In the United States, the school bus remains an enduring symbol of student transportation and safety, easily recognized by its distinctive yellow color. The shade, known as “school bus yellow,” was not established by federal law but was selected in 1939 at a conference of transportation officials from across the country for its high visibility. At the height of their use in the 1980s, yellow school buses transported more than 60% of American students to and from school.

The origin of the metal-bodied school bus dates back to rural America, where Albert Luce, a car dealer in Georgia, developed an early model initially intended to transport cement workers. After local school districts declined the offer, Luce marketed his design specifically for schools, coinciding with a nationwide trend toward consolidating smaller neighborhood schools into larger, more centralized institutions. This consolidation created the need for reliable transportation over longer distances, driving the widespread adoption of the bus.

School buses have also played a notable role in social history, including during the era of school desegregation when they ferried Black and white students across racial lines—a practice that has largely ceased in recent decades.

Carl Fisher, who operated school buses for 66 years until his retirement in 2012, holds the Guinness World Record as the longest-serving school bus driver. His first vehicle was a converted Dodge truck equipped with benches and windows, designed to carry about 20 children in Pleasant Hope, Missouri. Over time, the school bus industry standardized safety features including padded seating and extendable stop signs.

Safety remains a key advantage of the school bus. According to Brad Beauchamp, part of the electric vehicle division at Blue Bird, a major school bus manufacturer, the bus is the safest mode of passenger transportation on roads in the U.S., even without seat belts. Blue Bird’s name reportedly derives from a bird Luce’s wife spotted while the company was being formed.

However, in recent years, many school districts have reduced reliance on bus transportation, increasing the burden on families to arrange alternate means of travel for their children. Despite these changes, many drivers find working as a school bus operator to be a meaningful occupation. Jim Oppegard, who retired at age 94 after more than 20 years driving school buses in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, described the role as rewarding, highlighting its contribution to the well-being of children and the broader community.