Tuesday, April 22, is National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day! 

Here in EFISD, we are grateful for the daily commitment of our transportation personnel to provide safe passage from home to school, and back home, every single day! Our drivers are up before the sun rises and work late to ensure that all of our students are safe and sound at their respective destinations!

Every day, over 484,000 school buses transport more than 27 million school children in the United States.

At the beginning of the 20th century, children were transported to and from school in horse-drawn carriages. A.L. Luce, a Ford dealership owner, built a bus body for a 1927 Ford Model T school bus. Additionally, he is a response to the modern school buses. In 1927, open-sided steel-paneled buses were produced for the first time. The 1930s saw a rise in the use of front entry doors. The rear door, however, was still there and was used in case of an emergency. Children from low-income households in rural areas all around the world have benefited greatly from the benefits provided by school buses.

During a meeting in 1939, 44 requirements for school buses were approved. One was that buses were always painted yellow as a norm. The hue was chosen because black letters could be read on it and it was believed to be the easiest to see at sunrise and dusk. School buses have frequently undergone modifications and upgrades, but we still acknowledge the need for bus drivers, which is one thing that hasn’t changed.

School Bus Driver Appreciation Day was originated in California in 2009. It’s a well-deserved tribute to all of the men and women who devote their lives to ensuring that children go to school every day while remaining patient, helpful, and upbeat throughout.