Why Do Buses Have White Roofs

Our new buses do not require white roofs as.
Why do buses have white roofs. Ian kemmish november 2 2010 5 10pm. According to this nearly 20 year old new york times article the reason is that white tops are more reflective lowering the temperature inside the bus by an average of 10 degrees during the summer. I was perplexed as to why. Now more and more states and school districts are finding that painting the tops of school.
Every little bit you can do to keep the school bus cooler helps. I remember reading once that the white roof may lower the temperature on a hot day by 5 degrees. After 10 years 98 5 percent of the fleet of 8 700 has white roofs thus improving the overall conditions for passengers and drivers as well as reducing fuel consumption for air conditioning systems. Lately i ve been seeing a lot of school buses that are yellow everywhere except for the roof.
The worst time to have them on. The white roofs on modern buses have grown in popularity as a simple and effective means of keeping buses cooler during the hottest months of the year. Most of the buses used in the summer are air conditioned but it is quite plausible that the white roof also helps reduce temperatures inside the bus. The white roof of a bus makes the temperature inside drop an average of 10 degrees during warm seasons and only 3 to 4 degrees in wintertime.
Climate proofing is built into its work according to helen woolston sustainability coordinator at tfl. Besides in the case of an emergency a bus will be. Helps the prevent the interior from turning into an oven on clear days. Just about every person who rode the bus to the school in the summer can remember hot sweaty trips and the feeling of the bus seat sticking to your skin.
Strobes should really not be used in inclement weather in the clouds or on the ground as this can cause flicker vertigo. Air conditioning school buses used to mean opening windows which on a hot day simply let in hot air. More specifically white panels reflect the rays of the summer sun thus keeping the vehicles cooler. White roofs are around to lower temperatures inside of the bus and for appearance.
Some of the older buses in our fleet have white painted roofs to reflect the sun. But this is when most bus drivers use the strobes. Air conditioning helps but it can only do so much on a hot summer afternoon.