| (1) | No person shall operate on a public road a minibus, midibus or bus operating in terms of an operating license issued in accordance with the provision of the NLTTA unless the driving seat of such minibus, midibus or bus is adjustable and has a partition immediately behind it and is so placed as to afford the driver ample space for controlling the minibus, midibus or bus. |
[Regulation 256(1) substituted by regulation 15(a) of Notice No. R. 871 of 2005, as revoked and replaced by regulation 17(a) of Notice No. R. 891 of 2006]
| (2) | Subject to subregulation (3), no person shall operate on a public road a minibus first registered on or before 4 September 2006, operating in terms of an operating license issued in accordance with the provision of the NLTTA, unless a seat provided for a passenger in such minibus has— |
| (a) | a backrest of which the— |
| (i) | top shall be at least 350 millimetres from seat level; |
| (ii) | bottom shall be not more than 200 millimetres from seat level; the width, including the frame, shall be at least 340 millimetres, for every passenger for whom seating accommodation is provided on the seat; |
| (b) | a seat height from the floor or footrest of such seat at seat level of at least 250 millimetres, except where a seat is positioned over the wheel arch where no limit shall apply; |
| (c) | a seat depth from the front of the seat to the front of the backrest of at least 340 millimetres; |
| (d) | a seat width in accordance with regulation 233(2); |
| (e) | in the case of a seat facing a partition or similar obstruction, a horizontal distance between the front of the backrest of such seat at seat level to such partition or obstruction of at least 570 millimetres; |
| (f) | in the case where seats face each other, a horizontal distance between the fronts of the backrests of such seats at seat level of at least 1 200 millimetres; |
| (g) | in the case where seats face in the same direction, a horizontal distance between the front of the backrest of any such seat, at seat level, and the back of the backrest of the seat in front, of at least 570 millimetres. |
[Regulation 256(2) substituted by regulation 19(a) of Notice No. R. 359 of 2010]
| (3) | Where in subregulation (2) a reference is made to a maximum or minimum dimension, a tolerance of 10 millimetres above any such maximum and below any such minimum shall be permissible. |
| (4) | No seat in a bus shall face an entrance or have a side of such seat opposite an entrance, unless a rail or partition is provided between such seat and entrance: Provided that a rail may be fixed to the seat if the side of such seat faces an entrance. |
| (5) | Every seat in a minibus, midibus or bus shall be securely fixed to such minibus, midibus or bus. |
[Regulation 256(5) substituted by regulation 15(c) of Notice No. R. 871 of 2005, as revoked and replaced by regulation 17(c) of Notice No. R. 891 of 2006]
| (6) | Subject to subregulation (3), no person shall operate any minibus, midibus or bus, first registered after 04 September 2006, operating in terms of an operating licence and issued in accordance with the provision of the NLTTA, unless a seat provided for a passenger in such minibus, midibus or bus has— |
| (a) | a backrest of which the— |
| (i) | top shall be at least 600 millimetres from seat level; the width, including the frame, shall be at least 400 millimetres at seat level, and the top may be tapered to a width of more than 250 millimetres; or if the seat design incorporates an integral headrest, top may be tapered to a width of 200 millimetres, for every passenger for whom seating accommodation is provided on the seat; |
| (b) | a seat height from the floor or footrest of such seat to seat level of at least 400 millimetres, except where a seat is positioned over a wheel arch where no such limit shall apply; |
| (c) | a seat depth from the front of the seat to the front of the backrest of at least 400 millimetres; |
| (d) | a seat width in accordance with regulation 233(2); |
| (e) | in the case where a seat faces a partition or similar obstruction, a horizontal distance between the front of the backrest of such seat at seat level to such partition or obstruction of at least 600 millimetres; |
Provided that in the case of a rapid transport bus or rapid transport bus-train the pitch measured from one part of a seat to the same part of the seat in front at seat level shall be at least 730 millimetres;
[Proviso to regulation 256(2)(e) inserted by regulation 19(b) of Notice No. R. 359 of 2010]
| (f) | in the case where seats face each other, a horizontal distance between the fronts of the backrests of such seats at seat level of at least 1 300 millimetres; |
Provided that in the case of a rapid transport bus or rapid transport bus-train it shall be at least 1 460 millimetres.
[Proviso to regulation 256(2)(f) inserted by regulation 19(c) of Notice No. R. 359 of 2010]
| (g) | in the case where seats face in the same direction , a horizontal distance between the front of the backrest of any such seat, at seat level, and the back of the seat in front, of at least 600 millimetres; |
Provided that in the case of a rapid transport bus or rapid transport bus-train this shall be at least 730 millimetres.
[Proviso to regulation 256(2)(g) inserted by regulation 19(d) of Notice No. R. 359 of 2010]
| (h) | seats and anchorages that meet the requirements of SANS 1429 "Strength of seats and their anchorages" or SANS 1564 'The strength of seats (and their anchorages) of large passenger buses. |
[Regulation 256(6) replaced by regulation 17(d) of Notice No. R. 891 of 2006]
| (7) | No fold-up or jockey seat, shall be permitted in any minibus or midibus first registered on or after 4 September 2006 and operating in terms of an operating licence issued in accordance with the provisions of the NLTTA. |
[Regulation 256(7) substituted by regulation 19(a) of Notice No. R. 589 of 2009]
| (8) | Not more than one front seat for a passenger shall be provided for in a minibus or midibus operating for reward and which is first registered on or after 4 September 2006: Provided that the provisions of this subregulation shall not apply to a minibus or midibus operating for reward and which is first registered on or after 1 March 2014. |
[Regulation 256(8) substituted by regulation 60 of Notice No. R. 846 of 2014]
| (9) | Where, in subregulation (6), a reference is made to a maximum or minimum dimension, a tolerance of 10 millimetres above any such maximum and below any such minimum shall be permissible. |
[Regulation 256(9) inserted by regulation 17(d) of Notice No. R. 891 of 2006]
| (10) | In the case of a rapid transport bus or a rapid transport bus- train the following additional requirements shall apply— |
| (a) | seats that are forward or rearward-facing shall be arranged such that there shall be no more than four seats in a row and no more than two pairs of seats in a row, except that, the rear row may have more seats; |
| (b) | seats shall be permitted in the turntable area of a rapid transport bus-train provided that the passengers are protected from the effects of relative movement of parts of the bus when the bus-train turns; |
| (c) | seats which can be tipped up to provide more floor space are not permitted, except in cases of providing room for a wheelchair; and |
| (d) | seats facing sideways are permitted. |
[Regulation 256(10) inserted by regulation 19(e) of Notice No. R. 359 of 2010]
