2.4.5. If the driver’s compartment is open top, protective measures must be taken to protect driver from breeze, rain, and dust.

2.4.6. If the driver’s compartment is separate or not leading to passenger’s compartment, driver’s compartment must have 2 exits located on different sides of the vehicle; if one of the exits is a window, regulations on emergency exit windows under 2.5.4 must be complied with.

2.5. Passenger’s compartment

2.5.1. Passenger’s compartment must be designed to ensure safety for passengers.

2.5.2. Effective area for each standing passenger must not be lower than 0,125 m². Space for standing passengers shall be the space where seats are not located on floor area for passengers mentioned under 2.1.6 and must satisfy the following requirements:

+ Minimum effective height is 1800 mm;

+ Minimum effective width is 300 mm;

+ Handrails and grips are equipped for standing passengers.

2.5.3. Service door and stairs

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2.5.3.2. Number of service doors:

a) Minimum number of service doors is specified under Schedule 3;

b) In case of articulated vehicles, minimum number of service doors of the front car is 2, minimum number of service doors of the back car is 1;

c) If double doors serve as service doors, each double door is equivalent to 2 single doors for the purpose of calculating service doors;

d) In case of double deck vehicles:

- Each stair is considered an access passage of the second deck;

- If the number of passengers occupying the second deck exceeds 50, at least 2 stairs or at least 1 stair and 1 emergency exit stair are required.

Schedule 2 - Minimum effective dimensions of service doors

Number of passengers

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Single door

Double door

Width ⁽¹⁾

Height

Width ⁽¹⁾

Height

17 to 40 passengers

650

1700

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...

1700

More than 40 passengers

650

1800

1200

1800

Note:

⁽¹⁾ This dimension can be reduced by 100 mm if it is measured at the furthest protruding point of the door handle.

Schedule 3: Minimum number of service doors

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17 to 45

46 to 90

Above 90

Minimum number of service doors

1

2

3

2.5.3.3. Other requirements

a) Service doors must be positioned on the sides of the vehicles;

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c) At least one door at the back of the vehicle or the sides of the vehicle is allowed to be designed specifically for wheelchair accessibility;

d) Service doors must be opened easily from inside of the vehicle, outside of the vehicle, and prevented from being opened when they have been locked; designed to ensure safety for passengers in normal use conditions.

2.5.3.4. Requirements for coupling sections of articulated vehicles:

a) The gap⁽¹⁾ that is not covered and located between floor of a car and floor of the turn table or similar mechanisms must be:

- No more than 1 cm: When all wheels are on the same plane;

- No more than 2 cm: When wheels of the axle adjacent to the coupling are parked 15 cm above other axles;

Note:⁽¹⁾ Is measured when the vehicle is not loaded and parked on horizontal surface

b) Difference in height between floor of a car and floor of the turn table measured at the coupling must be:

- No more than 2 cm: When all wheels are on the same plane;

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2.5.4. Emergency door

Vehicles must be equipped with emergency doors; service doors are not considered emergency doors. Emergency doors must meet the following requirements:

2.5.4.1. Minimum dimensions of emergency doors:

Width x height = 550 mm x 1200 mm.

2.5.4.2. Emergency doors must be opened with ease from the inside or outside when the vehicles are not moving. Emergency doors must be locked from the outside as long as they must also be open from the inside via regular mechanisms in any circumstance.

2.5.4.3. Emergency doors must not be sliding door or powered doors (electricity, pneumatic, etc.).

2.5.4.4. All mechanisms and equipment required to open emergency doors from the outside (emergency doors on the first deck in regard to a double-deck vehicle) must be within a height of 1000 mm to 1500 mm from the parking surface and no more than 500 mm from the emergency doors that they control. All mechanisms and equipment required to open emergency doors from the inside must be within a height of 1000 mm to 1500 mm from the floor of the vehicle or the closest step and no more than 500 mm away from the emergency doors that they control. This does not apply to mechanisms and equipment located in driver’s compartment.

2.5.4.5. Emergency doors on the sides of automobiles must be hinged on the side that is closest to the front of the vehicle; emergency doors must be out-swinging doors. Braces, chains, or other restraint devices are allowed if they do not obstruct the opening of emergency doors and emergency doors must still be able to open to at least 100^o. If inspection gauges can easily reach emergency doors from access passages, the minimum angle of 100^o is not mandatory.

2.5.4.6. Emergency doors must be protected from unintentional opening. This requirement does not apply to emergency doors that are automatically locked when the vehicles move at a velocity greater than 5 km/h.

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2.5.4.8. Emergency windows must have minimum area of 0,4 m2 and must be able to fit a rectangle of 500 mm in height and 700 mm in width (in this case, emergency windows are considered emergency doors).

2.5.4.9. Emergency windows at the back of the vehicle must satisfy requirements under 2.5.4.8. or must be able to fit a rectangle of 350 mm in height and 1550 mm in width with round corners where radius curvature does not exceed 250 mm (in this case, emergency windows at the back of the vehicle are considered emergency doors).

2.5.4.10. Hinged emergency windows must be out-swinging.

2.5.4.11. Emergency windows must be opened easily from the inside and outside by appropriate mechanisms or must be made of highly durable glass.

2.5.4.12. Emergency windows that can be locked from the outside must be opened easily from the inside at any time.

2.5.4.13. In regard to top-hinged emergency windows, appropriate mechanisms for holding doors in completely opened state without obstructing access passages to emergency windows from the inside or outside of the vehicle.

2.5.4.14. The height from the lower edge of emergency windows on the side of the vehicle to the vehicle floor below the emergency windows (excluding wheel sections) must not exceed 1200 mm and must not be lower than 650 mm in case of hinged emergency windows or 500 mm in case of emergency windows made of highly durable glass.

In case of hinged emergency windows, height of the lower edge can be reduced to 500 mm if the windows are equipped with protective measures up to a height of 650 mm in order to prevent falling hazards. In regard to these protected windows, dimensions of window sections above the protected sections must not be lower than the minimum dimensions applicable to emergency windows.

2.5.4.15. Minimum number of emergency doors is specified under Schedule 4.

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Number of passengers⁽¹⁾

17 ÷ 30

31 ÷ 45

46 ÷ 60

61 ÷ 75

76 ÷ 90

> 90

Minimum emergency doors⁽²⁾

4

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...

6

7

8

9

Note:

(1) In regard to double deck vehicles/articulated vehicles, number of passenger means the number of passengers, drivers, and attendants on each deck/car.

(2) Service doors are not considered emergency doors;

Emergency doors in this schedule include emergency doors and emergency windows.

2.5.4.16. Toilets, kitchens, liquor bars (if any), areas connecting cars shall not be included when calculating number of emergency doors as described above.

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2.5.4.18. Each emergency door and emergency window must be notified by the phrase “CỬA THOÁT KHẨN CẤP” or “EMERGENCY EXIT” or both together with necessary instructions. Glass breakers must be provided in areas close to emergency windows made of highly durable glass.

2.5.4.19. Access passages to emergency doors and emergency windows must meet requirements under QCVN 09:2015/BGTVT.

2.5.5. Seat other than driver’s seat

2.5.5.1. Seats must be firmly installed in order to ensure safety for seated passengers in normal operation.

2.5.5.2. Seat dimensions:

+ Width: ≥ 400 mm

+ Depth: ≥ 350 mm

+ Height (H): 400 ÷ 500 mm

Seats above fender and engine block can have its height reduced to 350 mm as long as passenger comfort is guaranteed.

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2.5.5.4. Distance between the front of seat-back of 2 facing seats (L₀) must not be lower than 1250 mm.

Distances are specified under Schedule 5 and illustrated under Figure 2.

Schedule 5 - Distances between seats

Unit: mm

L_min

L_{0 min}

H

630

1250

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Figure 2 - Distance between seats

2.5.6. Gangway

- Width: ≥ 400 mm

- Height from floor to ceiling, measured on gangway:

+ First deck: ≥ 1800 mm

+ Second deck: ≥ 1680 mm

- Slope of gangway: ≤ 8 %.

- The space along gangway must be designed to facilitate movement of a gauge consisting of 2 concentric cylinders connected by a cone. Dimensions of the cylinders are described under Figure 3.

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(*) This dimension shall be 1680 mm in regard to gauge deployed on the second deck of a double deck vehicle

Figure 3 - Gangway measurement gauge

2.5.7. Floor

Vehicle floor must be made of non-slip materials.

2.5.8. Steps

2.5.8.1. Surface of the steps must be rough or covered with materials that have a lot of friction.

2.5.8.2. Maximum riser height and tread depth of service doors, stairs, emergency doors, and inside the vehicle are illustrated under Figure 4 and described under Schedule 6.

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Figure 4 - Riser height and tread depth

Schedule 6 - Permissible riser height and tread depth

Unit: mm

The first step (from the parking surface)

Service door

Maximum riser height (L₁)

400

Minimum tread depth

300⁽¹⁾

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Maximum riser height (L₁)

First deck

850⁽²⁾

Second deck

1500

Minimum tread depth

300

Other steps

Maximum riser height (L₂, L₃)

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...

Minimum riser height (L₂, L₃)

120

Minimum effective tread depth⁽⁴⁾

200

Note:

⁽¹⁾ 200 in case of vehicle with capacity of up to 40 passengers;

⁽²⁾ 700 in case of a single-deck vehicle;

⁽³⁾ 300 in case of access steps of doors positioned behind the last axle;

⁽⁴⁾ Effective depth is determined by the surface area on which a person can rest their foot on without slipping;

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Riser height (L₂, L₃) of each step may vary.

2.5.8.3. Riser heights (L₁, L₂, L₃) under Schedule 6 do not apply to service doors designed to fit infrastructures at stops and allow passengers to embark and disembark on separate lane.

 2.5.8.4. Width and surface of steps must be large enough so that when a rectangular gauge of 400 mm x 300 mm is placed on the first surface and a rectangular gauge of 400 mm x 200 mm is placed on other steps, part of the gauge that protrudes from the steps must not exceed 5% of the gauge area. In regard to double doors, each half of access steps must satisfy this requirement.

2.5.8.5. Slope of steps in any direction must not exceed 5%.

2.5.8.6. In case of double doors, steps of each half of access passages must be considered separate steps.

2.5.9. Grips and handrails

2.5.9.1. Grips and handrails must be sturdy to allow passengers to firmly, safely grip. The handle of grips must have minimum length of 100 mm; dimensions of cross sections of grips must range from 20 mm to 45 mm. Suspension rope is considered a grip if they are appropriately installed.

2.5.9.2. Grips and handrails must be adequately equipped, reasonably distributed, and located at a height ranging from 800 mm to 1800 mm without affecting movement of passengers in the vehicle and when embarking, disembarking the vehicle.

2.5.9.3. Both sides of service doors must be fitted with grips and handrails. In regard to a double door, a grip pole can be positioned in the middle.

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2.5.9.5. Stair must be fitted with guardrails and grips.

2.5.9.6. Coupling sections (in case of articulated vehicles) must be fitted with handrails and/or guardrails/partitions to prevent passengers from accessing:

+ Floor section with uncovered gap and not satisfactory to requirements under 2.5.3;

+ Floor section not intended for passenger transport;

+ Areas where movement of the sides of the coupling sections can cause danger to passengers;

2.5.9.7. Guardrails are required in areas close to the front windshield on the second deck of double-deck vehicle. Height of the upper side of this guardrail must be within 800 mm to 900 mm from the floor. The guardrails must satisfy requirements relating to guardrails under QCVN 09:2015/BGTVT and this Circular document.

2.5.10. Lighting in passenger’s compartment

Passenger’s compartments must be fitted with lights to illuminate:

- Gangway;

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- If a double-deck vehicle is open top, at least one light must be installed as close as possible to the top of the stairs leading to the second deck.

2.5.11. Passenger’s disembarkation signal

Passenger’s compartment must be fitted with devices that inform drivers about passengers wishing to disembark or two-way communication devices between drivers and passengers if passenger’s compartment is separate from driver’s compartment.

2.5.12. Airtightness of passenger’s compartment and driver’s compartment

Vehicles must be inspected for airtightness in order to prevent water from leaking into the vehicles. The floor must not allow passage smoke and dust from engine block and from beneath the floor into the vehicle.

This requirement does not apply to open top deck.

2.6. Requirements for protective measures for open top vehicles

An open top vehicle must meet the following requirements:

2.6.1. A board going along the vehicle’s width and covering the front of open top section of the vehicle is required. Height of the board must not be lower than 1400 mm from the floor.

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2.6.2.1. Cross sections of the handrails must not be lower than 20 mm or larger than 45 mm at any point.

2.6.2.2. Gaps between adjacent handrails and gaps between handrails and adjacent glass panels must not exceed 200 mm.

2.6.2.3. They must be firmly attached to the vehicle structures.

2.6.2.4. Doors of exits must be considered parts of these protective structures and must satisfy the aforementioned requirements.

2.6.3. Visibility and communication aid

In case of open top vehicles, drivers must be provided with visibility aid such as mirrors, periscopes, or video recorders and monitors in order to monitor activities of passengers in open top areas and communication devices to allow drivers to communicate with these passengers.

2.7. Other requirements

2.7.1. Rear-view mirrors

2.7.1.1. Rear-view mirrors must satisfy requirements under the QCVN 09:2015/BGTVT.

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2.7.2. Windshield, side glass, rear glass, roof glass used on any deck of vehicles must satisfy requirements under the QCVN 09:2015/BGTVT.

2.7.3. Tyres and headlight of vehicles must satisfy requirements under the QCVN 09:2015/BGTVT.

2.7.4. Onboard heat sources

Provide thermal insulation for all heat sources which cause safety loss to fuel system, electrical system, and other flammable components.

2.7.5. Fire extinguishers and first-aid kits must satisfy requirements under the QCVN 09:2015/BGTVT.

2.7.6. Regulations on environmental protection

Emission, noise, and refrigerant limits in air conditioners of vehicles must satisfy requirements under the QCVN 09:2015/BGTVT.

3. REGULATIONS ON MANAGEMENT

3.1. Testing and examination methods

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+ Technical dossiers and testing samples: Manufacturing facilities, importing organizations and individuals are responsible for providing technical dossiers and samples for testing in accordance with applicable regulations of the Ministry of Transport.

3.2. Test report

Testing facilities must produce test reports that include details under this document.

4. ORGANIZING IMPLEMENTATION

4.1. The Vietnam Register is responsible for the implementation of this document during technical safety and environmental protection inspection of urban buses.

4.2. Roadmap for implementation

4.2.1. This Regulation shall apply to manufactured, assembled vehicles for which the certification for technical quality, safety and environmental protection has been issued and imported vehicles which have been examined and issued with certification for technical quality, safety and environmental protection before the effective date hereof after 18 months from the effective date hereof.

4.2.2. This Regulation shall apply to manufactured, assembled vehicles for which the certification for technical quality, safety, and environmental protection is issued for the first time and imported vehicles which have not been examined nor issued with the certification for technical quality, safety, and environmental protection from January 1, 2017.

4.2.3. Requirements pertaining to testing of parts and examination, testing or exemption from testing of vehicle emission shall conform to the QCVN 09:2015/BGTVT.

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4.3. If Regulations referred to under this document are amended or replaced, the new versions shall prevail. Roadmap for implementation shall conform to roadmaps specified under respective Regulations.

APPENDIX

TURNING RADIUS

Vehicles must be able to turn in both directions within a plane limited by 2 concentric circles (forming a napkin-ring shape) where radius of the outer circular is 12,5 m and radius of the inner circle is 5,3 m (see Figure 5).

Figure 5 - Turning radius

When a vehicle moves in a straight line into the napkin-ring shape, any part of the vehicle must not protrude from the vertical plane limited by the outer ring by more than 0,6 m (see Figure 6a and Figure 6b).

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Figure 6b - Turning radius of articulated vehicle