Limitador de Velocidad para Buses: Bus and School Bus Limiters

A bus is the vehicle where speed matters most per kilometre, because every extra kilometre per hour is carried by dozens of passengers. In Latin America that includes the bus interprovincial in Peru, the colectivo and micro de larga distancia in Argentina, the buses extraurbanos in Guatemala, the ônibus escolar in Brazil and the school and public service buses of Colombia. A limitador de velocidad para buses (limitador de velocidade para ônibus in Brazil) holds the vehicle at the speed the operator chooses, whatever the driver does with the pedal.

Passenger transport is also where the rules are most specific. Several countries in the region set limiter or speed requirements for buses, and fleets there need a unit that matches the rule. Here is what applies, country by country, and which AutoKontrol unit fits.

Bus rules by country

Country	Rule	Source
Peru	Companies authorised for national scheduled passenger service (M3 Class III buses) must declare a speed limiter programmed per the RNAT and provide a limiter certificate. Highway limit for public passenger transport: 90 km/h.	MTC Resolución Directoral 1028-2025-MTC/17.02; Reglamento Nacional de Tránsito, art. 162
Argentina	Limiter settings of 100 km/h for long-distance and interurban M3 buses, 60 km/h for urban M3 buses and 100 km/h for M2 vehicles, each plus or minus 3 percent.	Resolución 19/2016
Guatemala	Sistema Limitador de Velocidad (SLV) for collective passenger transport, 80 km/h maximum. Fines began on 2 March 2026.	Decreto 45-2016; Acuerdo Gubernativo 38-2019
Colombia	Public service and school transport vehicles: 60 km/h on urban roads, no more than 80 km/h on national and departmental highways.	Ley 1239 de 2008
Chile	Buses of 3,860 kg GVW or more and school transport: 90 km/h. Interurban buses up to 100 km/h.	Ley de Tránsito, art. 145
Brazil	School transport vehicles must carry a tachograph (registrador instantâneo inalterável de velocidade e tempo); passenger vehicles with more than 10 seats also carry one.	Código de Trânsito Brasileiro, arts. 105 and 136

Peru: the limiter certificate for intercity buses

In Peru, the certificate is the document that matters. Under the MTC resolutions, the certificate states that the bus has an electronic injection system, that the engine control unit is calibrated so the vehicle does not exceed 110 km/h, and that tamper-protection mechanisms are fitted. It is issued by the chassis manufacturer, an authorised brand representative or an authorised vehicle inspection centre (CITV). A limitador de velocidad programmed through the ECU of an electronic injection bus is the route the regulation describes.

Argentina: settings built into the vehicle

Resolución 19/2016 fixes the speeds for buses by category and applies them by reprogramming the on-board computer. Fleets with newer vehicles carry the factory setting. Fleets that want a lower or fleet-specific setting, or that run older buses, look at an aftermarket unit. The CNRT can deactivate non-compliant units, and passengers can seek fare refunds through the CNRT if the limits are breached.

Guatemala: SLV on buses

Guatemala’s regulation applies to collective passenger transport and cargo. The maximum is 80 km/h, and the regulation says that does not authorise 80 km/h where the posted limit is lower. Penalties started on 2 March 2026, and since September 2026 the fine is seven minimum non-agricultural salaries, around Q28,000. Bus operators in Guatemala who want to discuss supply and registration should contact us, and we will work it through with you.

Colombia: 80 km/h for public service and school vehicles

Ley 1239 de 2008 sets the maximum for public service, cargo and school transport at 80 km/h on national and departmental highways. A limiter lets a Colombian bus company or school hold that figure, or a lower one of its own choosing.

Brazil: the tachograph on school buses

The Código de Trânsito Brasileiro requires school transport vehicles to carry a tachograph, and art. 136 IV lists it among the school bus equipment, with the yellow band marked “ESCOLAR”. Art. 105 II extends the tachograph to passenger vehicles with more than 10 seats. Where there is no sign, art. 61 sets 90 km/h on rural roads for “other vehicles”, which includes buses, and 30 km/h on local urban streets. A limitador de velocidade on an ônibus escolar gives the operator a second layer: the tachograph records speed, and the limiter holds it.

Which AutoKontrol unit fits which bus

Your bus	Fits	Notes
Electronic throttle or electronic injection	DBW speed limiter	Electronic, works on the drive-by-wire throttle signal. Fit about 1.5 hours.
Older diesel with mechanical fuel control	System 80	Mechanical, works on the fuel line. Fit about 60 minutes, accurate to +/-1-2 km/h.
Parents, schools and operators want proof of speed	TrackSpeed	Limiter with ScorpionTrack GNSS tracking. Fit about 60 minutes.
Lower speed near schools, terminals, depots	GeoKontrol	GPS geofenced zone speed limits.
Vehicles with SENT throttle sensors	SENT speed limiter	For the SENT sensor protocol.

Buses with an electronic throttle and electronic injection suit the DBW. Older city and school buses, especially those on mechanically governed diesels, take System 80. Send us the chassis make, model, year and engine type and we will confirm which fits.

School buses and school zones

Children are the most vulnerable passengers on any road, and a school bus stops often, in places where pedestrians are close. Two controls help. A flat cap holds the bus to the speed the school or operator chooses. GeoKontrol goes further by setting a lower limit around school gates, terminals and depots, and returning to the normal speed once the bus leaves the zone. Our school zone speed limiter guide explains how the zones are set up, and the minibus and school transport article covers the smaller vehicles.

Why bus operators fit limiters

• Passenger safety. A held speed means a bus that cannot be pushed faster by a late schedule or a driver in a hurry.
• Fuel. Diesel use climbs at higher speeds, and a bus on a long route spends many hours at cruising speed.
• Client and contract rules. Schools, companies and tour clients can ask for proof that the bus stays within a speed. TrackSpeed gives that evidence.
• Driver behaviour. The limiter takes the speed argument out of the cab.
• Tyres and brakes. A lower peak speed means less heat and slower wear.

For a wider look at coaches, see speed limiters for buses and coaches, and for the laws across the region the Latin America laws hub.

Fitting and support

We ship direct to your fleet with fitting instructions. Your own workshop team can fit the unit, or you can use a local auto-electrician or workshop of your choice. Fit times are about 1.5 hours for a DBW and about 60 minutes for System 80 and TrackSpeed, so a bus spends little time off the road. Our technical team supports you remotely.

AutoKontrol is part of Scorpion Group, which has built vehicle electronics since 1973. Our units are designed and manufactured in the UK and are ECE R89 type-approved.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a limitador de velocidad para buses?

A device or setting that stops a bus going faster than a chosen speed, however hard the driver presses the pedal. In Brazil the term is limitador de velocidade para ônibus.

What does a Peruvian bus need under the MTC rules?

Companies authorised for national scheduled passenger service declare a speed limiter programmed per the RNAT and provide a limiter certificate. The certificate covers an electronic injection system, an ECU calibrated so the vehicle does not exceed 110 km/h, and tamper-protection mechanisms.

Which speeds apply to buses in Argentina?

Resolución 19/2016 sets 100 km/h for long-distance and interurban M3 buses, 60 km/h for urban M3 buses and 100 km/h for M2 vehicles, each plus or minus 3 percent.

What equipment does a Brazilian school bus carry?

The Código de Trânsito Brasileiro lists a tachograph among the school transport equipment (art. 136 IV), alongside the yellow band marked “ESCOLAR”. A limitador de velocidade adds a held speed on top of the record.

Can my own workshop fit a limiter to a bus?

Yes. We ship direct with fitting instructions, and your workshop or a local auto-electrician can fit it. We support remotely.

Get a quote

Tell us your country, how many buses you run, their chassis make, model, year and engine type, and the speed you want to hold. We will recommend the right unit for each. Request a quote or email [email protected].