5 Fun Facts About Buses
Cheap, economically sound and in some cases just downright adorable – we all love buses. They’ve been around for centuries and are the most popular form of local transportation. And it is where many of us experienced our initial moments of intimacy, usually on the back seat of a school bus. You can’t say that about a monorail. But how much do you know about buses? Strap yourself in for some fascinating facts.
Go Back - The term ‘bus’ derives from the word ‘omnibus’, which in itself was a pun on the name Omnes, a hatter whose shop was situated outside one of the first bus stations in France. It is not known if he created an enormous bus shaped hat to celebrate this fact – but it thought doubtful. This is also where the idea of a ‘French pun’ derives, meaning a pun, which has no humorous value whatsoever.
- The famous yellow school buses used in North America first appeared in 1939. This may explain the delay in the US entering the Second World War. They were busy picking bus colors. The color is now officially known as National School Bus Glossy Yellow. So, all that hard work didn’t go to waste.
- It wasn’t until the 1930’s when truck designs were being customized into the more modern school bus chassis.
- China is said to be home to the world’s largest bus; the Neoplan Jumbocruiser which has three sections, five doors, and a 300-person capacity. Though both Australia and Brazil claim to have buses of equal, if not larger, girth. It is thought that if this bus envy spirals out of control and culminates in war followed by global apocalypse that will be a really depressing thing.
- Paul Stender from Indianapolis fitted a school bus with a Phantom fighter jet engine and created the world’s fastest bus. Capable of reaching a top speed of 367mph, it was still ten minutes late for its first pick-up.