School Bus Driver's Day

School Bus Driver's Day is May 2nd

School bus drivers are an important part of the education system, making sure that every child has a way to get to school. Unfortunately, they rarely get any recognition for what they do. This is the day to show your kid's bus drivers appreciation. Send your kids with a gift for them or simply thank them for getting your kids safely around town! 

This quirky day began long before appreciation holidays existed - beginning with the invention of the school bus. As rural schools consolidated and good roads spread, school buses became a part of student life during much of the 20th century.

History of School Busses

The first school bus was invented by Henry Ford in the early 1900s. Here are some resources of the digital collections of the first invented school buses.

Bryan Greene, a writer for Smithsonian Mag, uncovers the answer behind a very odd question: Why are school buses yellow? Also the Smithsonian National Museum of American History has an entire exhibit about school buses.

Ways to Celebrate

• Thank your school bus driver - verbally, hand written cards, gifts, being respectful and responsible
• (re)learn school bus safety and regulations
• Clean up after yourself and be respectful of the bus and others
• Donate to specific resources

Even though this day is about its drivers, it just makes me want to watch the show, ‘The Magic School Bus’ or sing ‘The Wheels On The Bus’. None of these silly things or even the mundane things like getting to and from school safely would exist without a bus driver.