Section 442.245  Heaters

a)         An inside temperature of not less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit at average minimum January temperature as established by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Weather Service Office, for the area in which the vehicle is to be operated shall be maintained throughout the bus.

b)         The primary heater shall be a high output, fresh air type.

c)         The secondary heater may be recirculating type, and located so as not to interfere with aisle space. Each secondary heater shall display a nameplate that identifies the manufacturer and the heater capacity rating.

d)         The heater hoses shall be adequately supported to guard against excessive wear due to vibration and shall not interfere with or restrict the operation of any engine function.  Any hose in the passenger compartment shall be adequately protected to prevent injury from burns in the event of rupture.

e)         Auxiliary fuel-fired heating systems are permitted provided they comply with the following:

1)         The auxiliary heating system fuel shall utilize the same type of fuel as specified for the vehicle engine;

2)         The heater or heaters may be direct hot air or connected to the engine's coolant system;

3)         An auxiliary heating system, when connected to the engine's coolant system, may be used to preheat the engine coolant or preheat and add supplementary heat to the bus' heating system;

4)         Auxiliary heating systems must be installed pursuant to the manufacturer's recommendations and shall not direct exhaust in a manner that will endanger bus passengers (e.g., under windows);

5)         Auxiliary heating systems that operate on diesel fuel shall be capable of operating on:

A)        a hot water and/or combustion type heater; or

B)        if only one heater is used, a fresh-air or combination fresh-air and recirculation type heater; or

C)        blended diesel fuel without the need for system adjustment.

6)         The auxiliary heating system shall be low voltage.

(Source:  Amended at 31 Ill. Reg. 8238, effective May 25, 2007)