School Bus Driver Day is a holiday that’s observed annually on the fourth Tuesday in April. This day originally began on the West Coast of the United States and has been celebrated for well over a decade. It’s a day that allows people to pay homage to the professionals who drive children to school every day.

There are over 168,000 school bus drivers currently employed in the United States, and they’re responsible for transporting over 26 million school children every year. Without a doubt, these professionals perform the important job of keeping these children safe while transporting them so they can receive an education.

The History of School Bus Driver Day

This holiday was originally created in 2009 by the California State Assembly. They created the holiday as a way to give thanks to the men and women who spend every school day of the year transporting students back and forth from school.

And they do it while remaining professional, cheery, and patient. They ensure that students get to school on time so they can get the education they deserve, and they do it while making sure the students are safe in the process.

Some Fun Facts About School Bus Drivers & School Buses

We wanted to take a few moments to talk about school bus drivers, but we knew that we couldn’t just talk about them and the job they do without also talking about school buses, too. So we decided to do some quick research and find out what we could about school bus drivers and school buses. So without further ado, let’s take a look at the following bulleted facts.

• Approximately 55.3% of all school bus drivers are women; 44.7% are men.
• The demand for school bus drivers is highest in the New York area.
• School buses are painted yellow because this color is the one the human brain recognizes the quickest.
• School buses don’t need safety belts because they are built to be safe.
• Safety features built into school buses include high-back seats with energy-absorbing foam to minimize impact during a crash.
• Albert Luce, Sr. built the first school bus in 1925 by mounting a wooden body to a Ford truck frame.

Observing School Bus Driver Day

This holiday can be observed by people taking the time to thank bus drivers for all that they do. Students, teachers, parents, and school administrators can all take the time to give these drivers the appreciation they deserve. This can be done in person or through social media by using the hashtag #SchoolBusDriverDay.