The yellow school bus is the largest form of mass transit in America and outnumbers all others by more than two and a half times combined (transit/coach bus, rail, and airline transportation). It is also the safest form of transportation on the road today and a key pillar of our educational system. In fact, over 500,000 school buses transport more than 26 million kids to and from school each day. That accounts for over half of all K-12 students in America and those children are 70 times safer riding on a yellow school bus versus in a car.

Additionally, operating school buses across America replace the equivalent of 17 million cars on daily commutes and maximize the likelihood children will arrive at school safely, on time, and ready to learn.

Why Support is Needed

Maintaining a highly efficient and robust yellow school bus industry in the United States should be a top priority of federal, state, and local governments. Not only is it the safest and most effective way to transport children to and from school, but the industry itself provides millions of jobs in America each year.

Despite this, school transportation remains mostly funded by state and local governments, while federal support is almost nonexistent. Additionally, there is no standard formula for school transportation funding, and the mechanisms/amounts provided vary greatly from state to state. With funding subject to legislative appropriations and often stagnant, districts have to offset costs by reducing service, delaying upgrades, and/or other means.

In the face of financial challenges, school transportation is often a common and shortsighted target for budget cuts. These cuts negatively affect communities by inevitably yielding greater traffic congestion and poorer air quality. Meaningful Federal investment and standardized funding mechanisms/amounts should be established, in collaboration with the school bus industry, to ensure this critical cog in the wheel of American society remains solvent and is adequately supported as a key component of both education and mass transit in America.

To learn more, we encourage you to download and read the Thomas Built Buses Funding White Paper.