Who runs yellow school bus initiatives?
Large and small yellow school bus initiatives are in operation across the UK. Here are just three examples:
As the largest operator of yellow school buses in North America, First has unrivalled experience in delivering safe and reliable home to school transport.
In 2002 First introduced a pilot US-style yellow school bus scheme in Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire in partnership with Metro, the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive.
Today, First operates 18 yellow school bus initiative across the UK. Each day over 70 buses carry over 4,500 students to schools and colleges in Aberdeen, Basingstoke, Berkshire, Cardiff, Carmarthen, Chelmsford, Colchester, Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire, Hampshire, Ingatestone, Liverpool, Medway, Northampton, Runnymede, Worcester, Wrexham and West Yorkshire.
Staffordshire County Council operates a 30 bus initiative providing a dedicated home to school service from mainly rural area to 16 high schools across the county.
The first American-built yellow school buses arrived from the US at the end of 1997 with the first seven vehicle initiative starting in February 1998.
The council specification includes a wheelchair lift, enabling students with physical disabilities to travel to school with their friends.
Following a pilot scheme in Hebden Bridge in 2002 Metro successfully bid for £18.7 million of funding from the Department for Transport to extend ‘My Bus’ services to schools across West Yorkshire.
The funding enabled Metro to introduce a fleet of over 100 yellow school buses that today provide transport for students to around 115 schools and colleges across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.
A further 50 buses are planned to be introduced by 2008 increasing the number of schools and colleges that will benefit from the yellow school bus service. The buses are operated under contract to Metro by First and other local companies.
