What color is a school bus painted?

School bus yellow is a color that was specifically formulated for use on school buses in North America in 1939. Originally officially named National School Bus Chrome, the color is now officially known in Canada and the U.S. as National School Bus Glossy Yellow.



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Federal law in the United States requires that, in addition to flashing lights and safety devices, school buses must be painted “school bus yellow. Before the standard school bus yellow color was developed, school buses were a pure yellow, closer to the color of a lemon.

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The official color is now known as “National School Bus Glossy Yellow.” It was chosen because people notice this color more quickly in their peripheral vision than they do other colors. This reduces the likelihood of other motorists colliding with a school bus.

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Unlike red, yellow is also more easily noticed in a dark environment. This is one of the major reasons school bus yellow was chosen. The black lettering on yellow is the easiest color combination for drivers to see in the darkness of early morning when students are being picked up for school.

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The roof of a school bus may be painted white, but the words SCHOOL BUS shall have a yellow background.

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Italy. In Italy, school buses are typically painted yellow or orange.

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Red has been the colour of London buses ever since, becoming famous around the world. The winged wheel was also one of the precursors of the famous roundel symbol still used by Transport for London today.

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If you live in the United States, the color of most school buses is not a pure yellow (like the color of lemons). It's not the same color as an orange either. The color of a school bus is yellow-orange. This color is a mixture of lemon yellow and orange ...

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School bus yellow is a color that was specifically formulated for use on school buses in North America in 1939. Originally officially named National School Bus Chrome, the color is now officially known in Canada and the U.S. as National School Bus Glossy Yellow.

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While buses in the U.K. aren't usually yellow, there is, in fact, a school transportation system. More than a million children in the nation use school transport provided by transit buses, contracted coaches, mini-buses and taxis each day.

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In 1907 one company, the powers that be at London General Omnibus Company had a genius idea. They decided to paint the entire fleet red, making their buses stand out from their rivals, and place numbers on the front of the bus to tell people the route it would be taking.

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As a larger motor bus service operated, the London Motor Omnibus Company chose to use the name 'Vanguard' in 1905. In that same year, the company decided to paint the London buses red to help them stand out from their rivals.

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So, now you can understand why school buses are globally yellow, right? Since yellow can be seen from far away (or even when it's not straight ahead or behind), it's the most convenient and distinguishable shade to paint on school buses.

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There's the fact that some popular destinations in Italy are only accessible by bus or train. And most often than not, the train system is actually cheaper, more efficient, and more convenient than riding a plane or renting your own vehicle. So don't be intimidated by commuting in Italy!

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And even on the European level, Italy is statistically one of the safest countries in terms of bus travel.

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Back in 1992, The New York Times reported on a study in North Carolina that found that school buses with white tops were roughly 10 degrees cooler inside on summer days than those with yellow tops. During the hottest hours, the contrast could rise to 17 degrees.

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Obviously, the driver needs to be able to see the road at night without being blinded by the bus's interior lights. Red wavelengths are less prone than blue or green ones to dazzle the eye (this is why you see soldiers in movies using red lights to read maps at night), so the pinkish color is probably a bit safer.

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