Reply #3: School buses are NOT buses.

[happyslug]

A bus must meet certain Federal requirements. School Buses do NOT meet those requirements for they are nothing but trucks with an extended cab.

Look at a true bus, little or no nose, so driver has a clear view of the area in front of his bus (This is true even of "over the Road" buses used as charters, through these buses the driver sits up higher then in inner-city buses. Modern Buses also "knee" to a degree to permit people on and off the bus.

A school bus has a long hood of the medium duty truck it is based on (Through some buses do have no hoods i.e flat fronts like real buses). The seats are design to hold two adults (and three children, and this ability to put three children in a seat is the main reason School districts oppose seat belts on School Buses). School buses are rigid frame that prohibits any adjustments for people who have problem getting on or off the bus.

School buses run about $58,0000 Used) (http://www.schoolbusfleet.com/index.cfm?action=classifieds&type=vsearch&vBrowse=all

Buses run over 1/2 mill each (For example this articulated Bus which cost $633,000 EACH. http://www.lightrailnow.org/). As you can see a HUGE difference in price, also a factor of ten.