Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2022 Thomas Built Minotour School Buses equipped with an optional rear door Vandalock system. The engine can potentially be started while an emergency exit is still locked. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 217, "Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release."
A locked emergency exit can delay passengers from exiting the vehicle during an emergency, increasing their risk of injury.
DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will repair the Vandalock interlock system, free of charge. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-876.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.