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 United States as National School Bus Glossy Yellow.

The original pigment for this color was monoclinic lead(II) chromate ("chrome yellow") which had superior steel-protecting properties compared to other pigments. Due to lead chromate's toxicity, a result of both its lead and chromate content, and because of lead sulfide darkening after exposure to air, the pigment was initially replaced by a mixture of cadmium sulfide ("cadmium yellow") and enough cadmium orange or selenium pigments to produce the equivalent color. However, cadmium is also an expensive and toxic heavy metal, so many saturated-color pigments are now azo-based organics.

Origin

In April 1939, Frank W. Cyr, a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, in New York, organized a conference that established 44 uniform national design, construction, and safety standards for school buses in America, including the exterior body color. and because it was conspicuous at a distance and unusual enough to become associated with school buses and groups of children in a route.

Cyr became known as the "Father of the Yellow School Bus.") from the Rockefeller Foundation.

Examples

<gallery caption="Examples of buses in school bus yellow">

File:2008 blue bird vision.jpg|A typical school bus in the United States

File:Older swedish mailbus.jpg|Swedish Scania-Vabis postbus from mid-1920s

File:DAAG_Postbus_Schwanheim_09052009.JPG|German postbus from 1925

File:Bergmann Paketzustellwagen Nuernberg 13032010.JPG|German Reichspost parcel delivery van from mid-1920s

File:Postkutsche Kaiserliche Post-Heusenstamm 05082011.JPG|Nineteenth century German Reichspost mail coach for both passengers and mail

File:Postbus-Grafenau1.jpg|German postbus (1980s)

File:Postauto-26.jpg|Swiss Saurer postbus from 1953

File:First H&D 68553.JPG|A First Student UK school bus painted in American school bus yellow

File:Small School Bus (Hong Kong).jpg|A Hong Kong nanny van in yellow

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See also

  • School bus (main article)
  • New York City taxi color regulations
  • Fire engine red
  • International orange
  • Safety orange
  • List of colors

References

  • Highway Safety Program Guidelines archived from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  • 100 Years of the School Bus archived from STN.