School buses in the United States have been painted yellow since 1939 when the vivid and visible color was selected at a New York conference that established nationwide school bus construction and safety standards.
Scientists have determined that people see yellow objects in their peripheral field 1.24 times better than red. Unlike red, yellow also is more easily noticed in a dark environment.
The color became known as "National School Bus Chrome" and was later renamed "National School Bus Glossy Yellow."