Citizendia
Your Ad Here

An IC Corporation CE300 bus transporting American students.
An IC Corporation CE300 bus transporting American students. IC Corporation is a builder of School buses in the United States which was established in 1933 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
A private light bus for students in Hong Kong.
A private light bus for students in Hong Kong. A Public light bus is a common public Mode of transport in Hong Kong.
A typical Hong Kong school bus from a retrofitted goods vehicle. These typically serve kindergarten and primary schools, due to the tiny seats installed.
A typical Hong Kong school bus from a retrofitted goods vehicle. These typically serve kindergarten and primary schools, due to the tiny seats installed.

A school bus is a bus used to transport children and adolescents to and from school and school events. CHILD syndrome (or congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defects) is a genetic disorder The Adolescents are a Hardcore punk band formed in 1980 in Fullerton, California. A school (from Greek σχολεῖον - scholeion) is an Institution designed to allow and encourage Students (or "pupils" The first school bus was horse-drawn, introduced in 1827 by George Shillibeer for a Quaker school at Abney Park in Stoke Newington, London, United Kingdom and was designed to carry 25 children. Year 1827 ( MDCCCXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common George Shillibeer ( August 11, 1797, St Marylebone, London – August 21, 1866, Brighton England) was an Abney Park in Stoke Newington, north-east London UK is a historic parkland originally laid out in the early 18th century by Lady Mary Abney and Note For an area with a similar name see Newington, in the London Borough of Southwark. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located [1] The bus has subsequently become a major mode of transportation, particularly for transporting children to school. Children may travel to school on regular public bus services. In some cases public bus services may run field trips and high school athletic events, and private coach services may put on their own paid services. A field trip is a journey by a group of people to a place away from their normal environment In British English and Australian English, the term coach is used to refer to a large motor vehicle for conveying passengers In North America, however, the school bus is itself a specific type of bus distinct from other buses. Canada and the United States have specially built, painted and equipped school buses. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United States of America —commonly referred to as the They are commonly painted a "yellow-orange" color (officially known as "National School Bus Chrome Yellow") for purposes of visibility and safety and equipped with specialized traffic warning devices, with the exception of school activity buses (normally used exclusively for point-to-point field and athletic trips and not used for home delivery routes) which are built to the same standards but are customarily some color other than yellow-orange and also often not equipped with traffic warning devices. School bus yellow is a Color which was especially formulated for use on United States School buses in 1939 Most school buses purchased in recent years have been diesel-powered or hybrid. Diesel or Diesel fuel (ˈdiːzəl in general is any Fuel used in Diesel engines The most common is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum Full-size school buses can seat 59 to 90 passengers, but in many districts smaller vehicles are used as well. Such smaller vehicles are commonly known as "short buses", and are often used for low-density routes associated with private schools and for magnet programs, as well as those for developmentally-challenged students. A short bus is a School bus that is as the name implies shorter than a normal sized school bus Engine manufacturers include International, Genesis, Ford, Mack, and others; whereas bus bodies are manufactured by Blue Bird, Thomas and IC Corp.

Most U. International Harvester Company ( IHC or IH; now Navistar International Corporation) was an agricultural machinery construction equipment Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following The Blue Bird Corporation is a large manufacturer of school and activity Buses Blue Bird's corporate headquarters are in Ft Valley, Georgia, US Thomas Built Buses Inc is a Bus manufacturer based in High Point North Carolina, United States and a subsidiary of Daimler AG. International Harvester Company ( IHC or IH; now Navistar International Corporation) was an agricultural machinery construction equipment S. school districts purchase the buses and hire their own drivers, while others engage the service of school bus contractors such as Laidlaw to perform this function. School districts are a form of Special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools A school bus contractor is a private company or proprietorship which provides School bus service to a school district or non-public school For the baron see Irvine Laidlaw Baron Laidlaw The average cost of a new school bus is between $60,000 and $100,000 although used school buses can be bought for as little as $3,000. School bus services in the UK in almost all cases are contracted out to local bus companies. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Elsewhere in Europe school bus services are contracted to local bus companies, which use regional buses that operate on regular lines at other times, or in some cases older regional buses.

Contents

History

Early modes: wagons, kid hacks

Wayne Works, predecessor of Wayne Corporation, was founded in the United States of America in 1837. Wayne Corporation was a large manufacturer of Buses and other vehicles branded with the Trade name "Wayne The United States of America —commonly referred to as the By 1886, and possibly earlier, it is known that the company was making horse-drawn school carriages which many people referred to as "school hacks," "school cars," "school trucks," or "kid hacks. A kid hack was a Horse -drawn vehicle used for transporting children to school in the late 19th and early 20th century in the United States. " ("hack" was a term for certain types of horse-drawn carriages. See also Taxicab ||-||-||}A hackney or hackney carriage (also called a cab or hack) is a Carriage or Automobile )

Motorized vehicles, early school buses

In 1914, Wayne Works dropped a wooden kid hack onto an automobile chassis, creating a predecessor to the modern motor school bus. In the bodies for school transportation the company produced through this era, passengers sat on perimeter seating, facing the center rather than the front of the bus. Entry and egress was through a door at the rear, a design begun in non-motorized days so as not to startle the horses. This was possibly a precursor to the rear emergency door commonly found on modern school buses.

In 1927, Blue Bird Body Company and Wayne Works began building all-steel bus bodies In 1932, Gillig Bros. built their first school bus, which was an all-steel unit and by the mid 1930s, nearly every school bus manufacturer was using steel over wood or other materials for body construction. The Blue Bird Corporation is a large manufacturer of school and activity Buses Blue Bird's corporate headquarters are in Ft Valley, Georgia, US Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros, is a manufacturer of heavy-duty Transit buses located in Hayward CA. In the 1930s, many school bus manufacturers also began installing additional exterior "rails" along the length of their buses to add structural rigidity and to aid in passenger protection. Known as either crash, rub, or guard rails, Wayne Works was the first known manufacturer to utilize them in bus construction.

Early school buses primarily served rural areas where it was deemed impractical for the young students to walk the distances necessary to get back and forth from school on their own, and were sometimes no more than a truck with perhaps a tarpaulin stretched over the truck bed. Rural areas can be large and isolated (also referred to as "the country" and/or "the countryside over the course of time

Wayne Works was one of the earliest school bus companies to offer glass in place of the standard canvas curtains in the passenger area long before many "school" bus companies did in the early 1930s, although it was Gillig Bros, who had invented and patented the design long before [2]. Known as the "California top", the design featured a slightly curved reinforced metal roof, with windows separated by pillars at regular intervals, and each window was adjustable by the use of a latching mechanism.

Transit-style school buses

Crown Supercoach
Crown Supercoach

In the 1930s, Wayne Works, Crown Coach, Gillig Bros., and other school bus body companies manufactured some transit-style school buses, that is, types with a more or less flat front-end design (known in modern times as "type D" school buses). Wayne Corporation was a large manufacturer of Buses and other vehicles branded with the Trade name "Wayne Crown Coach Corporation was founded by D Brockway in 1904 as the "Crown Carriage Company" in Los Angeles California, eventually moving factory operations to Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros, is a manufacturer of heavy-duty Transit buses located in Hayward CA. Crown Coach built the first heavy duty, high capacity, transit style school coach in 1932 and named it the "Supercoach", as many California school districts operated in terrain requiring heavy duty vehicles. Another factor in the rapid rise in transit-style school bus sales in the 1950s, especially on the West Coast, was the "Baby Boom" generation. School districts were faced with a rapid rise in student counts and were forced to consolidate, buy larger school buses, or both. As a result, the use of the transit style school bus skyrocketed during the mid 1950s. In 1959, Gillig Bros. introduced the very first rear-engine diesel-powered school bus. The C-180 Transit Coach soon afterwards became the most popular rear-engine transit-style school bus on the west coast.

In 1950, Albert L. Luce, founder of the Blue Bird Body Company, developed a transit style design which evolved into the Blue Bird All-American, generally considered the first successful east coast school bus transit design. Albert L Luce was an American industrialist He is best known for founding the Blue Bird Body Company a bus and Recreational vehicle manufacturer now known as Blue-Bird Corporation The Blue Bird Corporation is a large manufacturer of school and activity Buses Blue Bird's corporate headquarters are in Ft Valley, Georgia, US However, the "conventional" design, with a truck type hood and front-end (known as type C on modern school buses) was to continue to dominate US school bus manufacturing through the end of the 20th century.

Dr. Frank W. Cyr: father of the yellow school bus

Children boarding a school bus in 1940.
Children boarding a school bus in 1940.

Most school buses turned the now-familiar yellow color beginning in 1939. In April of that year, Dr. Frank W. Cyr, a professor at Teachers College at Columbia University in New York organized a conference that established national school bus construction standards, including the standard color of yellow for the school bus. Frank W Cyr, PhD ( July 7, 1900 – August 1, 1995) was an American Educator and Author known especially for Columbia University is a private University in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. In a meeting, two or more people come together for the purpose of discussing a (usually predetermined topic such as business or community event planning often in a formal setting It became known officially as "National School Bus Chrome," later renamed "National School Bus Glossy Yellow. School bus yellow is a Color which was especially formulated for use on United States School buses in 1939 School bus yellow is a Color which was especially formulated for use on United States School buses in 1939 " The color, which has come to be frequently called simply "school bus yellow", was selected because black lettering on that hue was easiest to see in the semi-darkness of early morning and late afternoon. Black is the Color of objects that do not emit or Reflect Light in any part of the Visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of The first rule of heraldry is the rule of tincture: metal should not be put on metal nor colour on colour (Humphrey Llwyd 1568)

The conference met for seven days and the attendees created a total of 45 standards, including specifications regarding body length, ceiling height, and aisle width. Dr. Cyr's conference, funded by a US $5,000 grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, was also a landmark event inasmuch as it included transportation officials from each of the then 48 states, as well as specialists from school bus manufacturing and paint companies. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been Grants are funds dispersed by one party (Grant Makers often a Government Department Corporation Foundation or Trust to a recipient, often (but not always The Rockefeller Foundation (RF is a prominent Philanthropic organization and Private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue New York City. The conference approach to school bus safety, as well as the yellow color, has endured into the 21st century.

Growth in school bus use after World War II

Following World War II, there were movements in Canada and the U. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including S. to consolidate public schools into fewer and larger ones, leading to an increase in demand for school buses. Rapid urban growth also outpaced school construction; coupled with the population expansion brought on by the baby boomers themselves having children, the need for busing within large urban centres in North America became acute. Baby boomer is a term used to describe a person who was born during the Post-World War II baby boom between 1946 and 1964

School buses in Europe

In Berlin, state-run schools do not provide school bus services for students of all ages, including Kindergarten (day care in Canada in the United States) and Pre-School (Kindergarten in Canada and the United States). Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Children are expected to walk to school or take public transit, including the U-Bahn and S-Bahn to school. This article has been partially translated from the German Wikipedia article Private schools offer school bus services. In state-run schools, the schools are not provided with school buses for use by teachers taking their children on field trips and children as young as 3 years old are taken on field trips using the U-Bahn and S-Bahn, despite the obvious danger of high speed trains entering the stations and with only 2 or 3 teachers and assistants accompanying the children. A field trip is a journey by a group of people to a place away from their normal environment A field trip is a journey by a group of people to a place away from their normal environment This article has been partially translated from the German Wikipedia article

United States safety issues

A Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner HDX in South Florida using its warning systems to stop traffic.
A Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner HDX in South Florida using its warning systems to stop traffic.

Protecting school children loading and unloading

By the mid 1940's, most states had traffic laws requiring motorists to stop for school buses while children were loading or unloading. Law is a system of rules enforced through a set of Institutions used as an instrument to underpin civil obedience politics economics and society The justifications for this protocol were that:

Warning lights and safety devices

School bus safety officials were aware that many accidents occurred when traffic was not aware that the hazard existed, and children on foot were hit by other vehicles. The standardized yellow color helped and warning lettering was painted in large letters on school buses. Several devices were developed to help school bus drivers warn other motorists.

Around 1946, one of the early (and possibly the first) systems of alternating traffic warning lights on school buses was used in Virginia. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state In those days before the advent of transistors and advanced plastic lens technology, an alternating system was created by using sealed beam headlight bulbs with the lenses colored red, and a mechanical motor and solenoids to alternate the high and low beam filaments in the single bulb fixtures mounted at the front and rear of the bus. In Electronics, a transistor is a Semiconductor device commonly used to amplify or switch electronic signals Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products A lens is an optical device with perfect or approximate Axial symmetry which transmits and refracts Light, converging or diverging An electric motor uses Electrical energy to produce Mechanical energy. A solenoid is a three-dimensional Coil. In Physics, the term solenoid refers to a loop of wire often wrapped around a Metallic core which An electrical filament is a thread of Metal, usually Tungsten, which is used to convert Electricity into light in Incandescent light bulbs (as developed The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is a source of electric Light that works by Incandescence, (a general School children and drivers were subjected to a loud tick-tock noise from the flasher motor as it was operating. Activation was typically through a mechanical switch attached to the door control. However, on some buses such as Gillig's Transit Coach models and the Kenworth-Pacific School Coach, activation of the roof warning lamp system was through the use of a pressure sensitive switch on a manually-controlled stop paddle lever located to the left of the driver's seat below the window. Whenever the pressure was relieved by extending the stop paddle, the electrical current was activated to the relay.

Around this time, some states began specifying a mechanical stop arm (some state specifications, such as Washington state refer to the device as a "stop paddle", due to its resemblance to a large paddle) which the driver could activate to swing out from the left side of the bus to warn traffic. The portion of the stop arm protruding in front of traffic initially started out as a rectangle with "STOP" painted on it, and in the late 1960s the rectangle shape was replaced by an octagon-shaped sign bearing a typical stop sign, with "STOP" applied to both sides.

In later years, flashing lights were added to the stop arms, mechanical flasher devices were replaced by electronic ones, and the front and rear warning lights were increased from two to four and eventually eight (in most states; Wisconsin still does not allow the use of a full 8-way roof warning flasher system). Plastic lenses were developed in the 1950s which offered greater visibility and significantly lower costs than the early systems which used colored headlight bulbs, although manufacturers such as Gillig and Crown Coach Corporation were still using the sealed-beam glass bulb design until well into the 1980s and early 1990s.

Many school districts are purchasing buses with two stop arms, the additional one located on the left side near the rear of the bus, for extra safety.

School bus stop laws

Main article: School bus traffic stop laws

School bus stop laws vary by locale and there is controversy regarding them and school bus safety. School bus stop laws vary by locale and there is controversy regarding them and School bus safety

Protecting children from their own bus

A major hazard to children riding school buses is being struck by their own bus. In the United States, approximately 2/3 of students killed outside a school bus are not struck by other vehicles, but by their own bus. [1] Recently, many buses have been equipped with wire or plastic arms which extend from the front bumper on the right side of the bus while it is stopped for loading/unloading. The purpose of the device is that children who need to cross the road will be forced to walk several feet forward of the front of the bus itself before they can begin to cross the road, thus ensuring that the bus driver can see them as they cross in front of the bus, avoiding a common blind spot immediately in front of the bus.

Key concepts

Carpenter school bus
Carpenter school bus

The key concepts for preventative measures are under the control of school bus drivers and their riders:

Danger zones

Structural integrity

As the school bus evolved in the United States and Canada as a specialized vehicle, there became concerns for the protection of the school children during major impacts. A weak point and location of structural failure in catastrophic school bus crashes was well-known to be joints, the points where panels and pieces were fastened together.

Longitudinal steel guard rails had been in use since the 1930s to protect the sides of buses, but behind them on the sides and on the roofs, by the 1960s, all manufacturers were combining many individual steel panels to construct a bus body. These were usually attached by rivets or similar fasteners such as huckbolts.

Around 1967, Ward Body Company of Conway, Arkansas subjected one of their school bus bodies to multiple roll, and noted the separation at the joints, as well as pointing out that many of their competitors were using far fewer rivets. IC Corporation is a builder of School buses in the United States which was established in 1933 Conway is the County seat of Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States. This resulted in new attention by all the body companies to the number and quality of fasteners.

Simply increasing the number of fasteners (rivets, screws, and huckbolts) was not enough to satisfy engineers at Wayne Corporation in Richmond, Indiana. Wayne Corporation was a large manufacturer of Buses and other vehicles branded with the Trade name "Wayne Richmond (ˈrɪtʃmənd is a city in Wayne Township, Wayne County, in east central Indiana, which borders Ohio. In their tests, no matter how many fasteners were used, the joints were always the weak point under high stress loads. They also noted how the continuous guard rails used on the sides tended to spread the stress from a point of impact, allowing it to be shared and dissipated at portions of the body structure further away.

Instead of trying to figure out how to make the fasteners do a better job, they stood back and wondered if the design features of the guard rails could be expanded. The result was a revolutionary new design in school bus construction: Continuous longitudinal interior and exterior panels for the sides and roofs.

Branded the Lifeguard, the new school bus design used Wayne's huge roll-forming presses to make single steel pieces which extended the entire length of the bus body. The concept was that by reducing the number of joints, the number of places where the body could be anticipated to separate in a catastrophic impact was reduced in a like amount.

The "Lifeguard" design reduced overall body weight, the number of fasteners used, and man-hours required for assembly. However, it required the very large roll-form presses and special equipment to handle the panels. A more practical problem was the panels had to be cut to exact length for each bus body order, which varied with seating capacities and from state-to-state. This created a marketing disadvantage as the Wayne factory required greater manufacturing lead time than when parts were more interchangeable between orders under older panel technology.

In the years after Wayne introduced the Lifeguard design in the 1973 model year, competing body manufacturers began moving towards using fewer side panels and joints, although none went as far as Wayne in the 1970s.

The Emergency door release on a Saf-T-Liner HDX.
The Emergency door release on a Saf-T-Liner HDX. The Thomas Saf-T-Liner HDX is a commercial School bus that began production in 2004 by the Thomas bus company

Governmental standards for school buses

United States

The focus on structural integrity resulted in the joint requirements of the U. S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for school buses, most of which became applicable for school buses on April 1, 1977. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays The following, including Standard 221 (joint strength) are generally considered to be the most important, even thirty years later.

Standard No. 217 - Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release (Effective September 1, 1973) This standard establishes minimum requirements for bus window retention and release to reduce the likelihood of passenger ejection in crashes; and for emergency exits to facilitate passenger exit in emergencies. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. It also requires that each school bus have an interlock system which will prevent the engine from starting if an emergency door is locked (preventing escape in an emergency) and an audible warning system which will sound an alarm if an emergency door release mechanism is not closed while the engine is running.

Standard No. 220 - School Bus Rollover Protection (Effective April 1, 1977) This standard establishes performance requirements for school bus rollover protection. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays The purpose of this standard is to reduce the number of deaths and the severity of injuries that result from failure of the school bus body structure to withstand forces encountered in rollover crashes.

Standard No. 221 - School Bus Body Joint Strength (Effective April 1, 1977) This standard establishes requirements for the strength of the body panel joints in school bus bodies. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays The purpose of this standard is to reduce deaths and injuries resulting from the structural collapse of school bus bodies during crashes.

Standard No. 222 - School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection (Effective April 1, 1977) This standard establishes occupant protection requirements for school bus passenger seating and restraining barriers. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays The purpose of this standard is to reduce the number of deaths and the severity of injuries that result from the impact of school bus occupants against structures within the vehicle during crashes and sudden driving maneuvers.

Standard No. 301 - Fuel System Integrity - School Buses (Effective April 1, 1977) This standard specifies requirements for the integrity of motor vehicle fuel systems. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Fuel is any material that is burned or altered in order to obtain energy Its purpose is to reduce deaths and injuries occurring from fires that may result from fuel spillage during and after motor vehicle crashes.

Continuing safety efforts since 1977

2000-02 Ford E-350 based school bus
2000-02 Ford E-350 based school bus

The new Federal Standards of 1977 for school buses represented a quantum leap in school bus safety. Other efforts and innovations were to continue.

More sophisticated and comprehensive mirror systems were developed to help drivers see children who were off the bus at almost all times. A mirror is an object with a surface that has good Specular reflection; that is it is smooth enough to form an Image.

Crossing gates were developed to help children avoid walking in the area immediately in front of the bus.

Reflective striping, LED and strobe lights were added in the 1980s and 1990s.

Modern school buses are often well equipped with amenities lacking only a few years ago such as air conditioning, two-way radios, high headroom roofs (Gillig and Crown Coach were producing high-headroom school buses as early as the mid 1950s) and wheelchair lifts (typically those with lifts are shorter than their counterparts and are sometimes exclusively assigned to carry disabled children). The term air conditioning refers to the cooling and dehumidification of indoor air for Thermal comfort. Radio is the transmission of signals by Modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible Light. A wheelchair is a wheeled Mobility device in which the user sits

Video cameras and recorders have become common equipment installed inside school buses, primarily to monitor (and record) behavior of the passengers. Video is the technology of electronically capturing, Recording, processing storing transmitting and reconstructing a sequence of Still images However, on March 28, 2000, a Murray County, Georgia, school bus was involved in a wreck with a CSX freight train at an unsignalled grade crossing, killing 3 children. Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Murray County is a County located in the US state of Georgia. Although the school bus driver claimed to have stopped and looked for approaching trains before proceeding across the tracks, the onboard camera clearly recorded that the bus had not stopped as it approached the tracks prior to the collision.

Seat belts in school buses

Compartmentalization was introduced in 1967, setting the ideal seat back height at 28 inches (although most seat heights are now 24 inches tall). The premise was that surrounding passengers with cushioning to the front and behind provide effective constraint in the event of a collision.

Although not an element of compartmentalization, the UCLA researchers who conducted the 1967 tests on school buses concluded that after high back seats, next in importance to school bus passenger collision safety is the "use of a three-point belt, a lap belt or other form of effective restraint. "

Very few school buses have seat belts, a standard safety feature in cars and light duty passenger vehicles. A seat belt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a Safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a Vehicle against harmful movement that may result from In 1977, as provided in Standard 222, the federal government required passive restraint and structural integrity standards for school buses in lieu of requiring lap seat belts. In the 1980s, some districts in the US tried installing lap belts and then later removed them, claiming operational and passenger behavior problems. Whether lap belts should be required remains very controversial, although they are now required in at least 4 states (New York, New Jersey, California and Florida). New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the School buses in Texas will be required to be equipped with seat belts by 2010/2011. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. For the film see 2010 The Year We Make Contact. For the book see 2010 Odyssey Two. 2011 ( MMXI) will be a Common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. [2]

However, only one state, New Jersey, requires seat belt usage. In other states it is up to the district whether to use seat belts or not.

Arguments against seat belts

School buses have an excellent safety record, and are among the safest forms of travel despite not having seat belts. School buses are heavy and move slowly; in the event of an accident, it cannot experience that same drastic change in speed and direction as smaller automobiles do (see Newton's laws of motion). Newton's laws of motion are three Physical laws which provide relationships between the Forces acting on a body and the motion of the Hence passengers are not thrown from their seats as easily, unlike automobiles. [3]

Most fatal injuries on school buses are of other types than those preventable by seat belts. Compartmentalization already provides an effective constraint system, and having seat belts is seen as a redundant system. At costs of $1500 per bus to install lap belts and more for 3-point belts, the money needed to supply seat belts can be better spent in other, more protective systems. [4]

Lap belts can be unsafe for young children. In any case, seat belts are a hindrance in cases of rapid evacuation. Children can become unable to free themselves. On buses equipped with seat belts, users typically ignore the seat belts, and in some bus routes, there are more children per seat than seat belts. Some children may even swing the belt around at those near them, in which case the heavy metal buckle can be quite dangerous.

Arguments for seat belts

Arguments for seat belts generally come from concerned parents and teachers. The issue is on the agenda for the national PTA in Washington, although not a high priority at this time.

First, studies showing the ineffectiveness of seat belts on school buses are flawed. Some believe Standard 222 was doctored by the NHTSA to meet other agendas. Others point to the use of lap belts over three-point belts, frontal crash tests over side impact tests, and the lack of rollover tests. All of these would have significantly improved the performance of seat belts versus compartmentalization. [5]

Second, cost effectiveness is always a controversial issue. Some parents would argue that even saving the life of one child justifies the increased costs of installing seat belts. Diminished seating capacity can be offset by purchasing additional buses, and safety should be a higher priority than saving money.

Third, three-point belt systems are promoted over lap belts, (lap belts which were criticized for causing injury to younger children). Studies have been conducted using three point belts by companies who manufacture them; these studies prove that the child's safety is greatly increased when using their product. (http://www.safeguardseat.com/)[6] As to the issue of rapid evacuation, it can be argued that children wearing the seat belts are physically unharmed to begin with and therefore should be able to get themselves out. Finally, drivers will be forced to enforce the wearing of seat belts as part of the legislation.

Standards for non-school bus operatives

Main article: Carrollton bus collision

Church bus and school bus safety have always been closely related issues in the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the However, they were linked more closely in the aftermath of a crash in 1988.

A bus accident at Carrollton, Kentucky in 1988 involving a church bus which had been originally built and served as a school bus was one of the deadliest bus accidents in United States history. The driver and 26 other people, many of them teenagers and younger, were killed in the crash and the ensuing fire, and 34 other bus passengers sustained minor to critical injuries. Six bus passengers were not injured. It was quickly realized that many factors came together. While the immediate cause was the drunk driver of the other vehicle, it was additionally realized that most of the deaths on the bus occurred because the occupants could not evacuate promptly after the impact.

The accident resulted in a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)[7] investigation and report, as well as extensive media coverage and considerable litigation. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB is an independent U "Popular press" redirects here note that the University of Wisconsin Press publishes under the imprint "The Popular Press" In law a lawsuit is a civil action brought before a Court in which the party commencing the action the Plaintiff, seeks a legal or equitable remedy Subsequently, many federal, state, and local agencies and bus manufacturers changed regulations, vehicle features, and operating practices. One of the key factors in making the event was the fact that the bus was of an obsolete design which had been abandoned in school bus construction after April 1, 1977. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays The unprotected fuel tank was actually mounted outside the frame rails near the front of the bus. This bus was also fueled by gasoline rather than the more typical modern choice of diesel fuel. Diesel or Diesel fuel (ˈdiːzəl in general is any Fuel used in Diesel engines The most common is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum While pre-1977 buses have long been phased out of most school bus usage, many similar buses are still in use as church buses, which are far less regulated, even today.

Many of the hundreds of various professional individuals who were involved in aspects of 1988 accident and the aftermath hoped that their efforts then and since will continue to contribute to making sure that such a combination of human and vehicle flaws will never result in another tragedy of this magnitude. Yet even 20 years later, some also feel that it is important to revisit the issues, especially some aspects which could still occur again.

Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia[8] are the only American states where school bus stop laws are similarly applied to church buses if equipped with flashing red lights used on school buses, and operated in compliance with school bus laws. Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States. The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Other states may have vehicles marked church buses, but they have no church bus stop laws similar to school bus stop laws.

A School Bus in Ahmnebad India slid of a bridge when trying to avoid a car. The bus plunged into the water. 42 students died in the crash because they were unable to exit the bus under water. Three survived.

Pollution

Generally, a school bus is a pollution-reducing alternative to individual parents driving children to and from school, even when carpooling is taken into consideration. The use of a single school bus can take as many as fifty private cars off the road. However, buses are not a pollution-free alternative, like biking or walking. Since most school buses burn diesel, the amount of pollution emitted has been a concern for some people. Many school buses sit at idle while waiting for passengers at a pickup stop or school. Most are also sitting at idle while children are on- and off-loaded.

The exposure of young children and teenagers to large amounts of diesel fumes daily for a long period of time (over ten years) has led to clean diesel requirements for new school buses in some places. However, some school district fleets include a few school buses which are over 30 years old.

As a result, diesel electric hybrid, compressed natural gas, and hydrogen powered school buses have been developed. Some buses have been retrofitted with emission control technologies and particulate matter filters, while others are being replaced.

Fuel Costs

The rise in fuel costs after Hurricane Katrina resulted in many school boards running deficits. Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States Fuel costs are the largest variable in a school board's budget, and are now also their greatest concern.

As a result, many school districts are looking to purchase diesel electric hybrid buses. Regenerative braking on these buses also reduces the number of brake replacements and labor costs of maintenance.

Diesel Electric Hybrids

IC Corporation, in collaboration with Enova Systems, unveiled the nation's first hybrid school bus in 2006 at the New York Association of Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) Show. The hybrid school bus is expected to attain a 40 percent increase in fuel efficiency, which becomes even more essential with the rising fuel costs affecting many school districts. Lower maintenance costs are also expected.

Eleven states have joined together for an exploratory purchase of 19 school buses from IC Corporation. New York, California, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, Iowa and Washington will be the first states in the nation to receive these diesel electric hybrid school buses.

Currently, 16 of the buses are fully funded and International Truck and Engine Corporation has started production on the ordered buses for delivery in late spring 2007.

School busing for racial purposes

Main article: Desegregation busing

During the era of segregation in the United States, school buses were often used to transport Black students to all-black schools, which were often further away from their homes than other public schools designated for white students. Desegregation busing in the United States (also known as forced busing or busing) is the practice of attempting to integrate schools by assigning students to African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Sometimes, these were in only one or two locations within an entire county or other school district. A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. School districts are a form of Special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools

After the United States Supreme Court ruled in the case of Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 that school and other segregation was an unconstitutional violation of rights granted to all citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment, some districts either voluntarily or by court order introduced new pupil assignment plans to promote racial desegregation. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. Brown v Board of Education of Topeka, 347 US 483 (1954 was a Landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court, which overturned earlier The Fourteenth Amendment ( Amendment XIV) to the United States Constitution is one of the post- Civil War Reconstruction Amendments, first Desegregation is the process of ending Racial segregation, most commonly used in reference to the United States. School districts in such situations were spread across virtually the entire United States, including those of many cities such as Los Angeles, California, Boston, Massachusetts, Wichita, Kansas, Cleveland, Ohio, and Norfolk, Virginia. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Wichita (ˈwɪtʃɪtaː is the most populous City in the US state of Kansas, and the county seat of Sedgwick County. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state Norfolk is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States

The desegregation plans usually resulted in more pupils of all races assigned to schools further from their homes than before. School buses (and city transit buses in some instances) were often used to transport the students reassigned to different schools beyond a reasonable walking distance. Opponents of this concept began to decry the practice as "forced busing". Desegregation busing in the United States (also known as forced busing or busing) is the practice of attempting to integrate schools by assigning students to

In cities such as Richmond, Virginia, when a massive program began in 1971, parents of all races complained about the long rides, hardships with transportation for extracurricular activities, and the separation of siblings when elementary schools at opposite sides of the city were "paired," (i. This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. e. splitting lower and upper elementary grades into separate schools).

In an effort to satisfy parents concerned about mandated long bus rides, many districts such as Richmond later modified their pupil placement plans to provide attractive programs in "magnet schools", and built new school buildings and reconfigured older buildings to develop logistically more favorable attendance plans which met desegregation goals. A magnet school is a School which offers specialized courses or curricula. Combined with changes in housing patterns, the forced busing programs were gradually eliminated as the courts nationwide released districts from orders under old lawsuits.

Today, school buses are still used in most of these districts, but this is much more due to reduced walking zones, concern for pupil safety, and a wider choice of programs and locations for many students.

Statistics

In the United States every year, approximately 440,000 public school buses travel more than 4 billion miles and daily transport 25 million children to and from schools and school-related activities. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the School buses account for an estimated 10 billion student trips each year. [9] That means approximately 54% of all K–12 students in the country ride yellow school buses. [10]

Retired school buses

When a school bus is retired from school transportation in the United States, most states have requirements that school bus lettering must be covered or removed and warning devices deactivated or removed. At least one state prohibits non-school buses from being more than 50% yellow, reserving the color on buses for school buses only. Regulations vary from state to state. Conversely, depending on state regulations, school buses may also retain their warning devices and lettering (for which usually just the "SCHOOL BUS roof lettering is allowed to remain) after retirement shall the new owner decide to restore it to factory-new condition.

The large quantity of school buses retired from daily service has led to some being exported to Latin America for use as passenger buses, sometimes known as chicken buses. A Chicken Bus (Spanish "camioneta" is a colloquial English name for a colorful modified and decorated US School bus and Transit bus

Market value of a school bus

Although a new school bus commands a very high price, around $65,000-$110,000, a used school bus will often sell for far less than what was initially paid. Due to the very high depreciation of a used school bus, it is not uncommon to see used school buses sell for $500–$2500 at surplus auctions, and around $3000–$5000 on the used bus sales markets. These prices give the opportunity for an ordinary person to purchase a bus.

Passenger transport

Special Purpose Bus

Many school districts also have started using shorter buses. These buses usually contain only 5 to 7 rows of seats, often with areas for wheelchair-dependent persons. An elevator is often included on these buses to aid in the loading of disabled students. The other students use the usual stairs up to the seating deck. Each bus usually carries two drivers. One drives, while the other cares for the riders.

Non-passenger use

School bus manufacturers

1980–2000: Industry consolidation, fallen flags

In 1980, in the U. S. , there were six major school bus body companies building large school buses, mostly making bodies for chassis from four truck manufacturers, joined by two coach-type school bus builders on the West Coast. With the baby boom years which swelled the ranks of school children in the past, the manufacturing industry faced serious over-capacity as companies vied and competed for lower volumes of purchases by school bus contractors, school districts, and several states which purchase their buses in quantity at the state level. A baby boom is any period of greatly increased birth rate during a certain period and usually within certain geographical bounds and when the birth rate exceeds 2% of the population A school bus contractor is a private company or proprietorship which provides School bus service to a school district or non-public school School districts are a form of Special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools

On the West Coast, Crown Coach closed its doors in Chino, California in March of 1991. Crown Coach Corporation was founded by D Brockway in 1904 as the "Crown Carriage Company" in Los Angeles California, eventually moving factory operations to Chino is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The property buildings are completely gone, leaving an unwanted and very dirty piece of land. GE, who still does own the rights to Crown, can't sell it. Product rights and tooling were sold to Carpenter, and resulted in some Crown-by-Carpenter products in the 1990s. The other builder, Gillig Bros. (by then just simply known as the Gillig Corporation), dropped school bus production to focus on the transit bus market, and remained in business. Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros, is a manufacturer of heavy-duty Transit buses located in Hayward CA. A transit bus (US (also known as a commuter bus, city bus, or public bus) is a Bus used for Public transport purposes By mid 2000, there were only three body builders left (AmTran, Blue Bird, and Thomas Built Buses), and a corporate consolidation of two of those with truck manufacturers (AmTran with Navistar in 1994, Thomas with Freightliner in 1998) reduced the model selection further.

Ward had evolved into AmTran from 1980 to 1992, which would be completely absorbed into Navistar two years later. Navistar International Corporation ( (formerly International Harvester Company) is a manufacturer of International brand commercial trucks MaxxForce brand diesel As a part of Navistar, they stopped building buses on General Motors chassis and dramatically cut back on the number of Ford chassis they bodied. Also, the International rear-engine bus chassis was only made available to other body manufacturers that sold outside the United States. (i. e. , Corbeil Buses)

Thomas was purchased by Freightliner in 1998. Corbeil Bus is a former school and commercial bus manufacturer based out of St-Lin-Laurentides (near Montreal Quebec) Canada Freightliner Trucks is a manufacturer of heavy duty Trucks, Chassis and Semi-trailer trucks The company was founded as Freightliner LLC in 1942 and Soon after, Freightliner introduced its own bus chassis (the first new chassis maker in decades) and the Ford chassis was dropped. The International chassis (very popular among Thomas buyers) was no longer available after 2002.

Several new small bus manufacturers developed niche markets during this period. However, despite several notable attempts at revival, long-term body company industry names such as Superior(1980, 1984, and 1989 under 2 failed revivals), Ward(rebranded AmTran in March 1992), Wayne(1995), Carpenter(1995, 2000), and Crown-by-Carpenter (1999) all became fallen flags (in that order).

Wayne's inventory was purchased by Carpenter and some of their parts were obviously used on the Crown By Carpenter buses. A defect in the roof welds was later found on all buses manufactured between mid-1986 and 1996. A lot of school systems were forced to retire buses early and Carpenter had been out of business for sometime leaving districts no recourse.

Current school bus manufacturers

Historical school bus manufacturers

(all are now either defunct or discontinued manufacturing of school buses)

Models

Note: this is a very partial and incomplete listing of some models of school buses in the United States, either current, or former. Wayne Corporation was a large manufacturer of Buses and other vehicles branded with the Trade name "Wayne Wayne Corporation was a large manufacturer of Buses and other vehicles branded with the Trade name "Wayne

Australia

In Australia cities, students travel on regular buses and trains, or on special routes provided by ordinary bus companies. Navistar International Corporation ( (formerly International Harvester Company) is a manufacturer of International brand commercial trucks MaxxForce brand diesel Wayne Corporation was a large manufacturer of Buses and other vehicles branded with the Trade name "Wayne Wayne Corporation was a large manufacturer of Buses and other vehicles branded with the Trade name "Wayne Wayne Corporation was a large manufacturer of Buses and other vehicles branded with the Trade name "Wayne Wayne Corporation was a large manufacturer of Buses and other vehicles branded with the Trade name "Wayne The Blue Bird Corporation is a large manufacturer of school and activity Buses Blue Bird's corporate headquarters are in Ft Valley, Georgia, US The Blue Bird Corporation is a large manufacturer of school and activity Buses Blue Bird's corporate headquarters are in Ft Valley, Georgia, US The Blue Bird Corporation is a large manufacturer of school and activity Buses Blue Bird's corporate headquarters are in Ft Valley, Georgia, US The Blue Bird Corporation is a large manufacturer of school and activity Buses Blue Bird's corporate headquarters are in Ft Valley, Georgia, US The Blue Bird Corporation is a large manufacturer of school and activity Buses Blue Bird's corporate headquarters are in Ft Valley, Georgia, US Thomas Built Buses Inc is a Bus manufacturer based in High Point North Carolina, United States and a subsidiary of Daimler AG. The Saf-T-Liner C2 is a type C School bus produced by Thomas Built Buses which was introduced in the fall of 2004 The school services cross subsidize the regular bus routes. Some smaller schools have the own buses which is an incentive for students to live near the bus routes. In country areas, contractors operate the buses.

In some states such as New South Wales, travel for students for distances of 2 kilometres or more is free, costing that state about $450m per year. This makes it easy for students to choose public or private schools other than their local school.

United Kingdom

Most UK school buses are ordinary buses and the only modification is the fitting of seat belts, though the ones belonging to the former Inner London Education Authority were purpose built. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A seat belt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a Safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a Vehicle against harmful movement that may result from The Inner London Education Authority (ILEA was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990 The buses are not necessarily yellow and can be used for other purposes when not in use for school journeys, though most children use local scheduled bus services. US-style yellow school buses are beginning to be introduced.

Trivia

See also

Gallery

1978 Crown Supercoach #25

Restored 1961 Thomas International school bus

United States school bus. Navistar International Corporation ( (formerly International Harvester Company) is a manufacturer of International brand commercial trucks MaxxForce brand diesel For the baron see Irvine Laidlaw Baron Laidlaw In Transport, driver visibility is the maximum distance at which the driver of a Vehicle can see and identify prominent objects around the vehicle The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Chevrolet/Bluebird bus in Hampton, Virginia. Hampton is an Independent city in Virginia, and therefore not part of any Virginia county

Back end of a Blue Bird bus in Hampton, Virginia.

A retired 1955 Kenworth T-126 Pacific SchoolCoach in Washington State.

2001 Carpenter Classic model.

A Ulsterbus Leyland Tiger

A Saf-T-Liner HDX in South Florida using its warning systems to stop trafic. Ulsterbus is a Public transport operator in Northern Ireland and operates bus services outside of Belfast. The Leyland Tiger was a mid-engined bus and coach chassis which was built between 1981 and 1993 The Thomas Saf-T-Liner HDX is a commercial School bus that began production in 2004 by the Thomas bus company

The Emergency door release on a Saf-T-Liner HDX. The Thomas Saf-T-Liner HDX is a commercial School bus that began production in 2004 by the Thomas bus company

School Buses leaving West Boca Raton Community High School. A school bus is a Bus used to transport Children and Adolescents to and from School and school events West Boca Raton Community High School is a public high school in the unincorporated western suburb of Boca Raton Florida.

Notes

  1. ^ Protecting Children from Their Own Buses by Mark D. Fisher. Retrieved on January 29, 2006. Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  2. ^ Hamilton; Ritter; Anderson; Deshotel & Howard, D. (2007-06-08), HB 323, Texas Legislature, <http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=80R&Bill=HB323>. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Texas. Retrieved on 2007-09-01 
  3. ^ Why Don't School Buses Have Seat Belts?
  4. ^ Proper Use of Child Restraint Systems in School Buses. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Retrieved on March 13, 2007. Events 1138 - Cardinal Gregorio Conti is elected Antipope as Victor IV, succeeding Anacletus II. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  5. ^ The National Coalition for School Bus Safety. Retrieved on March 13, 2007. Events 1138 - Cardinal Gregorio Conti is elected Antipope as Victor IV, succeeding Anacletus II. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  6. ^ School Transportation News. Retrieved on March 13, 2007. Events 1138 - Cardinal Gregorio Conti is elected Antipope as Victor IV, succeeding Anacletus II. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  7. ^ National Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved on December 4, 2005. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
  8. ^ LIS § 46.2-917.1. School buses hired to transport children.. Code of Virginia. Retrieved on December 4, 2005. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
  9. ^ School Bus Safety Fact Sheets. Retrieved on December 4, 2005. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
  10. ^ National School Bus Safety Week October 16–22, 2005. Retrieved on December 4, 2005. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
  11. ^ http://www.collinsbus.com/pdf_files/091807.pdf

External links

Dictionary

school bus

-noun

  1. A bus which carries children to school.
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic