8 Fun Facts About School Buses

What "Back to School" Means for School Bus Drivers and Technicians

It's that time of the year again for parents to celebrate and kids to dread – back to school. It's also time for school bus drivers and technicians to get their heavy-duty vehicles back up and running for the year.

The school bus's origin story begins in 1886 with the invention of horse-drawn carriages known as school hacks or kid hacks in Indiana. Prior to this, students primarily either walked to school or rode farm machinery. Although the familiar yellow and black exterior has been a mainstay through generations, school bus technology continues to evolve and has a history that many may be unfamiliar with.

1. School Buses Have No Seat Belts

Chief among the facts that many people don't really think about are the lack of seat belts on school buses. But why – especially when you're transporting dozens of children back and forth each day?

What may seem like a huge oversight on the part of school bus companies actually has a very scientific explanation. Large school buses are heavier, and the crash forces are distributed differently than they are in regular passenger cars and light trucks. These differences lead to bus passengers experiencing significantly less crash force, and the strong, closely-spaced seats and energy-absorbing seat backs provide the necessary protection in the event of an accident.

2. School Buses are 70% Safer than Other Vehicles

Although they are not typically equipped with seat belts, school buses are also 70% safer than any other vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

"Students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a bus instead of traveling by car. That's because school buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road; they're designed to be safer than passenger vehicles in preventing crashes and injuries, and in every State, stop-arm laws protect children from other motorists."

3. All 50 States Have School Bus Traffic Laws

Knowing when you can pass a school bus and when you have to stop can be confusing, as evidenced by the fact that over 50,000 motorists illegally pass buses every day in New York state alone.

The fines can be hefty if you're caught passing a school bus when you're not supposed to, and dangerous if there are children crossing in front of the bus. In almost all states, it is required to stop for a stopped school bus whether you are approaching or are behind the bus. This rule applies if the road is three lanes or more and you are in the opposing lanes, but there are variations of this rule and others and it's best to do your homework on what your states current laws are for navigating around school buses.

4. Preventable Crashes Involving School Buses Happen Every Year

Over the past 11 years, school buses have averaged about 26,000 crashes annually, with 25% of fatalities being drivers and 75% being passengers, according to recent studies by the NHTSA.

A four-year research effort to identify improvements to school bus safety may see changes including:

• • Increasing seat back height by four inches


• • Requiring buses under 10,000 pounds to equip lap/shoulder restraints, which may also result in seat redesign to accommodate proper lap/shoulder belt fit


• • Standardized testing for voluntarily installed lap/shoulder belts

5. School Bus Drivers Should Also Conduct a Pre-Trip Inspection

Pre-trip vehicle inspections aren't only integral to commercial vehicles – they can also help prevent accidents and unexpected downtime for school buses . It's never a good thing to suddenly notice that something's wrong with the control or operation of a vehicle, but it can be especially dangerous with a bus full of children.

Before they begin their daily routes, school bus drivers should make it the standard to walk around the vehicle and keep an eye on:

• • Body inspection including mirrors, grilles, window panes, tires, lamps, wipers, shields, reflectors, and whatever else is visible to the naked eye


• • Engine inspection to identify leaking oil, broken seals, blocked vents, and any noticeable sounds or vibrations that could indicate that something's amiss in this critical system


• • Light indicators and horn as these are urgent repairs for school bus safety


• • Gears and pedals to ensure proper acceleration


• • Lubrication in pedals, steering, and other systems for smooth, fluid driving


• • Emergency/safety kit check


• • Meters and gauges for fuel, temperature, speed, and other essential measurements in the driving panel


• • Wheels – may no school bus driver ever pop a tire or lose any wheel components while on the job


• • Brake system . One of the most important systems to check before school bus drivers begin their day.

6. There are Three Different Sizes of School Buses

From an observer's point of view, all school buses might look the same, but there are actually three different types:

• • Mini school buses. These are typically 20-25 feet long, with a passenger capacity of 10-15 people.


• • Mid-sized school buses. Slightly larger at 25-35 feet with 54–78-person capacity. These buses look full-sized but are slightly shorter.


• • Full-sized school buses. At 35+ feet, these buses are also known as forward engines or rare engine buses. They hold 72-90 people

7. School Buses Aren't Just "Yellow"

So where does the bright, signature "school bus yellow" come from and why? After realizing in a decade-long study that school buses essentially had no standardization, educationists from Columbia University decided on that as the official color of all school buses.

But it's not actually pure yellow. National School Bus Chrome, as the color is officially called, is a mix of bright orange and soft yellow. Bonus fact: the meeting at Columbia University also established the standard dimensions of every bus to make school transportation safer.

8. Air Disc Brakes Have Made a Big Difference for School Bus Safety

Air disc brakes have been integral in improving the reliability and stopping power for commercial and heavy-duty vehicles across the country, and school buses have become the latest candidate for air disc technology.

While drum brakes can heat up and experience decreased performance during downhill and stop-and-go applications, the industry has seen the difference that air disc brakes have on overall safety. So much so, that all of North America's major school bus manufacturers including Blue Bird, Thomas Built, and IC, offer air disc brakes as a factory-installed option.

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