How School Bus Designs Have Changed Over the Years

The history of school buses in North America dates back to the mid 1800s, when children in rural areas rode in wagons pulled by horses. Obviously, there have been many changes since that time. In today’s blog article, we are going to talk about the evolution of school bus design including what has changed and what has not.

Wheels

The biggest changes in school buses are the same changes that we have seen in other types of buses, and those are the wheels. Wheels were initially wood, then wood covered by leather. Eventually wood was replaced by metal, and then metal was covered with vulcanized rubber. Inflatable tires were revolutionary but did not appear on school buses until well into the early 1900s.

1939

The biggest change in school buses occurred in 1939, when a professor from Columbia University lobbied for some standardization in school buses. His efforts led to school buses having their distinctive yellow colour with black lettering that we still see today, chosen because it is easily recognizable and legible even in dim light.

Today

The truth is that school buses have not changed a lot in the past 100 years. Most recently, they tend to have LED lights which are brighter and last longer. Most school bus fleets now have GPS and tracking devices so we can know where they are. But the fundamental design is really the same.

There is now a movement to make school buses more energy efficient, and we are starting to see buses with different fuel sources. Some locations are trying to evolve to have school buses with zero emissions.

If you would like more information about school buses in Canada, call us at our toll-free number (888) 416-9333, and we can help you.

Dynamic Specialty Vehicles has been supplying and servicing mid-sized buses for over 30 years. With long-term contracts with demanding clients like BC Ambulance and BC Transit, Dynamic Specialty Vehicles knows how to keep their clients safe and their buses running smoothly.

If you have any questions about this article or would like further information about buses and/or services, please call us on our Toll-Free number, (888) 416-9333.