History of the School Bus | The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation

On this segment of The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation, Mo Rocca meets with Curator of Transportation Matt Anderson to learn about the history of the school bus.
In the early 20th century, as rural schools consolidated and good roads spread, motorized school buses became a part of student life. The bus business thrived through much of the 20th century, first due to consolidation and later when baby boomers headed off to class. Automakers, truck manufacturers, and specialized builders produced a range of buses that promised safety for students and economy for schools.
The 1927 Blue Bird No. 1 is the oldest surviving school bus in America. Albert Luce, Sr., built his first bus in 1925 by mounting a purchased wood body to a Ford truck frame. The body could not withstand the Georgia roads. Luce, convinced he could make a better bus, applied a steel framework under the wood body. His success led him to make school buses full time.
It wasn't until the 1970s, however, that school buses started being designed with safety in mind. Such innovations include flashing red and amber lights, larger front windows to help visibility, and the swing-out stop sign.
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[@Trapper4265]

Well, I heard that the kids were loaded from the rear, because when the first school buses were horse drawn, loading from the rear was less startling to the horses. When I was in high school in the mid 80s in rural Arkansas our school choir trips always prompted us to sing the "Hail to The Bus Driver" song in four part harmony, of course. You know it! "Hail to the bus driver the bus driver the bus driver. Hail to the bus driver the bus driving man. He drinkas-and-cusses-and-wrecks-all-the-busses. Hail to the bus driver the bus driving man! 👏😆

[@Defund_HOA.]

"There are some kids that might agree with that analogy" lmao

[@johnw2026]

I'd love to know what jind of engine, transmission, and top speed this bus had .... And did anybody else realize the driver had a folding chair?!? 😱😅

[@davidtosh7200]

1927 Ford Model T is the first Blue Bird school bus was built. Some buses are horseless carriages in the late 1890s, 1900s, and early 1910s. Some horse and buggies do act like early school buses, except they are powered by one or two horses and transporting the children to and from school to their homes.

[@DonteTheGuy6622]

You guys really do be forgetting Thomas is older than blue Bird xd

[@FundayvloGG]

Its all a process

[@domijayawardena9495]

We need respect these great inelegant men / women

[@trainroomgary]

Cool • Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway 🚂

[@dr.ahmad.ashmawy]

Actually I guess it was called the blue bird for a good reason at that time as the name was very popular due to Sir Malcolm Campbell

[@florjanbrudar692]

0:48

[@aparnat513]

??

[@avigailtaliaceres7398]

I ANO JKAQ