Buses are part of everyday life. Still, many people are unaware of their quirks. From why some buses don’t have seat belts to knowing the longest bus route, there are tons of facts that few people know. Below are some interesting facts about buses to spice up your ride.
1. Buses don’t have seat belts
Typically, seat belts aren’t helpful when it comes to bus safety. Seat belts prevent people from getting off their seats while making the airbags effective. Because buses move at a relatively slow pace, it is less likely that passengers will be thrown out of their seats. The cost of installing seat belts on buses is another reason why you won’t find any on buses. Seat belts on buses won’t increase passenger safety.
2. The longest route was 32600 km
The longest bus route was between Kolkata, India and London, United Kingdom. The distance was 32600 km or 20256 miles. However, it ran for only 15 times between 1968 and 1976. The longest bus route in the world as of today is the Interoceanic Highway. It runs between Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Lima, Peru. It takes more than 100 hours to complete 2600 km or 1615 miles.
3. The first bus service started in 1662
The first bus service in the world started way back in 1662 in Paris, France. During that time, animals pulled vehicles. People use carriages drawn by horses for private transportation. Blaise Pascal introduced this concept and upper-class citizens used it. These are called five-penny coaches.
4. The biggest bus in the world can carry about 300 passengers
The Gran Artic 300 bus is the world’s biggest bus. Designed by Volvo for Rio de Janeiro, this bus can accommodate around 300 passengers. The bus is 98 feet long and the term ??300’ denotes the number of passengers it can carry. Previously, Volvo made buses with seating capacities of 210, 180, and 150. The Gran Artic 300 has three cabins to carry passengers and has two bendy connectors.
5. Who invented the double-decker buses?
When it comes to the origin of double-decker buses, almost every person will associate it with the United Kingdom. In reality, the UK didn’t introduce this special type of public transportation. It was France that brought the concept of double-decker buses. And, the first double-decker bus was pulled by horses in Paris. After that, France introduced the Schneider Brillie P2 in 1906. It was the first double-decker bus operated by an engine.
6. Buses that use horses ended during the 1800s
Animals were no longer used after the invention of cable cars in 1873 in San Francisco. However, the innovation didn’t gain much traction because of the hazards linked with snapping cables. The implementation of trolleybuses in the late 1800s put an end to public transport based on animals. It ran on rails and electricity, unlike cable cars. This mode of transportation was efficient and productive.
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7. A school bus attained the highest speed of 367 mph once
The first thing you should know is that it was not an ordinary school bus. Rather, a jet engine was used to power the bus. A gentleman named Paul Stender who lived in Wisconsin managed to put a GE J-97 jet engine in an ordinary school bus. The idea was to witness how fast the bus could go. The interesting part is that the bus set a world record for reaching a speed of 367 mph. Indeed, it was the fastest school bus!
8. School buses are yellow
Ever wondered why school buses are yellow? Well, the only reason is that yellow is the best color among others that could read black lettering on it. But this wasn’t the case when school buses were introduced initially. It was in the 1939 convention that it was decided to put yellow on school buses because it improves readability even from a distance.
9. The inception of green bus service
In 2014, Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden started working on a roadmap to become a fossil fuel-free city by 2050. A part of the plan was to make sure that all the buses running on fossil fuel should be converted to ethanol, biogas, and biodiesel by 2025. The project was at its peak and by 2018, Stockholm became the first city to have bus services with 100% renewable energy.