In this article, we will look at the different types of buses in America, their impact on daily life, and the future of bus transportation in the country.

Public Transit Buses

Public transit buses are the most common type in America, serving as a critical component of urban transportation networks. These buses are typically operated by local transit authorities and provide scheduled service along fixed routes within a city or metropolitan area. Some of the largest public bus systems in the United States include:

• New York City Transit Authority (MTA)
• Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)
• Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
• Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)

Public transit buses are essential for many Americans, particularly those who do not own a car or prefer not to drive. They help reduce traffic congestion, lower carbon emissions, and provide access to jobs, education, and essential services for millions of people.

Intercity Bus Services

Intercity bus services, such as Greyhound and Megabus, connect cities and towns across the United States. These buses offer an affordable alternative to air and rail travel, with routes covering both short and long distances. Some popular intercity bus routes include:

• New York City to Washington, D.C.
• Los Angeles to San Francisco
• Chicago to Detroit
• Atlanta to Orlando

Intercity buses often feature Wi-Fi, power outlets, and onboard restrooms, making long-distance travel more comfortable for passengers. Additionally, many intercity bus companies offer express services between major cities, reducing travel times and providing a more convenient option for travelers.

School Buses

School buses are integral to the American education system, transporting millions of students to and from school daily. These iconic yellow buses are designed with safety features such as reinforced sides, high seat backs, and stop arms to ensure the well-being of children during their daily commutes.

In the United States, school buses must meet safety standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These standards cover various aspects of bus design, including emergency exits, lighting, and structural integrity.

Charter Buses

Charter buses are a popular choice for group travel, offering a convenient and cost-effective way to transport many people for events, tours, and other activities. These buses are often used for:

• Corporate events and conventions
• Weddings and family reunions
• Sporting events and team travel
• Field trips and educational tours

Charter buses have seating, climate control, and ample storage space for luggage and equipment. They are ideal for groups looking to travel together while avoiding the hassle of driving and parking multiple vehicles.

Shuttle Buses

Shuttle buses are commonly used to transport passengers between airports, hotels, and tourist attractions. These buses provide frequent, short-distance service and are often operated by private companies, hotels, or airports. Shuttle buses offer a convenient and cost-effective way for travelers to move between critical destinations without needing a personal vehicle.

Many shuttle bus services are designed to accommodate passengers with luggage, offering ample storage space and easy access to major travel hubs. Some shuttle buses also feature wheelchair lifts and other accessibility features to ensure passengers can travel comfortably.

Specialty Buses

Specialty buses encompass a wide range of vehicles designed for specific purposes, such as:

• Mobile medical clinics and blood donation centers
• Mobile libraries and bookmobiles
• Mobile command centers for emergency response
• Mobile food banks and community outreach

Nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and private companies often operate these buses to deliver services to communities nationwide. They are critical in reaching underserved populations and providing access to resources that may not be readily available in certain areas.

The Future of Buses in America

As technology advances and concerns about environmental sustainability grow, the future of buses in America will likely involve a shift toward electric and hybrid vehicles. Many cities and transit authorities are already investing in electric buses, which produce zero emissions and have lower operating costs than their diesel counterparts.

Furthermore, integrating intelligent technology, like real-time tracking and mobile ticketing, is expected to improve the passenger experience and the efficiency of bus systems across the country. As these innovations continue, it is clear that buses will remain a critical component of the nation’s transportation network for years to come.

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The first special vehicles for transporting children to school were born long before the bus. Of course, at first they were horse-drawn vehicles: school hacks, school cars, school trucks, kid hacks and school hacks (hack – meaning “hired horse”). Quite simple in design, but specialized. By the end of the nineteenth century, a number of states already had laws governing these activities.

Needless to say, as soon as horses were replaced by trucks with internal combustion engines, manufacturers who already existed immediately began adapting them for this purpose. One of the pioneers in producing a new type of vehicle was Wayne Works. It installed wooden van on automobile chassis in 1914. The seats were arranged around the perimeter, like in a ruler or tonneau type body – children sat with their backs to the side, like in a modern subway. There were still no windows in the cabin, and a canvas canopy protected the young passengers from the weather. The only passenger door for entering and exiting was at the rear end (this is how horse-drawn carriages were built, so as not to frighten the horses).

As a result a simple, reliable and, what is important, cheap car was created. Later, this trend was continued, and gradually a classic type of American school bus appeared.

So, at its basis – a frame design of the cargo chassis on a spring suspension. Engines are of low power, diesel, and in recent years – gas and hybrid (taking into account the high safety requirements for transportation of children, the maximum speed is limited to 60 km/h, and the weight of the “cargo” in this case is small). A frame-modular body is installed on the frame, which allows you to vary the length, up to the allowable 45 feet (13.7 m). The side panels and roof are made of metal and the bumpers, front and rear panels are made of plastic. Considering that the buses are originally designed to carry children, the distance between the rows of seats is reduced.

Separately about the color. The famous orange-and-yellow color has the official name “National School Bus Chrome Yellow. It legislatively appeared in 1939, after the conference in New York City, which established national standards for school buses, and was chosen due to better visibility in the morning and evening twilight. By the way, it was proposed by the engineers of the second leading company in this industry – Blue Bird. The conference was held for a week, and 45 standards were adopted, including technical requirements for bus length, ceiling height and aisle width. It was a significant event, as representatives from 48 states attended.

In addition to bright colors, special warning signs are used to improve safety. During a stop, four to eight red-and-yellow lights flash alternately, and a loud ticking sound is heard. In addition, the “STOP” sign is mechanically extended on the left side, and on the right side of the bumper a restrictor is extended to prevent crossing the street in front of the car. By the way, passing a car during a school bus stop is a serious offense, and in some states it results in forfeiture of license.

Of course, 3-point seat belts for passengers, triplex safety glass, escape doors, and hatches in the sides and roofs are mandatory elements. Bus hoods are fitted with additional spherical mirrors for greater attention when disembarking. Video cameras, recorders, and navigation systems are now standard equipment. Modern school buses are equipped with air conditioning, elevators for wheelchairs, two-way communication, etc.

By the way, special versions are produced on the basis of school buses, which are popular in many areas – for the police, the U.S. army, the penitentiary system, religious and tourist organizations, etc.

In addition, most school buses that find their way into the secondary market are imported to many Latin American countries, where they serve local transportation and are called “chikken-bus” because of their multifunctionality (transportation of chickens and animals by peasants). Small lots of used buses are steadily purchased by companies from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Oceania and Africa.

There are 480,500 registered school buses in the United States, of which 70% are owned by private companies or schools, and 30% are used by SBC (School Bus Contractor) contractors.

Below are the main players in the U.S. school bus market, either current or having played a prominent role in it.

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School buses were the first to appear in the program, and in 1937 Blue Bird began installing steel bodies on chassis instead of the then common wooden ones.

Two years later, at a conference of manufacturers, the company’s engineers suggested that school buses be painted yellow, which later became the color of choice, first in the U.S. and then all over the world.

After World War II, the states adopted a program to consolidate elementary schools, which prompted an increase in school bus production, and Blue Bird became the largest manufacturer. At the 1948 Paris Bus Show, the company presented its first cabover bus. It became the basis for the widely-known All American model, which was also used in regular service.

In 1952 the first body company began producing its own chassis.

Blue Bird became an international company with the opening of a branch in Canada in 1958. Seven years later production began in Guatemala. Moreover, the bodies were installed not only on their own chassis or typical chassis. In the late 1960s they were mounted on little-used in the States chassis of Mercedes-Benz, Isuzu, Hino and Toyota.

In 1975, the B-class models were presented, the small Micro Bird and large Mini Bird, both on conventional van chassis. They were produced for almost 35 years, with only the basic chassis changing.

In 1988, the cabover All American made the TC 1000, TC 2000 and TC 3000 series with a refreshed design and new units.

In 1991, the first school bus, running on liquefied natural gas (CNG) was presented. In 1994, together with Westinghouse Electronic Systems an electric school bus for California was presented. In 2004, the bonneted Blue Bird Vision, produced without any third-party companies, was introduced. Three years later, the company gave up producing all types except school buses.

In October 2009, Blue Bird formed a joint venture with Canadian school bus manufacturer Girardin Minibus.

By the third millennium, Blue Bird had become a corporation, 42.5% owned by the Volvo Group. Today, there are four school models in the program – the bonneted MicroBird, Vision, and the cabover All American FE and RE.

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Its school series SuperCoach was known for its durability – the service life was 20 years. This was the reason for bankruptcy – other manufacturers offered less reliable cars, but at a much lower cost. Despite joining General Electric in 1987, the company closed four years later.

Gillig Corporation
Manufacturer of city cars from California. Until 1993, it also made school buses. The first bus was assembled in 1932; before that, they produced bodies, trucks, boats, etc. In 1957, Pacific Bus division was purchased from the famous Kenworth.

Two years later the school bus was presented in two versions: bonneted (C class) and cabover (D class), which became very popular.

In 1967, the biggest school bus in the States was presented – 855D for 97 students.

IC Corporation
Integrated Coach (formerly AmTran, Ward Body Works) is a bus manufacturer wholly owned by Navistar International.

Its history goes back to 1933, when Ward Body Works was founded in Arkansas. It was known both for its school buses and its innovations – in the 1960s it was one of the first to use IBM computers in its production. However, this did not save it from bankruptcy. In 1980, with the help of then-Governor Bill Clinton, its assets were transferred to a new corporation American Transportation (AmTran). By 1995, it was fully controlled by Navistar International, a manufacturer of trucks and chassis.

The Senator, Genesis and Vanguard were produced on Ford, GM or most often International Harvester chassis.

Currently, four series are produced – school, special, commercial and intercity. All are built on new host units, include several models in each group, including the school series: bonneted AE, BE, CE with a capacity of 30-77 students, and cabover RE with 84 passengers; all series are offered in gas-diesel or hybrid versions.

Wayne Corporation (formerly Wayne Works)
America’s oldest bus manufacturer was founded in Indiana back in 1837 as a horse-drawn carriage manufacturer. Then, like many others, since 1914 it began installing bodies on automobile chassis. In 1927 they became metal, and almost immediately Wayne began glazing them.

At different times the company changed owners, they were Divco-Wayne, Boise Cascade, Indian Head and Thyssen-Bornemisza.

By 1957, products were collected in 60 countries. The corporation was a leader in producing school buses, except them produced city and tourist vehicles, special cars and delivery vans.

School lineup featured an increased safety (Wayne began installing reinforcing bars in the bodies in 1930) and at different times included families Busette, Chaperone, Papoose, Lifeguard, Lifestar, RD 9000. Unable to withstand the decline in demand, Wayne closed in 1992.

Ward Body Works
The firm was known since 1933, when it was founded by D. H. Ward in Arkansas. It specialized first of all in school buses. Besides it was famous for its advanced technologies – in 1960s it was one of the first companies that started using IBM computers of 360 series. However, it was not saved from bankruptcy, and in 1980 its assets were transferred to a new corporation American Transportation (AmTran).

To date, the school bus has become one of the symbols of the United States, and not only – our KavZs, SemARs and even Chinese school-bus are made with many attributes inherent in the American “schoolchildren”.

The popularity of school-buses is illustrated by the following fact: out of 843,000 buses registered in the USA in 2010, more than a half, 480,000 cars, were school buses. At the same time they are the safest of all types of passenger transport.

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It is noteworthy that it was on Carpenter buses that the hinged stop signs, so famous now, appeared for the first time. They were made in the form of hinged fists with an index finger painted red.

For the next 60 years, the company produced the typical conventional Cadet, Classmate and Classic school buses.

In 1998, the company Spartan, a manufacturer of chassis, including bus chassis, bought Carpenter.

The cabover Chancellor RE on Spartan chassis became a flagship of the school. Its features included air suspension on both axles, a flat floor, and wheels reduced to 19″ in diameter.

However, in 2001, due to the market crisis, the new owner decided to close production of school cars.

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