2023 School Bus forever stamps

Whether it sparks excitement, tears, fear, or nostalgia, the bright yellow school bus that carries millions of students to classrooms across the United States is a beloved symbol of a shared childhood experience. With the release of the School Bus additional-ounce stamp, the U.S. Postal Service honors this enduring icon and its special place in the nation’s collective memory.

Each day, about 25 million children ride a yellow school bus to and from school. These buses provide safe, reliable transportation — nearly 70 times safer than traveling by car — while also keeping millions of vehicles off the road, conserving fuel, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Inside every bus is a rolling microcosm of youth: a space where friendships form, playful dramas unfold, and daydreams take shape as children journey to and from their classrooms.

The stamp design features an ecru background with a tan schoolhouse, flag, and lettering. The school’s details — including its windows, door, clock face, and the word “SCHOOL” — are also rendered in ecru. A bright yellow bus with gray wheel rims and black tires, door, windows, bumpers, and trim is shown in profile, with “LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT” printed along its side. The bus sits atop a bold black line, serving as both the road and a border, separating it from the words “ADDITIONAL OUNCE” along the bottom edge.

Artist Steve Wolf collaborated with art director Greg Breeding and designer Mike Ryan to bring this nostalgic design to life.