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Washington, D.C., 1936. "Bus transportation -- Greyhound Lines driver at station with coach bound for New York." 4x5 inch glass negative, Harris & Ewing Collection. View full size.
He looks exactly as one would expect a bus driver of his era to look.
I totally agree with Pastafarian75's comment about the knowledge available from Shorpy Readers. I almost fell out of my chair a number of years ago when some reader identified a typical fireplug in a street image and supplied info almost down to the make/model/serial number and the dates they were manufactured.
Expecting to see Ralph Kramden instead!
First, this bus driver is almost certainly a Dapper Dan Man. Those shoes are fantastic, the pants crease could cut steel, the hat is perfectly cocked to the side, and his hair (head and facial) is on point.
Secondly, I'm am consistently amazed at the amount of knowledge Shorpy users have. There are people here like Phare Pleigh who have more knowledge on niche subjects than I have on my own children! I'm always delighted when experts and hobbyists share their lifetime of knowledge. Their passion for subjects (e.g. trains, automobiles, long-gone company ads, etc.) definitely shows.
All shiny and ready to begin its career, this is a Model 719 Greyhound Super Coach manufactured for one year (1936) by Yellow Truck and Coach Manufacturing Company (a subsidiary of Yellow Cab started by John Hertz). See the "YC" centered beneath the windshields.
Greyhound purchased 329 production models featuring 36 seats and a 6-cylinder GM gasoline engine. Model 719 introduced the high floor, underfloor luggage storage, a streamlined front, and rear engine. I suspect the small engine and lack of power steering made this a beast to drive over the small roads and narrow bridges of the period.
Just one year later, the design was upgraded to Model 743 specification with air conditioning and a diesel engine. Greyhound purchased 1,256 of this model through 1939.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Coach_Manufacturing_Company
I love that everyone wore hats, no matter what. And how about the bus driver's footwear? Sharp.
We're not at the DC Greyhound terminal photographed by John Vachon on Christmas Eve 1941, with examples on Shorpy. The earlier terminal was two blocks west, on the south side of New York Avenue between 14th and 15th streets. In 1936 it was only three years old but getting crowded (particularly the awkward curved driveway), ready to be replaced by the Art Deco building where Vachon took his photos.
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