School Bus
A school bus is a uniquely designed and manufactured type of bus used for transporting children and teenagers to and from school and home (and visa versa) and or school activities, functions and events, inclusive of sporting events and activities. For the purpose of this discussion “school bus children” are defined as students (regardless of age) attending K through 12 grades only. Any school bus transporting College or University students, Church goers, or younger than Kindergarten aged children is not technically a school bus and not regulated in the same manner as school buses transporting K-12 students. Further, school buses are universally used in North America to transport summer camp children during the summer months. However, when providing camp transportation these same school buses are not regulated as a school bus. The first school bus was horse-drawn and placed into service in 1827, for a Quaker school in London, United Kingdom. It was designed and manufactured to carry up to 25 school-aged children and had no special “school” safety features built in.
In North America, a school bus is a specific type of State, Provincial and or Federally regulated transportation vehicle that is very distinct from other types of buses such as transit, motorcoach and charter buses. The United States and Canada mandate that only specially built and equipped vehicles may be classified as a school bus; as regulated, these vehicles are required to be painted school bus yellow (see picture below) and must be equipped with various types of warning and safety devices specific to a school bus and no other. A school bus must also be manufactured with unique structural safety features for side, frontal, rear and rollover impacts. Use of seat (safety) belts are a hotly debated subject in the United States and Canada, and as of this writing are not Federally mandatory. However, some States and Provinces do require the use of seat belts in newly manufactured school buses, and the United States and Canadian governments continue to debate the subject of school bus seat belts. In European and other countries throughout the world, most buses used for transporting school-aged children are more closely related in design and safety features to other types of buses such as transit and charter buses than their North American counterparts.
In the United States and Canada, school buses are primarily, but not exclusively, used to transport students. School buses are sometimes used for shuttles, Colleges, Universities, Churches and even as low-priced transportation for the public. Traditional school bus service is almost always provided without charge to families in North America. In the U.S., the term “busing” also refers to the transportation of school children to schools far from their closest local school. This is a subject we will not broach in this article. Modern school buses may be equipped with amenities that only a few years ago would not have been incorporated into a school bus. Such amenities are stereo systems, air-conditioning, heavily padded and individual seating, seat belts and higher headroom roofs — although high-headroom school buses have been an option since mid 1950.
General Statistics
North American school buses account for an estimated 10 billion student trips annually. School buses are generally purchased or leased by school districts and private carriers. Many school districts contract the service of private school bus companies to perform daily transportation. Regardless whether the school district or a private company provides the school bus transportation, government regulations must be universally adhered to regardless of ownership of the school bus. Approximately 40% of United States school districts utilize contractors to handle their student transportation. While in Canada, private school bus companies are used in 80%-90% of all student transportation. There are approximately 450,000 school buses that travel over 4 billion miles, and transport 25 million children daily to and from schools and school-related functions, events, field trips, and activities in the U.S. and Canada every year. About 50% of all Kindergarten through 12th grade students in the United States and Canada daily ride yellow school buses.
In North America, a school bus is a specific type of State, Provincial and or Federally regulated transportation vehicle that is very distinct from other types of buses such as transit, motorcoach and charter buses. The United States and Canada mandate that only specially built and equipped vehicles may be classified as a school bus; as regulated, these vehicles are required to be painted school bus yellow (see picture below) and must be equipped with various types of warning and safety devices specific to a school bus and no other. A school bus must also be manufactured with unique structural safety features for side, frontal, rear and rollover impacts. Use of seat (safety) belts are a hotly debated subject in the United States and Canada, and as of this writing are not Federally mandatory. However, some States and Provinces do require the use of seat belts in newly manufactured school buses, and the United States and Canadian governments continue to debate the subject of school bus seat belts. In European and other countries throughout the world, most buses used for transporting school-aged children are more closely related in design and safety features to other types of buses such as transit and charter buses than their North American counterparts.
In the United States and Canada, school buses are primarily, but not exclusively, used to transport students. School buses are sometimes used for shuttles, Colleges, Universities, Churches and even as low-priced transportation for the public. Traditional school bus service is almost always provided without charge to families in North America. In the U.S., the term “busing” also refers to the transportation of school children to schools far from their closest local school. This is a subject we will not broach in this article. Modern school buses may be equipped with amenities that only a few years ago would not have been incorporated into a school bus. Such amenities are stereo systems, air-conditioning, heavily padded and individual seating, seat belts and higher headroom roofs — although high-headroom school buses have been an option since mid 1950.
General Statistics
North American school buses account for an estimated 10 billion student trips annually. School buses are generally purchased or leased by school districts and private carriers. Many school districts contract the service of private school bus companies to perform daily transportation. Regardless whether the school district or a private company provides the school bus transportation, government regulations must be universally adhered to regardless of ownership of the school bus. Approximately 40% of United States school districts utilize contractors to handle their student transportation. While in Canada, private school bus companies are used in 80%-90% of all student transportation. There are approximately 450,000 school buses that travel over 4 billion miles, and transport 25 million children daily to and from schools and school-related functions, events, field trips, and activities in the U.S. and Canada every year. About 50% of all Kindergarten through 12th grade students in the United States and Canada daily ride yellow school buses.
