Danno

Sweet!

That's good enough confirmation ... as good as it gets!!!

Think I'm overly cynical? It's reported that there are only 5 or 6 children killed in school bus traffic accidents annually. Costs versus benefits A report from the NHTSA estimated that installing a singular bench-style seat belt set would cost between $375 and $600, totaling between $5,485 and $7,346 for every large bus. "The NHTSA concluded that lap and shoulder belts can be misused, resulting in more injury." According to the NHTSA, "The benefits would be achieved at a cost of between $23 [million] and $36 million per equivalent life saved." Instead of a federal mandate, the NHTSA encourages individual states and local governments to be able to decide on the seat belt requirements within their own communities. The NHTSA concluded that seat belts are not always worn properly, resulting in more injury. "Lap/shoulder belts can be misused and NHTSA's testing showed that serious neck injury and perhaps abdominal injury could result when lap/shoulder belts are misused," representatives from NHTSA said. Furthermore, the NHTSA concluded that it was unrealistic to ask bus drivers to make sure each child complied with seat belts. Taking all of this into consideration, many transportation safety experts agree with the NHTSA that the cost simply outweighs the benefit.

Why no seatbelts in school buses? Answer: $ $ $

Cool!

Yeah, and the 2014 cars got here about six months before 2013, too. Go Broncos!

It's a brand new idea! From the New York Times, June 17, 1992: Cooling (and Safety) Trend For Buses: White Tops Published: June 17, 1992 Air conditioning school buses used to mean opening windows, which on a hot day simply let in hot air. Now more and more states and school districts are finding that painting the tops of school buses white makes the ride cooler. The paint job may also make riding on school buses safer. That conclusion was suggested by the response to a recent pilot program in North Carolina in which repainted buses were used. Motorists reported that white-topped, orange-bodied buses were easier to see. As a result of the program, North Carolina will give school systems the option of specifying white tops when ordering new buses, said William Turner, an assistant superintendent for transportation at Brunswick County Schools. Buses with white tops cost a few hundred dollars more than regular buses, manufacturers say. Part of the program involved studying the effect of the white tops on the temperature inside the buses. Digital thermometers were mounted on county school buses and readings were taken four times a day from August to December. The buses were tested while running and while parked. Painting the bus tops white dropped the interior temperature an average of 10 degrees during the summer, with as much as a 17-degree difference at peak hours. Wintertime temperatures were lower by only 3 to 4 degrees. The study also found that children behaved better on buses in cooler temperatures, Mr. Turner said. And drivers preferred the two-toned buses. "It seems like the kids are a lot calmer," said Margaret Hughes, who has driven school buses for more than eight years. Mr. Turner said his office had also received dozens of calls from motorists saying the white tops make the buses easier to see. The Brunswick County program was modeled on similar programs in Florida and California, Mr. Turner said. Atlanta schools have been using the white tops for about four years, said Rick Rose, the president of the Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation. He said about half the buses in the state now have white tops. The idea started in California, which has been using white-topped buses for about 20 years, Mr. Rose said.

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! Chicken and egg.

Really good stuff, David! You gotta get those out to Goodguys and Desert Scale Classic!! Show 'em off!

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.

Correct. And, yes, it is to reflect the sun and keep the interior cooler. Also correct.

Beautiful!

Sean - The revised decal sheet looks great. I love the nod to "JUSTIFIED." But, unfortunately, "Battalion" is still misspelled.

It's not necessarily the writing ... it's more in the editing. If the editor cuts out half the pictures and eliminates the big, technical words (more than two syllables) and deletes half the original text, the contributor's article becomes "easier" to read for the snap-kitters and soccer moms. It's called 'dumbing down' and the lowest common denominator demographic ends up dictating the end product. My two cents and too sense(able) worth.

Okay, then. We're basically saying the same thing. I just hate to see Gregg, Harry, and crew, MCM in general, getting blamed for everything all the time ~~ especially since they produce the superior product. If I misunderstood your point, I apologize.

Cool, Jim! But it needs a puddle of pooled poo on the 2x4 below it. (Drainage, you know.)

Very nice!!

Gorgeous, Tom!

FYI - One other note: The Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild Reunion and Exhibition coincides with the closing weekend of the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction ... and is just a few short miles from the B-J event. If that was not enough . . . The Scottsdale International Auto Museum (venue for the Guild Reunion) is at the Pavillions shopping center, home of the world's largest (and longest-running) free show-n-shine car show at the Rock-N-Roll McDonald's. Huge event with generally 1200-1400 cars/trucks on display on B-J weekend. Talk about car-guy overload ... all in one little area!

Odds of Winning: If you enter, some. If you don't enter, none.