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Here’s Why School Buses Are Yellow

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school bus safety tips for drivers

As the new school year begins, America’s streets are once again filled with the eye-catching yellow buses that transport students to their classes. But why are these vehicles all the same color?

School transportation started to shift from horse-drawn carriages to motor vehicles in the early 20th century. By the 1930s, round-roofed buses had become the most popular option for carrying students.

In 1939, Dr. Frank Cyr set up a conference of state transportation officials to discuss and develop national safety standards for these buses. The group ended up proposing 44 standards, one of which was a uniform bus paint color: “national school bus glossy yellow.”


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School Bus
Photo: Pexels

This choice of color was based on science. Experiments have demonstrated that the human eye picks up on yellow faster than just about any other color. Yellow is also easy to see even in the early morning and evening, when most schoolchildren are being picked up and dropped off. The result: increased safety and visibility for students.

After the conference, 35 states and some parts of Canada quickly switched to yellow-painted buses. Other states took their time, though — four decades’ worth. By 1974, all U.S. school buses finally sported the same color.

Today, the yellow school bus has become deeply ingrained in American culture. Although even more noticeable colors have been discovered or developed in the past 80 years, most people’s brains instantly connect this unique shade to the presence of a school bus, making them much more likely to drive with caution — and keep kids safe.


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