A Solution For Installing Emergency Exits On California Stretch Limos

Jim Luff
Posted on July 9, 2014

For months I have been fielding calls from fellow California operators wanting to know what I was going to do to comply with California Senate Bill 109. For those of you fortunate enough to live in the other 49 states that don’t have such nonsense laws, let me bring you up to speed:

 
In October 2013, California Senate Bill 109 was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown. The bill was introduced by Sen. Ellen Corbett, a Democrat in the San Francisco Bay Area.  This law was introduced as a knee-jerk reaction to a once-in-a-life time limo fire on May 4th that killed five women. The fire was determined to be a direct result of an air-bag failure and the subsequent striking of a full fuel tank on a bridge seam on the San Mateo Bridge. Wouldn’t you know that bridge is in Senator Corbett’s area?

In summary, the bill prohibits operating a limo that has been modified to accommodate additional passengers unless the limousine is equipped with at least two rear side doors and one rear window that all passengers of the vehicle may open from the inside of the vehicle in case of a fire or other emergency.

The bill would apply to all limousines modified after July 1, 2015, and beginning Jan. 1, 2016, to all limousines modified prior to July 1, 2015.

After months of searching, I have found a company ready to come to the market with retrofit emergency windows. Infinite Innovations is ready to take orders but can’t deliver product yet. To be profitable, they must order a minimum of 25 windows at a time from the manufacturer. That means glass to fit 25 Krystals Tiffany’s or Executives must be placed at one time. Call Infinite Innovations and speak to John to begin placing orders. John can be reached at (855) 561-5466 Extension #313. While you can’t buy the product today, if they get enough calls and interest, they will begin stocking these windows and that will help everyone in California. 

Related LCT video: Manufacturer Builds Stretch Limo To CA Safety Specs

Related Topics: California operators, emergency preparedness, Infinite Innovations, legislation, limousine fires, passenger safety, stretch limousine, vehicle safety

Jim Luff Contributing Editor
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Comments ( 9 )
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  • Anthony

     | about 2 years ago

    Oct/2017 Now we all have to sell or re tro fit all the limousines... even a 6 passenger. If the states or the whole country would care about passenger safety, they should have placed a real age limit on vehicles... other countries have a 6 year age limit for their charter buses.. this keeps people safe and alive. I am still pissed at the clown that caused those nurses deaths and caused a huge issue with all of us in california.. The state legislator that does not know anything about vehicles and came up with the great bill that does not save anyone If they care about people.... place an age limit on party buses and place a law that you cant opetate a chop shop party bus... 20 plus deaths already

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