Kid hack facts for kids
A kid hack was a special kind of vehicle used a long time ago. It transported children to school in the late 1800s and early 1900s in the United States. Imagine a horse-drawn carriage, but just for kids! The word hack means a horse-drawn taxi.
What Was a Kid Hack?
Kid hacks were usually pulled by horses or mules. They were designed to be loaded from the back. This helped prevent the animals from getting scared. Back then, many children in rural areas went to small, one-room schools. A typical kid hack would pick up children from many farms. It usually carried fewer than 20 kids.
How Kid Hacks Became School Buses
Kid hacks were the first version of what we now call a modern yellow school bus. Around 1914, companies like the Wayne Works in Richmond, Indiana, started attaching kid hack bodies to early motor vehicles.
As motorized trucks became more common in the countryside, special wooden kid hack bodies were made. These bodies could be removed from the truck. This meant the truck could be used for other jobs when it wasn't taking kids to school. Around 1927, much stronger all-steel bodies were introduced. These new bodies were permanently attached to the truck's frame. This combined vehicle became known as a school bus.
See a Kid Hack Today
You can still see a restored horse-drawn "kid hack" today! It is on display at the Wayne County Historical Museum in Richmond, Indiana.
