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School bus question


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Years ago, school buses were yellow all over. Over the past few years I've noticed that almost all of them now have their roofs painted white.

Since this happened just within the last several years, I assume it's some sort of technology-related reason? Something to do with GPS, maybe?

Anyone know?

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Thanks, Skip.

But white roofs would also have reflected the heat many years ago. They just figured that out now??? :blink:

They have used the white roofs in the west and south west for decades.

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called a friend who works at a place that sells school busses.

He said as far as he knows they all come from the factory that way now!

Said every new bus for the last two years that has come through their shop has had a white roof.

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Apparently, global warming makes school buses hotter inside ?!

Wrong!

See Harry's post above. Airconditioning costs more, thus reducing the amount of school funds that can be skimmed for conventions and "retreats" by school administrators.

B)

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The RE and long conventional buses don't have A/C but all have heaters, all of FSUSD's wheelchair buses do have A/C because some of the special needs students can't be the heat for long.

As for the white roofs, they don't to squat. When you've got a packed bus full of warm bodies, your only relief will come from all the windows being down.

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The RE and long conventional buses don't have A/C but all have heaters, all of FSUSD's wheelchair buses do have A/C because some of the special needs students can't be the heat for long.

As for the white roofs, they don't to squat. When you've got a packed bus full of warm bodies, your only relief will come from all the windows being down.

Yeah, white isn't all that far from yellow. Probably more of a theoretical thing than a practical thing.

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I was told once by a retired AZ State Trooper that the main reason for the white roof was a broken down or missing school buses yellow color blended in with the desert too good so they painted the roofs white so they would be more easily spotted from the air.

Seemed to make sense to me.

I'd say for reflecting the sun to cut back on heat was more a second thought thing that is now being used to make people think it helps more than it really does. Though it has to help some along with the tinted windows they all seem to be having now.

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I was told once by a retired AZ State Trooper that the main reason for the white roof was a broken down or missing school buses yellow color blended in with the desert too good so they painted the roofs white so they would be more easily spotted from the air.

Seemed to make sense to me.

I'd say for reflecting the sun to cut back on heat was more a second thought thing that is now being used to make people think it helps more than it really does. Though it has to help some along with the tinted windows they all seem to be having now.

That's another advantage. But not the initial concept. If that was the original idea, school buses in Colorado (and Northern Arizona) would have black roofs! :o

Chicken and egg. :huh:

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When I was in grade school here (in IL.) ours did have black roofs now that you mention that. At that time they were Internationals and the hoods were also black which the drivers blamed for the buses overheating at the beginning of the school year.(August)

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When I was in grade school here (in IL.) ours did have black roofs now that you mention that. At that time they were Internationals and the hoods were also black which the drivers blamed for the buses overheating at the beginning of the school year.(August)

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Guest G Holding

Head south...Ga and FL use A/C on busses and tinted windows, white roofs, and closed windows.

White roof and strobe beacon on roof are to locate buses easily

5286663663_17ec330e41.jpg

Edited by G Holding
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