essential 
    to the safe and efficient transportation of persons with disabilities. 
    Accordingly, the change requested by IMS warrants further investigation 
    and research into the installation and manner of operation of the 
    various wheelchair lift and ramp designs currently in production, with 
    a view toward adoption of uniform criteria for both. To that extent, 
    therefore, the agency grants the IMS petition.
        The granting of the IMS petition, however, does not necessarily 
    mean that a rule will be issued. The determination of whether to issue 
    a rule is made after study of the requested action and the various 
    alternatives thereto in the course of the rulemaking proceeding, in 
    accordance with statutory criteria.
    
    List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 571
    
        Imports, Motor vehicle safety, Motor vehicles, Rubber and rubber 
    products, Tires.
    
    
    [[Page 27327]]
    
    
        Authority: 49 U.S.C. Secs. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166; 
    delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.
    
    BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
    
    [[Page 27328]]
    
    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP31MY96.120
    
    
    
    [[Page 27329]]
    
        Issued on May 27, 1996.
    Barry Felrice,
    Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
    [FR Doc. 96-13711 Filed 5-30-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4910-59-C
    
    

Document Information

Published:
05/31/1996
Department:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Entry Type:
Proposed Rule
Action:
Grant of petition for rulemaking.
Document Number:
96-13711
Pages:
27325-27329 (5 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. 96-51, Notice 01
RINs:
2127-AG16: Door Latch Exemption for Vehicles Equipped With Wheelchair Lifts and Ramps
RIN Links:
https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2127-AG16/door-latch-exemption-for-vehicles-equipped-with-wheelchair-lifts-and-ramps
PDF File:
96-13711.pdf
CFR: (1)
49 CFR 571