Recall 16V031 covers 867 2015 Collins school buses for stop-arm decals that peel loose and reduce visibility. Repair is free at any franchised Collins dealer.
Collins is recalling 867 2015 school buses, including DE500 and DE416 models, because reflective decals on certain Transpec stop arms can peel loose. A stop arm without the decal has reduced visibility to other drivers, increasing crash risk, and Collins dealers will repair the stop arm free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The stop arm on a 2015 Collins school bus is the fold-out sign that tells traffic to stop while students board or exit. Its reflective STOP decal is part of that safety device, because it helps other drivers see the arm in low light, poor weather, and normal roadside traffic. The recall involves buses equipped with Transpec T6000, T6100, and T7000 series stop arms.
On affected buses, the decal was not bonded to the plastic blade the way it should have been. Collins traced the problem to a process deficiency, which means the decal can peel loose from the blade instead of staying flat and reflective. Once that happens, the stop arm has less visible reflective surface and does not meet the school bus pedestrian safety standard cited in the recall.
The warning sign is visible on the stop arm itself. Owners, drivers, or maintenance staff can see the STOP decal peeling, lifting at the edge, missing in part, or missing in full.
Who's affected?
Covers DE, DH, SH, TL, SL, and TH school bus model families, all tied to the same school bus stop arm assembly.
| 2015 Collins DE500 | School bus stop arm assembly |
|---|---|
| 2015 Collins DE416 | School bus stop arm assembly |
| 2015 Collins DE516 | School bus stop arm assembly |
| 2015 Collins DE516WR | School bus stop arm assembly |
| 2015 Collins DH400 | School bus stop arm assembly |
| 2015 Collins DH416 | School bus stop arm assembly |
| 2015 Collins DH516 | School bus stop arm assembly |
| 2015 Collins SH400 | School bus stop arm assembly |
| 2015 Collins TL400 | School bus stop arm assembly |
| 2015 Collins SL400 | School bus stop arm assembly |
| 2015 Collins TH400 | School bus stop arm assembly |
| 2015 Collins DE416WR | School bus stop arm assembly |
| 2015 Collins DH500 | School bus stop arm assembly |
| 2015 Collins DH416WR | School bus stop arm assembly |
| Units affected | 867 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not confirm inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether this recall applies to your specific bus.
What's the safety risk?
A missing or failed reflective decal reduces stop arm visibility to other drivers and increases the risk of a crash. Treat missing or damaged decal material as a reason to schedule the recall repair soon. Repair is free at any franchised Collins dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2015 Collins school bus is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Collins dealer to schedule the free stop-arm blade assembly replacement that restores reflective stop-arm visibility.
- Bring the recall notice if Collins mailed one, or reference recall number 16V031 when you call.
- Avoid using the bus for student loading until the reflective stop-arm decal issue is repaired.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Collins technician replaces the affected Transpec stop arm blade assemblies. The work removes the blade assembly with the reflective decal that can peel loose and installs replacement blade assemblies covered by recall 16V031. Parts and labor are free under the recall. The source material describes installer reimbursement for removal and reinstallation of each Transpec blade, but it does not describe a separate owner reimbursement program for prior out-of-pocket repairs, so owner reimbursement is not addressed in this repair section.
| Estimated time at dealer | 15 minutes |
|---|
Timeline
| January 22, 2016 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| February 9, 2016 | Dealer notification began |
| February 12, 2016 | Dealer notification ended |
| February 17, 2016 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| February 22, 2016 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 16V031?
Recall 16V031 covers 867 2015 Collins school buses with certain Transpec T6000, T6100, and T7000 stop arms. The reflective decal can peel loose from the stop arm, reducing visibility to other drivers and increasing crash risk. Collins will replace the stop arm blade assemblies for free.
What should I do if my 2015 Collins DE500, DE416, DE516, DE516WR, DH400, DH416, DH516, SH400, TL400, SL400, TH400, DE416WR, DH500, or DH416WR is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 16V031. If it is, contact Collins customer service at 1-800-533-1850 or a franchised Collins service location to arrange the stop arm blade assembly replacement. Reference recall number 16V031 when you call.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. Collins will replace the affected stop arm blade assemblies free of charge, including parts and labor, for buses included in recall 16V031.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is reduced visibility of the school bus stop arm. If the reflective decal peels loose, other drivers have less visual warning when the bus is stopped for children, increasing the risk of a crash. The repair replaces the affected stop arm blade assemblies.
What if I bought this Collins bus used?
The free recall repair still applies. Federal recall law follows the vehicle, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included, then give recall number 16V031 to the Collins service contact when arranging the repair.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/16V031000 |
|---|---|
| Collins customer service | 1-800-533-1850 |
| NHTSA recall # | 16V031 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 16V031000 |
Source documents
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 31, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →