Operation of service buses

(a) A commercial vehicle, bus or any other type of vehicle owned and used for the transportation of the employees of the registrant without charge to the individual and when engaged in the business of the registrant shall be registered as a "service bus" if eight or more persons are to be transported. (b) Any vehicle that is rented or leased by a farm or plantation owner or other owner and used for the transportation of employees of the lessee only shall be registered as a "service bus" in the name of the lessor. (c) Each occupant of a service bus shall be provided adequate seating space on a suitable seat or bench and in no case shall occupants be permitted or compelled to sit on the floor of the vehicle body. (d) *** With the exception of the seating arrangements in vehicles designed solely for the purpose of carrying passengers all *** seats or benches provided for *** passengers (not the driver or occupants of the cab) on service buses shall run lengthwise with the body; and the standard eight-foot body shall not be equipped with more than three rows of seats or benches while the standard "pickup" body type shall be limited to two rows. (e) All trucks transporting labor shall be equipped with adequate side racks and tail gate or rack, except that a chain or bar at a height of about three feet above the floor may be substituted for the tail gate on "pickup" body trucks. Stake body trucks shall be provided with a gate for entrance and exit, which shall be closed securely when the vehicle is in motion. All gates shall be equipped with a latch that may be opened, in case of emergency, by an occupant of the truck. (f) A ladder for entrance and exit shall be provided and shall have treads, which treads shall not be less than four inches wide and sixteen inches long and not more than twelve inches apart, except that the lowest tread shall not exceed in height the lowest part of the axle housing of the truck. All removable ladders shall be equipped with hooks that attach to the truck body to prevent its slipping while in use. Ladders that are removable shall be carried on the outside of the truck when carrying passengers. Ladders that are permanently attached shall be properly braced. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to vehicles designed solely for the purpose of carrying passengers or where all passengers are carried in the cab. (g) Each conveyance shall be equipped with suitable covering of water repellant material for use during inclement weather. (h) Each vehicle shall be operated by a Connecticut licensed motor vehicle operator, who shall be at least eighteen years of age. (i) All vehicles shall be kept in proper repair and in safe, clean and sanitary condition. The registrant shall cause such vehicles to be inspected frequently to ensure that brakes, steering apparatus, lighting and all other equipment are in safe operating condition. (j) No operator of any motor vehicle used for the transport of persons shall take on or discharge passengers while the vehicle is in motion. (k) Before crossing any railway tracks the operator of each motor vehicle used for the transport of persons shall stop the vehicle, look and listen carefully to guard against conflict with approaching trains and, with proper caution, may then proceed to cross the tracks, but in no event shall such operator shift gears while doing so. (l) No vehicle used for the transport of persons shall be fueled while passengers are in the vehicle nor while the motor is operating. (m) When accepting or discharging passengers each vehicle used for the transport of persons shall be stopped on the extreme right-hand side of the street or highway to safeguard occupants entering or leaving the vehicle. (n) *** Any school bus to be placed in permanent operation in labor transport shall be painted a color other than the school bus chrome yellow. (See G.S. §§ 14-1(41), 14-29, 14-49(p).)