The color of school buses has become an iconic part of the American educational experience. Generations of students have ridden the bright yellow buses to and from school each day. However, school buses were not always yellow. In fact, the first school buses used a variety of colors before yellow became the standard. Investigating the history of school bus colors provides an interesting look into the evolution of school transportation in the United States.
The Early Years of School Buses
The first school buses in the United States were not actually buses at all. In the early 19th century, students often traveled to school in horse-drawn wagons. These wagons helped transport children from rural areas to consolidated town schools over unpaved roads.
In 1886, Richmond, Virginia became the first city to operate a fleet of school buses. However, these “buses” were actually just horse-drawn wagons that were designed specifically to carry children to school. The wagons were fitted with rows of wooden benches inside to seat students. A roof covered the benches to protect children from the weather.
| Year | Location | Type of Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 1886 | Richmond, VA | Horse-drawn wagon |
It was not until 1899 that the first gasoline-powered school buses were put into use. These early school buses were known as “kid hacks” and resembled a cross between a bus and a truck. They had wooden bodies mounted on truck chassis and were sometimes open-air vehicles.
The Rise of Enclosed School Buses
In the early 20th century, enclosed body school buses began to appear. These buses had metal bodies painted different colors like brown, green, gray, and black. Red was a particularly popular color for many early school buses.
In 1914, the first large-scale production of school buses began with the Wayne Works factory in Indiana. These buses were based on a chassis made by the Ford Model T. They had metal bodies painted battleship gray and could seat between 10 and 30 students.
| Year | Bus Details |
|---|---|
| 1914 | Metal-bodied buses produced by Wayne Works, painted battleship gray |
By the 1920s, gray, green, and black remained common school bus colors. Red also maintained popularity due to its enhanced visibility. Some buses even had contrasting colors with black hoods and yellow bodies. However, school buses still lacked standardization in design and color.
In 1939, Frank W. Cyr, a professor at Columbia University’s Teachers College, organized a conference focused on school bus safety standards. The conference resulted in 44 national standards for school buses being adopted, though color was not one of them.
The Adoption of Yellow
In the years following the 1939 conference, school bus design became largely standardized nationwide. But colors remained varied. By then, the colors in use were black, brown, blue, green, orange, red and yellow. Some local regulations began recommending orange or yellow for enhanced visibility, but no national standard existed.
In a 1939 survey reported in School Bus Fleet magazine, just 11% of respondents said their school buses were yellow. However, from 1939-1950, yellow buses would become increasingly common. By 1950, around 77% of school buses were yellow.
The adoption of yellow as the standard school bus color occurred gradually over this period. Yellow paint was relatively inexpensive and easy to apply. Research also indicated yellow was a highly visible color in daylight. In some states, new regulations required school buses to be painted yellow. For example, in 1948 Pennsylvania specified school buses must be chrome yellow.
| Year | Percentage of Total School Buses Yellow |
|---|---|
| 1939 | 11% |
| 1950 | 77% |
In a 1954 study sponsored by the National Education Association, researchers concluded that yellow was the safest color for school buses. The researchers noted:
“Yellow is a color which is most easily seen in normal daylight and has greater visibility in fog and at night. Scientific tests show that fastest recognition is provided by yellow.”
This confirmation of yellow’s superior visibility led to widespread adoption. By 1960, over 95% of American school buses were painted National School Bus Glossy Yellow.
Regulations and Standards
In 1972, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration formally adopted Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 102, which specified construction standards for school buses. This included standard #131, which instituted National School Bus Glossy Yellow as the national color for school buses.
The color specification was added for consistency and visibility. The standard defined the exact yellow hue along with testing procedures for color consistency. This ensured all school buses would be the same recognizable shade of yellow.
Requirements for retroreflective markings were also added in 1977 to further improve school bus visibility. Retroreflective tape added black lettering, outlines, and bars on the front, back, and sides of school buses.
Today, all school buses manufactured in the U.S. continue to use National School Bus Glossy Yellow along with retroreflective markings. Some exceptions are allowed for private school buses or those used for charter purposes. But for public school transportation, the iconic yellow school bus remains the standard.
School Bus Colors Outside the U.S.
While school buses in the United States are synonymous with the yellow color, school bus colors vary in other countries. This is due to differing regulations, traditions, and safety research.
In Canada, school bus color regulations are set at the provincial and territorial level. Most provinces use the same National School Bus Yellow as U.S. buses. But some provinces allow different colors. For example, school buses in British Columbia are often painted a bright green color.
In the United Kingdom, school buses have no set color and many are painted white or orange. In New Zealand, most school buses are orange or green. In Australia, school bus colors vary but are often based on the colors of local transit operators.
| Country | Common School Bus Colors |
|---|---|
| United States | Yellow |
| Canada | Yellow (varies by province) |
| United Kingdom | White, orange |
| New Zealand | Orange, green |
| Australia | Varies, often colors of transit operators |
The lack of color standardization outside the U.S. demonstrates there is no globally definitive school bus color. But for several generations of American students, the school bus has meant yellow. The adoption of this distinctive color is an important part of the history of school transportation in the United States.
Conclusion
School buses in their early years sported a rainbow of colors. But through research, regulations, and custom, yellow became the definitive shade. While some exceptions exist, today it is impossible to imagine an American school bus without its iconic golden yellow paint. The school bus yellow we now take for granted was gradually adopted over many decades to provide visibility, recognition, and safety for transporting students. Yellow became more than just a color – it became a symbol of the American school experience.