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The post horns rang out on 17 July 2024
The post horn celebrated its centenary in 2024. To mark the occasion, PostBus drivers in the mountain regions sounded their three-tone horns at 10 a.m. on 17 July. Up to 700 Postbuses took part in the “Three-tones in unison” initiative.
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Video of the “Three-tones in unison” initiative on 17 July 2024
The post horn was invented in 1924 so that Postbuses on mountain postal routes could warn other road users and avoid collisions. Since then, the three-tone Du-Da-Do has become PostBus’s audio trademark and has come to enjoy cult status. On Wednesday, 17 July 2024, PostBus celebrated its centennial year with a special initiative: at 10 a.m., the drivers of Postbuses with three-tone horns sounded them for about 30 seconds.
Some 700 of the total 2300 Postbuses are kitted out with the three-tone horn – in addition to their standard horn. Drivers press a pedal with their left foot, causing air to flow from a compressed air tank to the horn. This generates the characteristic 120-decibel three-tone horn, which sounds from the three bells on the underside of the vehicle.
About 120 routes in the mountain regions are served by Postbuses fitted with the three-tone horn. These are most densely concentrated in Graubünden, followed by Valais and Ticino. As an exception, to celebrate the centenary, the post horn was also heard on other sections of these routes, including at the bus stations in Chur, Sion and Interlaken.
