(a) Notwithstanding subdivision 3 of section 385 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, buses may exceed the legal length limitation by up to one foot in the front and up to one foot in the rear if the overage is caused solely by safety bumpers.

(b) A safety bumper is defined as a device which may be fitted on an existing bumper on which is the bumper and which is so designed and constructed that its primary purpose is to absorb energy in event of a crash.

(c) Nothing in this Part shall be construed as allowing the body of a bus, excluding safety bumpers, to exceed the length limit set by section 385 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law.