there was a study once-i think it was in kansas--which determined that yellow was the most visible color--some fire engines, esp. Federal or FEMA or O.E.S. ones are a chartreuse color--some municipal fire agencies are going to this color too.
school busses are equiped with a bracket below the drive shaft
due to accidents which have happened where the drive shaft dropped
due to the "U" joint breaking, and then the entire bus being catapaulted by the shaft poking down into the ground and prying
up the vehicle..the bracket
holds the drive shaft off the ground even if it does break.
I have trained as a school bus driver and been a substitute
driver for the local school district. Each rule you see
governing busses is probably based on some injury or fatality.
lately there has been design changes implemented on handrails
because those little pull strings on kids jackets get stuck in the
handles and kids have been run over or dragged cuz their jacket strings were caught in the railings...yikes!!
busses here (in calif) do not have seat belst yet except for
the disabled students in the smaller busses.
the manufacturers are Gillig, Blue Bird, Thomas and many others.
Most I know of aree still manual shift--many 10 speeds, some
school districts use 5 speeds. we live in a hilly and mountainous area so the shifting is more important especially in winter weather.Laurel