Bus company recalling 177 school buses

<br>WASHINGTON (AP) _ An Ohio company is recalling 177 school buses because the seat belts can come apart, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday. <br><br>No injuries have been

Wednesday, September 17th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ An Ohio company is recalling 177 school buses because the seat belts can come apart, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday.

No injuries have been reported due to the problem, said Kent Tyler, a spokesman for Mid Bus of Bluffton, Ohio. Tyler said NHTSA discovered the defect during safety testing.

The recall affects certain small- to medium-sized Guide brand buses made between Jan. 1, 1999, and Sept. 3, 2003. A bolt on those buses can pull away from the floor, making the seat belts fail.

Mid Bus will replace the bolts for free, Tyler said. He said the company is telling owners about the recall.

Federal law requires seat belts on smaller buses but not on buses that weight more than 10,000 pounds. NHTSA says larger buses are heavy enough to protect occupants in a crash.