American yellow is spreading

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and other agencies have illustrated the unparalleled safety record of school bus transportation in the U.S. and Canada.

Another sign of our pupil transportation industry’s success can be seen in how some countries across have the globe have studied it and used it as a guide for their own systems of shuttling students to and from school.

As we reported recently on Schoolbusfleet.com, aU.K. university has launched a school transportation course that includes best practices and case studies ofU.S. programs.

Over the past several years, programs using American-style yellow school buses have popped up in counties throughout theU.K.and have been widely praised. Many of them (including the one pictured above) are under the auspices of FirstGroup, the U.K.-based parent company of the largest North American school bus contractor, First Student.

Here’s another example of the spreading of American yellow in perhaps a less expected location:

Dubai, one of theUnited Arab Emirates, recently unveiled new regulations aimed at increasing the safety and security of students on school buses. Drivers will now have to undergo training and testing and earn a special permit. Also included are specifications for the school buses themselves, including requirements that they have electronic stop arms and flashing red lights and that they be painted — you guessed it — yellow.

Until next time,

Tom

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Thomas McMahon

Executive Editor

SCHOOL BUS FLEET

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