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BillT
New Member
USA
1 Posts |
 Posted - 01/18/2002 : 12:54:52 PM
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I have noticed some school buses now have a white top instead of being all yellow. What is this for? Is it for safety, to keep the bus cooler or cheaper to produce the bus.
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Silas J.
Top Member
USA
938 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2002 : 1:01:02 PM
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It is to keep the bus cooler in the hotter months and areas.I would think it would cost more,but I'm not sure.
Silas J.
97-12 It will outrun your bus.
Unicoi County Schools~Working For Children
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Phil4747
Top Member
USA
695 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2002 : 2:44:48 PM
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It's for temperature, and yes it costs more. It's an option that you pay extra for, probably because it means that the bus gets 3 coats of exterior paint (3 colors) instead of 2.
—Phil
Crown, Blue Bird, Thomas, Gillig, Corbeil, Superior, Amtran...all excellent products of an excellent industry. |
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wagonmaster
Top Member
USA
2298 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2002 : 3:22:29 PM
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Right you are, Phil. They get 3 coats. We don't pay extra for the white roof in Florida, because we have made it standard equipment on all of our buses. There probably is a slight upcharge but it would be very little since we buy so many.
The theory is that it keeps the buses cooler on the inside. It has always been part of our A/C package that includes tinted glass, insulation and a higher output alternator. Now it comes with all of our buses.
Joe
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B. Busguy33
Top Member
USA
3444 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2002 : 11:25:29 AM
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I would also like to add that the white roof is designed to work WITH tinted windows to keep the bus cooler. You won't get as good results if you only have tinted windows OR a white roof. If you have both, then you will most likely notice the interior of your bus to be cooler.
Bob
(B. Busguy33)
"Blue Bird: Always flyin' high above the rest... 
Blue Bird: One of America's Best!!!  " |
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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member
USA
4177 Posts |
Posted - 01/21/2002 : 5:18:30 PM
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I asked my driver...she said there's usually about a 5-10 degree difference with the white roof. I didn't ask about the tinted windows, but I bet they'd help. My own bus, whihc has niether, gets REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY hot in the summer.
Stop at: http://www.buses.cjb.net
Forums: http://thebusboy.proboards2.com |
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littlebit
Advanced Member
431 Posts |
Posted - 01/22/2002 : 07:01:24 AM
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Here we run all three types of roofs.
The ones with just the yellow roofs, the ones with white and no tinted windows and the ones with tint and white roofs.
We did an informal "study" and found that the inside of the yellow roof was 135 degrees, the inside of the white/no tint/ was 128 and the inside of the white/tint was 120. The outside temp was in the high 90's. All three buses were getting the same amount of sun.
So the white top helps to cool the inside of the bus. But I wouldn't know since my bus is one of the older ones that we have and it only comes in the standard yellow. Burn Baby Burn..esp in the summer..LOL
littlebit #63
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John Farr
Top Member
USA
642 Posts |
Posted - 01/22/2002 : 07:43:06 AM
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We have all white roofs for the sake of uniformity. When I worked in the desert we took 2 identical buses - one white, the other yellow and used a thermometer to measure the temp. There was no appreciable difference in our informal test. Many folks say that the buses look better, and I lean towards them for that reason.
The cost of painting a roof after it leaves the factory is about $300-350.
Edited by - john farr on 01/22/2002 07:43:54 AM |
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Thomas00
Top Member
USA
546 Posts |
Posted - 01/22/2002 : 5:14:21 PM
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Well our district have been getting white roof since 89... I think we might have tinted windows on the bigger buses this year... That sure would help a lot during the hotttttttt  months in Georgia! Right now the speical needs buses is the only buses with white roof and tinted windows...
"Some people are so afraid of dying that they never being to live."
-Unknown author
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Bus Boy 39
Top Member
USA
1315 Posts |
Posted - 01/23/2002 : 03:32:25 AM
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All of our buses have tinted windows, except 209, 218, and 219. None have white roofs. I think a white roof on a school bus kinda makes it look outta place.
 "Gotta Love Those Birdies!" |
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spanky
Active Member
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2002 : 12:49:45 AM
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I dont really think that the white roof makes a diiferance here in michigan. Mine has a white roof, we now have 4. If anything, it makes it easier to find when your a school tournyment. And the Blue bird insignia looks/standsout better.
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UncleNeal
Senior Member
USA
153 Posts |
Posted - 01/25/2002 : 07:15:16 AM
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White roof vs. yellow roof: well, since they are both bright colors, there probably isn't any temperature difference. There would be a big difference if you compared say, black vs. white. I think when the idea came up many years ago it was assumed that the white was "cooler," but who knows... All of our buses are white topped for uniformity and it is easier for us to inspect them for rust problems creeping up. It doesn't cost any more or less, we just order it that way from the factory. As far as I know, most bus manufacturers offer this as standard (years ago it was an option). It would be interesting for someone to investigate this...
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Blake913
Senior Member
USA
195 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2002 : 5:13:12 PM
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A bus is going to get hot in the warmer months, I don't care what color your roof is or whether you've got AC. Especially here in the South. Our SPED buses haev tinted windows and AC. Open the door to let off or let on students and you've got to re-cool the whole bus. As for the white tops...when they oxidize, it runs down that BEAUTIFUL yellow and it turns UGLY. I'll keep my YELLOW school bus!
913 is the next best thing to a Caddilac! |
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Silas J.
Top Member
USA
938 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2002 : 1:00:45 PM
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Here,when it is hot out,we just open the windows(usally 13 out of 14 are open).We don't have any A/C buses,and just started getting white roofs.BTW,we might be getting a larger bus due to a lot of new riders this year.
Silas J.
97-12 It will outrun your bus.
Unicoi County Schools~Working For Children
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Bus Boy 39
Top Member
USA
1315 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2002 : 03:42:40 AM
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Get this, yesterday it was about 65 deg. and I was going to open the roof vent on the bus on the ride home. My driver said no because her boss said drivers aren't allowed to open the vents anymore. I was pretty mad, because it gets hot on those buses!! Even with all 13 windows down, it's still hot. Having those two vents open helps a lot. Is there anything I can do about it?
"Gotta Love Those Birdies!" |
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nflgsh
Active Member
11 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2002 : 07:48:37 AM
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Hey Bus Boy, I beleive that has to be a company thing to not allow a driver to open the vent on the roof, I have never heard of that one....???
Maybe the driver was just being a prick and didn't want it opened cuz he/she didn't want to close it after routes.
I AM JEALOUS I WANT A/C!!!!!!
All kids make me happy,
some by getting on and some
by getting off!!!! |
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jimbo20
Senior Member
USA
159 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2002 : 11:06:15 AM
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BUS BOY IS RIGHT 8-10 DEGREE DIFF. WORKS FOR US IN S.FLORIDA
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Bus Boy 39
Top Member
USA
1315 Posts |
Posted - 01/30/2002 : 03:29:17 AM
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I don't think it was the driver being a prick, because I opened the vents before and I was always responsibe for closing them. She never ever had to close them, I always did when I got off the bus.
"Gotta Love Those Birdies!" |
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School bus roof color
