School bus yellow
Encyclopedia
School bus yellow is a color
which was especially formulated for use on School buses in North America in 1939. The color is now officially known in Canada
and the U.S.
as National School Bus Glossy Yellow and was originally called National School Bus Chrome. The pigment used for this color was, for a long time, the lead-containing chrome yellow
.
In April of that year, Dr. Frank W. Cyr
, a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University
in New York organized a conference
that established national school-bus construction standards for the U.S., including the standard color of yellow
for the school bus. It became known officially as "National School Bus Chrome." The color was selected because black
lettering on that hue was easiest to see
in the semi-darkness of early morning.
The conference met for seven days and the attendees created a total of 44 standards, including specifications regarding body length, ceiling height and aisle width. Paint experts from DuPont
and Pittsburgh Paints
participated. Dr. Cyr's conference, funded by a $5,000 grant
from the Rockefeller Foundation
, was also a landmark event inasmuch as it included transportation officials from each of the then 48 states, as well as specialists from school-bus manufacturing and paint companies. The color was adopted by the National Bureau of Standards (Now the National Institute of Standards and Technology
) as Federal Standard No. 595a, Color 13432.
The conference approach to school bus safety, as well as the yellow color, has endured into the 21st century. Dr. Cyr became well known as the "Father of the Yellow School Bus."
The yellow color of other public vehicles, including taxicabs, did not derive from Dr. Cyr's standardization but is from a much earlier choice made by Chicago-based entrepreneur John D. Hertz
, whose choice had supreme influence over the taxicab and public bus industries, as well as the branding behind his rental car business. The yellow of Beijing and Hong Kong "breadloaf" or "miandi" taxis, as in the photo below, was likely not influenced by schoolbus yellow but by the yellow taxicab color. It is not known whether or to what extent Hertz's choice influenced Dr. Cyr's conception, or whether Hertz himself had the same concerns about visibility in mind that Dr. Cyr had.
, prompted by corporate links to the American industry, for example First Student UK
, or a desire to re-brand
school buses, such as West Yorkshire Metro's Mybus.
School Bus Yellow is also the traditional color of long-distance coaches and intercity buses used in Hungary.
Color
Color or colour is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, green, blue and others. Color derives from the spectrum of light interacting in the eye with the spectral sensitivities of the light receptors...
which was especially formulated for use on School buses in North America in 1939. The color is now officially known in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as National School Bus Glossy Yellow and was originally called National School Bus Chrome. The pigment used for this color was, for a long time, the lead-containing chrome yellow
Chrome yellow
Chrome Yellow is a natural yellow pigment made of lead chromate . It was first extracted from the mineral crocoite by the French chemist Louis Vauquelin in 1809...
.
In April of that year, Dr. Frank W. Cyr
Frank W. Cyr
Frank W. Cyr, Ph.D. was an American educator and author known especially for his contribution to school busing....
, a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University is a graduate school of education located in New York City, New York...
in New York organized a conference
Academic conference
An academic conference or symposium is a conference for researchers to present and discuss their work. Together with academic or scientific journals, conferences provide an important channel for exchange of information between researchers.-Overview:Conferences are usually composed of various...
that established national school-bus construction standards for the U.S., including the standard color of yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
for the school bus. It became known officially as "National School Bus Chrome." The color was selected because black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
lettering on that hue was easiest to see
Rule of tincture
The first rule of heraldic design is the rule of tincture: metal should not be put on metal, nor colour on colour . This means that Or and argent may not be placed on each other; nor may any of the colours be placed on another colour...
in the semi-darkness of early morning.
The conference met for seven days and the attendees created a total of 44 standards, including specifications regarding body length, ceiling height and aisle width. Paint experts from DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
and Pittsburgh Paints
PPG Industries
PPG Industries is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PPG operates in more than 60 countries around the globe. Sales in 2010 were $13.4 billion...
participated. Dr. Cyr's conference, funded by a $5,000 grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
from the Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
, was also a landmark event inasmuch as it included transportation officials from each of the then 48 states, as well as specialists from school-bus manufacturing and paint companies. The color was adopted by the National Bureau of Standards (Now the National Institute of Standards and Technology
National Institute of Standards and Technology
The National Institute of Standards and Technology , known between 1901 and 1988 as the National Bureau of Standards , is a measurement standards laboratory, otherwise known as a National Metrological Institute , which is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce...
) as Federal Standard No. 595a, Color 13432.
The conference approach to school bus safety, as well as the yellow color, has endured into the 21st century. Dr. Cyr became well known as the "Father of the Yellow School Bus."
The yellow color of other public vehicles, including taxicabs, did not derive from Dr. Cyr's standardization but is from a much earlier choice made by Chicago-based entrepreneur John D. Hertz
John D. Hertz
John Daniel Hertz, Sr. was an American businessman, thoroughbred racehorse owner, and philanthropist.-Biography:...
, whose choice had supreme influence over the taxicab and public bus industries, as well as the branding behind his rental car business. The yellow of Beijing and Hong Kong "breadloaf" or "miandi" taxis, as in the photo below, was likely not influenced by schoolbus yellow but by the yellow taxicab color. It is not known whether or to what extent Hertz's choice influenced Dr. Cyr's conception, or whether Hertz himself had the same concerns about visibility in mind that Dr. Cyr had.
School Bus Yellow outside North America
North American-style yellow school buses (built by European manufacturers) are being introduced in some parts of the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, prompted by corporate links to the American industry, for example First Student UK
First Student UK
First Student UK is the brand used by FirstGroup for student transport in the United Kingdom. The brand was originally used in the United States for school transport there, and was expanded to the United Kingdom in 2000....
, or a desire to re-brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
school buses, such as West Yorkshire Metro's Mybus.
School Bus Yellow is also the traditional color of long-distance coaches and intercity buses used in Hungary.
See also
- School busSchool busA school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
(main article) - Fire engine redFire engine redFire engine red is an intense, bright red commonly used on emergency vehicles in the United States and Canada; mostly on, as the name implies, fire engines.Most traditional older fire departments in larger U.S...
- International orangeInternational orangeInternational orange is a color used in the aerospace industry to set things apart from their surroundings, similar to safety orange, but deeper and with a more reddish tone.-International orange :...
- Safety orangeSafety orangeSafety orange is a hue. Its deeper, more saturated shade is known as international orange...
- List of colors