Have you ever wondered what the black stripes on the side of a school bus really mean? They might seem like decoration, but they actually serve a bigger purpose. A school buses’side is made of a thin layer of metal, so in case of a crash, it’s very dangerous. The black lines actually represent the bottom of the seat line, the floor of the passenger compartment, and the top of the seat. The lines strengthen the thin layer of metal, so in case of a crash, the black lines are there to protect the students further.