The School Bus

In many countries, the school bus is an important part of a child's day. Every morning, millions of children leave their homes and wait at bus stops for a large bus, often painted yellow, to take them to school. In the United States alone, about twenty-five million children ride a school bus every school day. These buses travel around four billion kilometres each year, which makes the school bus system one of the largest transport systems in the world. For many families, the yellow bus is a familiar sight; it arrives at almost the same time every morning and brings children home again in the afternoon.

School buses have a long history. The first school transport appeared in the nineteenth century, when horse-drawn wagons carried children from farms to small town schools. These wagons were slow, and the journey could take more than an hour. The first motor school buses appeared in the 1920s. They were faster and could carry more children. In 1939, education experts in the United States agreed on forty-four rules for school bus design, including the famous yellow colour, which is easy to see in the early morning light.

Safety is the main reason why school buses are popular. Studies show that the school bus is one of the safest ways for children to travel. A child is about seven times safer on a school bus than in a family car. The buses are large and heavy, and the seats are high and strong, which protects children if there is an accident. Drivers must pass special tests and check their buses every day before the first journey. In many places, other cars must stop when a school bus stops to let children on or off. Bus companies also keep careful records of every journey. If a bus is late or a route changes, the school informs families at once. In addition, many buses now have bright flashing lights and a stop sign that folds out from the side, so other drivers can clearly see when children are crossing the road.

School buses also help families and the environment. One bus can carry up to seventy children, which means many parents do not need to drive their children to school. Transport experts estimate that each full school bus takes about thirty-six cars off the road. This reduces traffic near schools and cuts air pollution. A study in one American state found that school buses save families millions of litres of fuel every year. Buses also save parents time. Instead of driving to school twice a day, parents can go to work or do other jobs while the bus carries their children safely.

However, school bus systems face some problems. The biggest cost is money. Buying a new bus is expensive, and fuel, repairs, and driver wages add more costs. When school budgets are cut, some districts reduce bus services or ask families to pay a fee. Another problem is finding drivers. Many districts do not have enough drivers, so some routes have been cancelled or combined, and children must travel longer. In rural areas, some students spend more than ninety minutes a day on the bus.

Technology is starting to change the school bus. Some districts now use electric buses, which are quieter and produce no pollution from the engine, although they cost more to buy. Many buses have cameras inside and outside, and some have seat belts. Parents in some towns can use a phone app to see where their child's bus is and when it will arrive. These tools make the daily journey easier to plan.

Despite the changes, the basic idea of the school bus has stayed the same for a hundred years: a safe, shared journey between home and school. For many children, the bus is also a social place where they meet friends from other streets and classes. Teachers often say that a calm bus ride in the morning helps children arrive at school ready to learn, and that the friendly driver at the wheel is the first school adult many children greet each day.